UIUC Physics 486: Solutions for for HW 10

December 2, 2014

Problem 1: Matrix Elements of Ylm

(a): Using the relations, Lx = 12 (L+ + L ), and Ly =

1
2i (L+

L ), we can see that

hYlm | Lx | Yl0 m0 i =

1p
1p
l(l + 1) m0 (m0 1)l,l0 m,m0 1 +
l(l + 1) m0 (m0 + 1)l,l0 m,m0 +1
2
2

hYlm | Ly | Yl0 m0 i =

ip
ip
l(l + 1) m0 (m0 1)l,l0 m,m0 1
l(l + 1) m0 (m0 + 1)l,l0 m,m0 +1
2
2

(b): Note that L2x + L2y = L2 L2z . The smallest eigenvalue of the operator L2 L2z occurs, when m = l,
and its value is l(l + 1) l2 = l. Further, the Lx and Ly are Hermitian operators having a real eigenvalue,
implying that L2x and L2y have non-negative eigenvalues. Hence, these can equal zero only when l = 0.
(c):

 
1

2

Yll  (L+ + L )  Yll
4
1
l
= hYll | L+ L | Yll i =
4
2

 2 
Yll  Lx  Yll =

(1)
(2)

Which is equal to zero iff l = 0.

Problem 2: Hydrogen Atom Expectation values

|nlm i are orthonormal eigen functions of all the operators H, L2 and Lz . Hence, it is easy to write down
the following answers (where R is the Rydberg constant),

hHi =

R
(1 + 3/4 + 5/9)
9

.
1


2  ~2
L =
(1 (0(0 + 1)) + 3 (1(1 + 1)) + 5 (2(2 + 1))) = 4~2
9
.

hLz i = 0

Problem 3: Average Size of Atoms

PROBLEM 3 - Parts (a) and (b)

Radial probablility densities for l = 0, 1, 2
In[32]:=

P0[x_] = x * x (2 / (81 * Sqrt[3])) ^ 2 * ((27 - 18 * x + 2 * x * x) ^ 2) * Exp[- 2 * x / 3];

In[33]:=

P1[x_] = x * x ((4 / (81 * Sqrt[6])) ^ 2) * ((6 - x) ^ 2) * x * x * Exp[- 2 * x / 3];

In[34]:=

P2[x_] = x * x ((4 / 81 / Sqrt[30]) ^ 2) * (x * x * x * x * Exp[- 2 * x / 3]);

Check the Normalization

In[35]:=
Out[35]=

In[36]:=
Out[36]=

In[37]:=
Out[37]=

Integrate[P0[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]

1
Integrate[P1[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]
1
Integrate[P2[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]
1

Plot them to see the maxima

(The precise location of the global maxima are,
13.07 a for l = 0,
12 a for l = 1,
9 a for l = 2 )
In[38]:=

Plot[P0[x], {x, 0, 20}]

0.10
0.08
0.06

Out[38]=

0.04
0.02
5

In[39]:=

10

15

20

Plot[P1[x], {x, 0, 20}]

0.10
0.08
0.06

Out[39]=

0.04
0.02
5

10

15

20

Prob3_HW10.nb

In[40]:=

Plot[P2[x], {x, 0, 20}]

0.10
0.08

Out[40]=

0.06
0.04
0.02
5

10

15

20

Find the average radial distance for l = 0, 1, 2

In[42]:=

Integrate[x * P0[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]

27

Out[42]=

In[43]:=

2
Integrate[x * P1[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]
25

Out[43]=

In[44]:=

2
Integrate[x * P2[x], {x, 0, Infinity}]
21

Out[44]=

Note that the distances are measured in units of a.

P
2
3 (c): Keeping n and
m |3lm | is spherically symmetric. This guarantees the
P l fixed, 2we show that
required result that m,l |3lm | is spherically symmetric.
l = 0: Y00 is independent of and .
l = 1:
|Y11 |2 + |Y10 |2 + |Y11 |2 =

3
4

is independent of and .
l = 2:
X

|Y2m |2 =

5
4

is independent of and .

Hence proved.

Problem 4: Angular Momentum Measurement

We suppress factors of ~ during the calculation, and it can be restored in the end from dimensional analysis.

(a): In the eigenbasis of Lz , the state after the first measurement is 21 ( |1, 1i i 2 |1, 0i + |1, 1i). Hence,
a subsequent Lz measurement yields ~ with probability 0.25 and 0 with probability 0.5.
(b): We write the state after the first measurement in the eigenbasis of Lx , in which it reads
2 |Lx = 0i i |Lx = 1i). The probabilities are easily read off from the above expression.

1 (i |Lx
6

= 1i+

Problem 5: 3d Harmonic Potential

(a): (x, y, z) is an energy eigenfunction with eigenvalue 5/2~. Hence,

(x, y, z, t) = ei 2 ~t (x, y, z)
(b):
2 2

(x, y, z) = N (sin() cos() + sin() sin() + cos())re r

r
2 2
2
=N
((1 + i)Y11 + 2Y10 + (i 1)Y11 )re r
3

(3)
(4)

(c): The wavefunction is an eigenfunction of L2 with eigenvalue 1(1 + 1) = 2. Hence, L2 measurement yields
a value of 2 with probability 1.
(d): From the above wave function we can read off the probabilities as, 1/4 for l = 1, and 1/2 for l = 0.
5

(e):
r
hr, , | L+ | i = N

r
hr, , | L | i = N

2 2
2
((1 + i) 2Y10 + 2 2Y11 )re r
3

2 2
2 1
(2 2Y1 + (i 1) 2Y10 )re r
3

Problem 6: Measuring the Hydrogen atom

(a): N =

1
10

(b): Let En be the energy of the n-th level, given by 13.6/n2 eV. Then, we have E2 with probability 0.1,
E3 with probability 0.7, and E4 with probability 0.2. Hence, Average energy is (0.1E2 + 0.7E3 + 0.2E4 ).
(c): 2~2 with probability 0.4 and 6~2 with probability 0.6. Hence the average is 4~2 .
(d): ~ with prob 0.3, 0 with prob 0.5 and ~ with prob 0.2. Hence, the average is 0.1~.
(e): The average values dont depend on time, since, all operators which commute with the Hamiltonian
have their expectation values independent of time.

Problem 7: Inside the Nucleus

(a): Performing the integration, we get,

2
b
P =1 1+
e2b/a
a

(b): Let x = b/a << 1, then

P = 1 (1 + x)e2x

(5)

8
1 (1 + 2x + x2 )(1 2x + 2x2 x3 + . . .)
6
4
= x3 + O(x4 )
3
(c): (0) = a1.5 0.5 . Substituting this, we get the same result as in (b).
(d): Substituting the numerical values, we get, P 10.67 1015 .

(6)
(7)