130_notes.dvi

(Frankie) #1

Plug in thatλ.


(∆A)^2 −

1

4

〈ψ|[U,V]|ψ〉^2
(∆B)^2

+

〈ψ|[U,V]|ψ〉^2
2(∆B)^2

≥ 0

(∆A)^2 (∆B)^2 ≥−

1

4

〈ψ|[U,V]|ψ〉^2 =〈ψ|

i
2

[U,V]|ψ〉^2

This result is theuncertainty for non-commuting operators.


(∆A)(∆B)≥

i
2

〈[A,B]〉

If the commutator is a constant, as in the case of [p,x], the expectation values can be removed.


(∆A)(∆B)≥

i
2

[A,B]

For momentum and position, this agrees with the uncertainty principle we know.


(∆p)(∆x)≥
i
2

〈[p,x]〉=
̄h
2

(Note that we could have simplified the proof by just stating that wechoose to dot (U+i2(∆〈[U,VB)] 2 〉V)ψ
into itself and require that its positive. It would not have been clear that this was the strongest
condition we could get.)


11.4 Time Derivative of Expectation Values*.


We wish to compute the time derivative of the expectation value of anoperatorAin the stateψ.
Thinking about the integral, this has three terms.


d
dt
〈ψ|A|ψ〉 =



dt
|A|ψ


+


ψ





∂A

∂t




∣ψ


+


ψ|A|


dt


=

− 1

i ̄h

〈Hψ|A|ψ〉+

1

i ̄h

〈ψ|A|Hψ〉+


ψ





∂A

∂t




∣ψ


=

i
̄h

〈ψ|[H,A]|ψ〉+


ψ





∂A

∂t




∣ψ


This is an important general result for thetime derivative of expectation values.


d
dt

〈ψ|A|ψ〉=

i
̄h

〈ψ|[H,A]|ψ〉+


ψ





∂A

∂t




∣ψ

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