Is the Displacement Operator Tψ(x)=ψ(x+a) Hermitian?

Rude
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Consider the displacement operator Tψ(x)=ψ(x+a). Is T Hermitian?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
To get you started, what's the definition of a Hermitian operator?
 
here is the definition: <f│Ag>=<Af│g> always if A is Hermition.
Don't know how to start.
 
Rude said:
here is the definition: <f│Ag>=<Af│g> always if A is Hermition.

Suppose the wave function of the state |g> is ##\psi_g(x)## and the wave function of state |f> is ##\psi_f(x)##. Then what does the above definition of an operator A being Hermitian say if you translate the inner product into an integral of wave functions, using

##\langle a | b \rangle = \int dx \psi_a(x)^* \psi_b(x)##

and plug in A = T?
 
Is this what you are suggesting?

<f│Tg>=∫dxΨ(x)*ψ(x+a)

If so I don't know how to proceed.

It does not look like this would give <Tf│g> but don't know why.
 
Rude said:
Is this what you are suggesting?

<f│Tg>=∫dxΨ(x)*ψ(x+a)

Yup.

Rude said:
It does not look like this would give <Tf│g> but don't know why.

If you think they aren't equal, perhaps you can find an explicit counterexample?
 
I am not sure if this falls under classical physics or quantum physics or somewhere else (so feel free to put it in the right section), but is there any micro state of the universe one can think of which if evolved under the current laws of nature, inevitably results in outcomes such as a table levitating? That example is just a random one I decided to choose but I'm really asking about any event that would seem like a "miracle" to the ordinary person (i.e. any event that doesn't seem to...
Back
Top