PH3103 Tutorial 1

p2
Q 1)Show that for a one-dimensional system with Hamiltonian H = 2m
+
V (x), the commutator

p2
 
dV
[xp, H] = i~ −x
m dx

and hence prove that for an energy eigenstate

p2
   
dV
2 = x .
2m dx

This is called the (quantum) virial theorem.

What does this say about the simple harmonic oscillator?
Q 2) Prove the corresponding result for a 3-D system and apply it to the
hydrogen atom.
Q 3) Prove the Feynman-Hellman theorem

∂En ∂H
= hψn | |ψn i
∂λ ∂λ

where λ is any parameter that occurs in the Hamiltonian H and |ψn i is the
normalized eigenket of H corresponding to the eigenvalue En .
Use this for the “radial Hamiltonian” for the hydrogen atom

~2 d2 Ze2 l (l + 1) ~2
H=− − +
2m dr2 4π0 r 2mr2

to determine the expectation values hr−1 i and hr−2 i. Hint : for the current
purpose you can treat l as a continuous parameter!

1
Q 4) Show that
1 ~
L = m~v 2 − qφ + q~v · A
2
leads to the Lorentz force law!
Q 5) Derive the Hamiltonian corresponding to this Lagrangian.
Q 6) Show that the Schrodinger equation for the electron in a hydrogen-like
~ can be written as
atom subjected to a constant magnetic field B

~2 2 Ze2 e2 ~ 2
 
i~e ~
− ∇ − − A·∇+ A ψ (~r) = Eψ (~r)
2m 4π0 r m 2m

~ = 1B
where A ~ × ~r.
2

Show that the term linear in A~ can be rewritten as e ~

B ~ . Also rewrite
·L
2m
~
the quadratic term in terms of B.
Estimate the ratio of the two terms for an atomic system and hence explain
why the quadratic term can usually be neglected.