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The Physics of Quantum Mechanics

James Binney, David Skinner

Chapter 9

Motion in a magnetic field - all with Video Answers

Educators


Chapter Questions

03:43

Problem 1

This problem is all classical electromagnetism, but it gives physical insight into quantum physics. It is hard to do without a command of Cartesian tensor notation (Appendix B). A point charge $Q$ is placed at the origin in the magnetic field generated by a spatially confined current distribution. Given that
$$
\mathbf{E}=\frac{Q}{4 \pi \epsilon_{0}} \frac{\mathbf{r}}{r^{3}}
$$
and $\mathbf{B}=\nabla \times \mathbf{A}$ with $\nabla \cdot \mathbf{A}=0$, show that the field's momentum
$$
\mathbf{P} \equiv \epsilon_{0} \int \mathrm{d}^{3} \mathbf{x} \mathbf{E} \times \mathbf{B}=Q \mathbf{A}(0)
$$
Write down the relation between the particle's position and momentum and interpret this relation physically in light of the result you have just obtained.

Mahnoor Amin
Mahnoor Amin
Numerade Educator
03:11

Problem 2

From equation (9.32) show that the normalised wavefunction of a particle of mass $m$ that is in the $n^{\text {th }}$ Landau level of a uniform magnetic field $B$ is
$$
\langle\mathbf{x} \mid n\rangle=\frac{r^{n} \mathrm{e}^{-r^{2} / 4 r_{B}^{2}} \mathrm{e}^{-\mathrm{i} n \phi}}{2^{(n+1) / 2} \sqrt{n ! \pi} r_{B}^{n+1}}
$$
where $r_{B}=\sqrt{\hbar / Q B}$. Hence show that the expectation of the particle's gyration radius is
$$
\langle r\rangle_{n} \equiv\langle n|r| n\rangle=\sqrt{2} \frac{\left(n+\frac{1}{2}\right) !}{n !} r_{B}
$$
Show further that
$$
\frac{\delta \ln \langle r\rangle_{n}}{\delta n} \simeq \frac{1}{2 n}
$$
and thus show that in the limit of large $n,\langle r\rangle \propto \sqrt{E}$, where $E$ is the energy of the level. Show that this result is in accordance with the correspondence principle.

Declan Nell
Declan Nell
Numerade Educator
02:23

Problem 3

Show that in the gauge in which the magnetic vector potential is $\mathbf{A}=\frac{1}{2} \mathbf{B} \times \mathbf{x}$ the wavefunction of the $n^{\text {th }}$ Landau level of gyration about the point $\mathbf{a}$ is
$$
\langle\mathbf{x} \mid n, \mathbf{a}\rangle=\mathrm{e}^{\mathrm{i} Q(\mathbf{B} \times \mathbf{a}) \cdot \mathbf{x} / 2 \hbar}\left\{\left(x-a_{x}\right)-\mathrm{i}\left(y-a_{y}\right)\right\}^{n} \mathrm{e}^{-|\mathbf{x}-\mathbf{a}|^{2} / 4 r_{B}^{2}}
$$

Bruce Edelman
Bruce Edelman
Numerade Educator
01:14

Problem 4

A particle of charge $Q$ is confined to move in the $x y$ plane, with electrostatic potential $\phi=0$ and vector potential A satisfying
$$
\boldsymbol{\nabla} \times \mathbf{A}=(0,0, B)
$$
Consider the operators $\rho_{x}, \rho_{y}, R_{x}$ and $R_{y}$, defined by
$$
\rho=\frac{1}{Q B} \hat{\mathbf{e}}_{z} \times(\mathbf{p}-Q \mathbf{A}) \quad \text { and } \quad \mathbf{R}=\mathbf{r}-\boldsymbol{\rho}
$$
where $\mathbf{r}$ and $\mathbf{p}$ are the usual position and momentum operators, and $\hat{\mathbf{e}}_{z}$ is the unit vector along $\mathbf{B}$. Show that the only non-zero commutators formed from the $x$ and $y$ components of these are
$$
\left[\rho_{x}, \rho_{y}\right]=\mathrm{i} r_{B}^{2} \quad \text { and } \quad\left[R_{x}, R_{y}\right]=-\mathrm{i} r_{B}^{2}
$$
where $r_{B}^{2}=\hbar / Q B$.
The operators $a, a^{\dagger}, b$ and $b^{\dagger}$ are defined via
$$
a=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} r_{B}}\left(\rho_{x}+\mathrm{i} \rho_{y}\right) \quad \text { and } \quad b=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2} r_{B}}\left(R_{y}+\mathrm{i} R_{x}\right)
$$
Evaluate $[a, a \dagger]$ and $\left[b, b^{\dagger}\right] .$ Show that for suitably defined $\omega$, the Hamiltonian can be written
$$
H=\hbar \omega\left(a^{\dagger} a+\frac{1}{2}\right)
$$
Given that there exists a unique state $|\psi\rangle$ satisfying
$$
a|\psi\rangle=b|\psi\rangle=0
$$
what conclusions can be drawn about the allowed energies of the Hamiltonian and their degeneracies? What is the physical interpretation of these results?

Dominador Tan
Dominador Tan
Numerade Educator
02:34

Problem 5

Using cylindrical polar coordinates $(R, \phi, z)$, show that the probability current density associated with the wavefunction $(9.56)$ of the $n^{\text {th }}$ Landau level is
$$
\mathbf{J}(R)=-\frac{\hbar R^{2 n-1} \mathrm{e}^{-R^{2} / 2 r_{B}^{2}}}{2^{n+1} \pi n ! m r_{B}^{2 n+2}}\left(n+\frac{R^{2}}{2 r_{B}^{2}}\right) \hat{\mathbf{e}}_{\phi}
$$
where $r_{B} \equiv \sqrt{\hbar / Q B}$. Plot $\mathbf{J}$ as a function of $R$ and interpret your plot physically.

Suzanne W.
Suzanne W.
Numerade Educator
02:14

Problem 6

In classical electromagnetism the magnetic moment of a planar loop of wire that has area $A$, normal $\hat{\mathbf{n}}$ and carries a current $I$ is defined to be
$$
\boldsymbol{\mu}=I A \hat{\mathbf{n}}
$$
Use this formula and equation (9.66) to show that the magnetic moment of a charge $Q$ that is in a Landau level of a magnetic field $B$ has magnitude $\mu=E / B$, where $E$ is the energy of the level. Rederive this formula from classical mechanics.

Ajay Singhal
Ajay Singhal
Numerade Educator