- #1
pixyl
- 2
- 3
- Homework Statement
- Prove that ##\vec L^2 = \vec x^2 \vec p^2 - (\vec x \cdot \vec p)^2 + i\hbar \vec x \cdot \vec p##
- Relevant Equations
- ##\varepsilon_{ijk}\varepsilon_{imn} = \delta_{jm}\delta_{kn} - \delta_{jn}\delta_{km}##,
##L_i = \varepsilon_{ijk}x^jp^k##,
##[x^i, p^j] = i\hbar\delta_{ij}##
##[x^i, x^j] = [p^i, p^j] = 0##
What I've done is
$$\vec{L}^2 = \varepsilon_{ijk}x^jp^k\varepsilon_{imn}x^mp^n = (\delta_{jm}\delta_{kn} - \delta_{jn}\delta_{km})x^jp^kx^mp^n = x^jp^kx^jp^k - x^jp^kx^kp^j = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - x^jp^kx^kp^j = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - (x^jx^kp^kp^j - i\hbar x^jp^j) = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - (x^jx^kp^jp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j) = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - x^jp^jx^kp^k = $$
$$ = \vec x^2 \vec p^2 - (\vec x \cdot \vec p)^2 - i\hbar \vec x \cdot \vec p$$
I've tried again and again and I don't understand what I'm doing wrong: if you can spot the error it would be greatly appreciated.
$$\vec{L}^2 = \varepsilon_{ijk}x^jp^k\varepsilon_{imn}x^mp^n = (\delta_{jm}\delta_{kn} - \delta_{jn}\delta_{km})x^jp^kx^mp^n = x^jp^kx^jp^k - x^jp^kx^kp^j = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - x^jp^kx^kp^j = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - (x^jx^kp^kp^j - i\hbar x^jp^j) = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - (x^jx^kp^jp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j) = $$
$$ = x^jx^jp^kp^k - i\hbar x^jp^j - x^jp^jx^kp^k = $$
$$ = \vec x^2 \vec p^2 - (\vec x \cdot \vec p)^2 - i\hbar \vec x \cdot \vec p$$
I've tried again and again and I don't understand what I'm doing wrong: if you can spot the error it would be greatly appreciated.