Commutators of functions of operators

In summary, the conversation discusses the commutativity of operators A and B, as well as operators e^A and e^B. The person speaking suggests trying to prove their commutativity through mathematical induction. Additionally, they mention the possibility of e^A being a matrix with all elements being infinity, but conclude that this does not make sense as matrices cannot have infinite elements.
  • #1
LagrangeEuler
717
20
I would like to ask whether if operators ##A## and ##B## commute also operators ##e^A## and ##e^B## commute? Also I have a question is it possible that
##e^A## is matrix where all elements are ##\infty## so that ##e^A \cdot e^B-e^B\cdot e^A## has all elements that are ##\infty##?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
LagrangeEuler said:
I would like to ask whether if operators ##A## and ##B## commute also operators ##e^A## and ##e^B## commute?
Have you tried to prove that?

LagrangeEuler said:
Also I have a question is it possible that
##e^A## is matrix where all elements are ##\infty## so that ##e^A \cdot e^B-e^B\cdot e^A## has all elements that are ##\infty##?
That makes no sense. Matrices cannot have infinite elements.
 
  • #3
LagrangeEuler said:
I would like to ask whether if operators ##A## and ##B## commute also operators ##e^A## and ##e^B## commute?
I would try to prove that by showing with mathematical induction that any partial sum MacLaurin expansions ##\displaystyle\sum\limits_{k=0}^{N}\frac{1}{k!}A^k## and ##\displaystyle\sum\limits_{k=0}^{N}\frac{1}{k!}B^k## with a finite ##N## commute when ##[A,B]=0##. It results just from the fact that ##A^m B^n = B^n A^m## for any ##m,n\in\mathbb{N}## when ##[A,B]=0##, so the order of operators doesn't make any difference when forming that polynomial of two operator variables.
 

1. What is a commutator of functions of operators?

A commutator of functions of operators is a mathematical expression that represents the difference between two operators multiplied in two different orders. It is used in quantum mechanics to calculate the uncertainty between two observables.

2. How is a commutator of functions of operators calculated?

The commutator of functions of operators is calculated using the following formula: [A, B] = AB - BA, where A and B are operators. This formula represents the difference between the two operators multiplied in two different orders.

3. What is the significance of the commutator in quantum mechanics?

The commutator is significant in quantum mechanics because it helps determine the uncertainty between two observables. It also plays a crucial role in the mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics and is used to derive important physical properties of quantum systems.

4. Can the commutator of functions of operators be zero?

Yes, the commutator of functions of operators can be zero in certain cases. If the operators A and B commute, meaning that AB = BA, then their commutator will be zero. This also implies that the two operators have a common set of eigenstates.

5. How does the commutator of functions of operators relate to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle?

The commutator of functions of operators is directly related to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. The uncertainty principle states that the product of the uncertainties in the measurement of two non-commuting observables is always greater than or equal to the absolute value of their commutator. This means that the commutator represents the minimum uncertainty between two observables in quantum mechanics.

Similar threads

  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
7
Views
1K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
2
Views
469
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
1
Views
627
  • Precalculus Mathematics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
798
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
1
Views
1K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
19
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Linear and Abstract Algebra
Replies
5
Views
1K
Back
Top