Show operator is diag in second basis

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on demonstrating that the S2 operator is diagonal in the second basis using Pauli matrices. The S2 operator is defined as S2 = S12 + S22 + 2S1S2, where S1 and S2 represent spin operators for a two-particle system. Participants express confusion regarding the problem statement and the meaning of "in the second basis," indicating potential issues with notation clarity.

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Homework Statement


Show explicitly using Pauli matrices that the S2 operator is diagonal in the second basis.


Homework Equations


S2=S[tex]^{2}_{1}[/tex]+S[tex]^{2}_{2}[/tex]+2S[tex]_{1}[/tex]S[tex]_{2}[/tex]

3. The Attempt at a Solution [/b]
In the last term, 1 and 2 are supposed to be subscripts, and the two S's should be shown as a dot product.

Treat as a 2-particle system; what are they looking for? What does "in the second basis" mean? There is also a chance that the probelm statement is incorrect; in the instructor's superscripts, it's often impossible to distinguish a 2 from a z. Thanks in advance.







 
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