Direct products and direct sums in QM

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of taking direct sums and products of state spaces in quantum mechanics. It explains that a state space for two indistinguishable particles can be represented as a direct sum of two one-particle spaces, which can then be further broken down into products of two space-states for different observables. The conversation then raises the question of whether particles with the same states can be treated as the same, leading to the conclusion that the direct product should be referred to as a tensor product. The conversation also confirms that the tensor product is distributive with respect to direct sum.
  • #1
Amok
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Dear forumers,

I have a question about taking direct sums and products of state spaces in QM. Picture I have a state space that describes two (indistinguishable) particles which is a direct sum of two one-particles spaces:

[tex]\epsilon_t = \epsilon_1 \oplus \epsilon_2 [/tex]

Furthermore, picture that both one-particle state spaces can be represented as products of two space-states for different observables.

[tex]\epsilon_1 = \epsilon_{o1} \otimes \epsilon_{o2} [/tex]

and

[tex]\epsilon_2 = \epsilon_{o3} \otimes \epsilon_{o3} [/tex]

that is to say

[tex]\epsilon_t = (\epsilon_{o1} \otimes \epsilon_{o2}) \oplus (\epsilon_{o3} \otimes \epsilon_{o4}) [/tex]

Now picture that the spaces for o1 (which refers to particles 1) and o3 (which refers to particle 2) are actually the same (they contain all the same states). Is it a stretch to say that since these particles are indistinguishable:

[tex] (\epsilon_{o1} \otimes \epsilon_{o2}) \oplus (\epsilon_{o1} \otimes \epsilon_{o4})
= \epsilon_{o1} \otimes (\epsilon_{o2} \oplus \epsilon_{o4}) [/tex]

?

I'm new to this fock-space, many particle thing, so pardon me if what I'm doing is totally wrong.
 
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  • #2
I don't know if this is the accepted terminology in phisics, but it shouldn't be called 'direct product' it is 'tensor product'. And yes, it is true that it is distrubutive with respect to direct sum.
 

1. What is meant by "direct product" and "direct sum" in quantum mechanics?

In quantum mechanics, the direct product refers to the tensor product of two or more quantum systems, while the direct sum refers to the direct sum of their Hilbert spaces. Essentially, the direct product combines the individual states of each system, while the direct sum combines the spaces in which those states exist.

2. How are direct products and direct sums used in quantum mechanics?

Direct products and direct sums are used to model composite quantum systems, where multiple quantum systems are combined into one. This is important for understanding the behavior of complex quantum systems, such as molecules or multi-particle systems.

3. What are the properties of direct products and direct sums in quantum mechanics?

Direct products and direct sums have a number of important properties, including being associative, distributive, and commutative. They also preserve important quantum properties such as unitarity and Hermiticity.

4. How do direct products and direct sums relate to other mathematical concepts in quantum mechanics?

Direct products and direct sums are closely related to other mathematical concepts in quantum mechanics, such as tensor products, tensor sums, and direct integrals. They are also important for understanding quantum operations and measurements.

5. Can direct products and direct sums be used in classical mechanics?

While direct products and direct sums are primarily used in quantum mechanics, they can also be applied in classical mechanics. However, in classical mechanics, they are often referred to as Cartesian products and direct sums, respectively. In general, they are used to model composite systems in both classical and quantum mechanics.

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