Fsica Cuntica II

Hoja 5

Systems of identical particles.

1) Consider a system of three particles with the same spin. Check the validity of the following equations for the permutation
operators
a) P312 P132 = P321 ; P132 P312 = P213
1
1
1
1
1
b) P312 = P231 ; P231 = P312 ; P213 = P213 ; P321 = P321 ; P132 = P132 .

c) Prove that the sum of the symmetrizer and antisymmetrizer operators is given by
S + A = 1 (P123 + P231 + P312 ) = 1
3
2) Consider a system of three identical particles (bosons or fermions) and obtain, in each case, the physical state that
corresponds to have the particles in the three individual normalized states | , | , and | .
Analyze how the obtained results are modied if two of the individual states, e.g., | , and | , coincide. Repeat the analysis
for the case in which the three individual states are the same. Discuss how the analyzed situations illustrate the derivation of
the Pauli's exclusion principle from the symmetrization postulate.

by

3) Obtain the ground state of a system of N independent identical particles (bosons or fermions) whose Hamiltonian is given
H(1, 2, ...N ) = h(1) + h(2) + ... + h(N )

where h(j) |n = en |n ; |n E(j). For the sake of simplicity, assume that the spectrum of h(j) is discrete and nondegenerate.
4) Let h0 be the Hamiltonian of a particle. Assume that the operator h0 acts only on the orbital variables and has three
equidistant levels of energy 0, 0 , and 2 0 , (where 0 is a real positive constant), which are nondegenerate in the orbital
subspace Er . In the total state space, the degeneracy of each of these levels is equal to 2s + 1, where s is the spin of the particle.
From the point of view of the orbital variables, we are concerned only with the subspace of Er spanned by the three corresponding
eigenstates of h0 .
a) Consider a system of three independent electrons whose Hamiltonian can be written:
H = h0 (1) + h0 (2) + h0 (3)

Find the energy levels of H and their degrees of degeneracy.

b) Same question for a system of three identical bosons of spin 0.
5) a) Consider a system of two electrons, one in the state |, + and the other, in the state |, . Let II (r, r )d3 rd3 r
be the probability of nding one of them in a volume d3 r centered at point r, and the other in a volume d3 r centered at r
(two-particle density function.) Similarly, let I (r)d3 r be the probability of nding one of the electrons in a volume d3 r centered
at point r (one-particle density function.) Show that:
2

II (r, r )

|(r)| |(r )| + |(r )| |(r)|

I (r)

|(r)| + |(r)|

Calculate the integrals over all space of I (r) and II (r, r ). Are they equal to one? Discuss the results.
b) Now assume that one electron is in the state |, + and the other one is in the state |, + . Show that we then have:
II (r, r )
I (r)

= |(r)(r ) (r )(r)|
2

= |(r)| + |(r)|

Calculate the integrals over all space of I (r) and II (r, r ). Are they equal to one? Discuss the results.

6)

Consider that the helium atom is described by the Hamiltonian H = H0 + W , where:

H0 = h1 + h2 =

2
P1
2e2
P2
2e2

+ 2
,
2me
R1
2me
R2

W =

e2

R1 R2

a) First, neglect the electron repulsion W and nd the ground state of H0 . Obtain the ground-state energy and the corresponding degeneracy. Repeat the analysis for the rst-excited state. [Hint: take into account that hi i = 1, 2, corresponds to
the Hamiltonian of a hydrogen-like atom. Therefore, its eigenvalues and eigenstates are obtained from those of the Hydrogen
atom by replacing the Bohr radius a0 (H) and the Ionization potential EI (H) by the corresponding eective (hydrogen-like)
values, i.e., a0 (Z) = a0 (H)/Z , EI (Z) = Z 2 EI (H), with Z being the atomic number.]
b) Show that the ground state is a singlet of spin.
c) Is W a physical observable? Discuss how the eect of the electron repulsion can be evaluated through the application of
perturbation theory. (Do not calculate the corrections, simply indicate the procedure.)