Is [\vec{p}^2, \vec{p} \times \vec{L}] Equal to Zero?

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SUMMARY

The expression [\vec{p}^2, \vec{p} \times \vec{L}] is definitively equal to zero, as demonstrated through a component-wise proof. The analysis reveals that the first term, \vec{p}^2, represents the dot product of the momentum vector with itself, while the second term, \vec{p} \times \vec{L}, is a pseudovector. The proof utilizes commutator identities and results in a final expression that simplifies to zero, confirming the equality through rigorous symbolic manipulation.

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LagrangeEuler
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Is there some easy way to see that
[\vec{p}^2, \vec{p} \times \vec{L}] is equal zero? I use component method and got that.
 
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What does the expression mean? In linear algebra commutators take operators as inputs, but in the above the inputs are not operators. The first appears to be a scalar (assuming ##\vec p^2## means the dot product of ##\vec p## with itself) and the second a pseudovector.

Commutators are also defined for the binary operation of any group, but if that is the intention above, it is not clear what the group or the operation is.
 
andrewkirk said:
What does the expression mean? In linear algebra commutators take operators as inputs, but in the above the inputs are not operators.
It is supposed to be understood as element-wise statement, that is
$$
[\mathbf p^2,(\mathbf p\times \mathbf L)_i] = 0
$$
for ##i=1,2,3##.
LagrangeEuler said:
Is there some easy way to see
You can work on it using symbolic expressions but IMO it's not too simple nor too difficult either, in fact it is also component-wise proof
$$
[p^ip^i, \epsilon_{mjk} p^j L^k] = \epsilon_{mjk} \left( p^i[p^i,p^j]L^k + [p^i, p^j]p^iL^k + p^jp^i[p^i, L^k] + p^j[p^i,L^k]p^i \right) \\
= \epsilon_{mjk} \left( 0 + 0 + p^jp^ip^l (-i\hbar \epsilon_{kil}) + p^j p^l p^i (-i\hbar \epsilon_{kil}) \right) = -i\hbar \epsilon_{kil} \epsilon_{kmj} \left( p^jp^ip^l + p^j p^l p^i \right)\\
= -i\hbar (\delta^m_i\delta^j_l - \delta^j_i\delta^m_l) \left( p^jp^ip^l + p^j p^l p^i \right) = 0
$$
The first equality results from using commutator identity for ##[AB,CD]## and the last one leading to zero final answer can be easily proved by expanding the expression to the left of the last equal sign.
 

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