4.I.6G

Quantum Mechanics
Part IB, 2005

Define the commutator [A,B][A, B] of two operators, AA and BB. In three dimensions angular momentum is defined by a vector operator L\mathbf{L} with components

Lx=ypzzpyLy=zpxxpzLz=xpyypxL_{x}=y p_{z}-z p_{y} \quad L_{y}=z p_{x}-x p_{z} \quad L_{z}=x p_{y}-y p_{x}

Show that [Lx,Ly]=iLz\left[L_{x}, L_{y}\right]=i \hbar L_{z} and use this, together with permutations, to show that [L2,Lw]=0\left[\mathbf{L}^{2}, L_{w}\right]=0, where ww denotes any of the directions x,y,zx, y, z.

At a given time the wave function of a particle is given by

ψ=(x+y+z)exp(x2+y2+z2)\psi=(x+y+z) \exp \left(-\sqrt{x^{2}+y^{2}+z^{2}}\right)

Show that this is an eigenstate of L2\mathbf{L}^{2} with eigenvalue equal to 222 \hbar^{2}.