The Postulates of Quantum Mechanics: Postulate 1
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61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 1
THE POSTULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS
(time-independent) Postulate 1: The state of a system is completely described by a
wavefunction r , t . Postulate 2: All measurable quantities (observables) are described by Hermitian linear operators. Postulate 3: The only values that are obtained in a measurement of an
( )
. The observable A are the eigenvalues an of the corresponding operator A with measurement changes the state of the system to the eigenfunction of A eigenvalue an.
Postulate 4: If a system is described by a normalized wavefunction
is then the average value of an observable corresponding to A
d a = *A
Implications and elaborations on Postulates #1] (a) The physically relevant quantity is
2
* r, t r, t = r, t
( ) ( )
( )
probability density at time t and position r
(b)
r , t must be normalized
( )
* d = 1
(c)
r , t must be well behaved
( )
5.61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 2
(i) (ii) (iii) #2] (a)
Single valued and continuous Finite
Example:
Particle in a box eigenfunctions of H
x x =E x H n n n
But if true. e.g.
() ()
()
()
2 x = a
12
n x sin a
is not an eigenfunction of the operator, then the statement is not
n x above with momentum operator
12 n x d d 2 n n x = i! n x = i! sin p dx dx a a 2 1 2 n x pn sin a a
()
()
()
(b)
In order to create a Q.M. operator from a classical observable, use
= x and x
e.g.
x = i! p
d and replace in classical expression. dx
1 2 1 !2 d 2 = p = K.E. = p p (1D) 2m 2m 2 m dx 2 !2 2 2 2 = + + (3D) 2m x 2 y 2 z 2
( )( )
Another 3D example: Angular momentum
L=rp
5.61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 3
d d lx = ypz zp y = i! y z dy dz d d l y = zpx xpz = i! z x dz dx d d lz = xp y ypx = i! x y dx dy
(c) Linear means
f x + g x = Af x + Ag x A cf x = cA f x A
(d) Hermitian means that
() () () () ()
()
and
d 2 d = 2 A 1 1 A
( )
are real. This is important!! and implies that the eigenvalues of A Observables should be represented as real numbers.
Proof:
= a Take A
d = A A
( )
a d = a a = a*
( )
( ) d
true only if a is real (e) i.e. Eigenfunctions of Hermitian operators are orthogonal if
= a A m m m
= a and A n n n
5.61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 4
then Proof:
n d = 0
if m n
an m n d = am n m d
d n d = n A m m A
(a
am
n d = 0
n d = 0
= 0 if n m
(a
am
= 0 if n=m Example: Particle in a box
1 4
As much + as - area
140130120
000aaadxdxdx
3
Eigenfunctions H of
1 3
1
0
1 2
are normalized, then they are orthonormal In addition, if eigenfunctions of A
n d = mn
Krnecker delta
5.61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 5
1 if m = n (normalization) mn = 0 if m n (orthogonality)
#3] If
is an eigenfunction of the operator, then its easy, e.g.
measurement of energy yields value
n
= E H n n n
But what if e.g.
is not an eigenfunction of the operator?
could be a superposition of eigenfunctions
= c11 + c22
where
= a A 1 1 1
= a and A 2 2 2
2 2
Then a measurement of A returns either a1 or a2 , with probability c1 or c2
respectively, and making the measurement changes the state to either 1 or 2 .
measure
a1
1 (probability c12 )
2 ) 2 (probability c2
a2 2a
#4]
This connects to the expectation value (i)
, then A = a If n is an eigenfunction of A n n n
a = n A n d = an n n d = an
a = an
only value possible
5.61 Fall 2007
Lecture #10
page 6
(ii)
If = c11 + c22 as above
d = a = A
(c
1 1
c + c d = c 2 a + c 2 a + c22 A 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2
) (
c12 is the probability of measuring a1 <a > = average of possible values weighted by their probabilities
