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〉 =
〈
dψ
dt
|A|ψ
〉
+
〈
ψ
∣
∣
∣
∣
∂A
∂t
∣
∣
∣
∣ψ
〉
+
〈
ψ|A|
dψ
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