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Here's something interesting i found:
If one introduces polar coordinates in the plane or spherical coordinates in space, then the polar angle \phi and the component L_{z} of angular momentum are canonically conjugate
variables in classical mechanics. In quantum theory, the variable \phi becomes the operator of "multiplication of the wave function \psi(\phi) by \phi" and
L_{z}=-\frac{\hbar}{i}\frac{\partial}{\partial \phi}
, which implies the commutation relation
[L_{z}, \phi] =\frac{\hbar}{i} \hat{1}
These operators acting on periodic wave functions (i.e. \psi(0) = \psi(2\pi)) are Hermitian. Furthermore, L_{z} admits a complete system of orthonormal eigenfunctions \psi_{m}
L_{z}\psi_{m}(\phi) = m\hbar\psi_{m}(\phi)
, with \psi_{m}(\phi) =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{im\phi}, m\in\mathbb{Z}.
By evaluating the average value of the operator [L_{z}, \phi] in the state \psi_{m} and by taking into account the fact that Lz is Hermitian, one finds that
\frac{\hbar}{i} =\langle \psi_{m}, \frac{\hbar}{i}\hat{1}\psi_{m}\rangle = \langle \psi_{m} , L_{z}\phi\psi_{m}\rangle -\langle \psi_{m},\phi L_{z}\psi_{m}\rangle
=\langle \L_{z}^{\dagger}\psi_{m} , \phi\psi_{m}\rangle -m\hbar\langle \psi_{m},\phi \psi_{m}\rangle <br /> =(m\hbar-m\hbar)\langle \psi_{m},\phi\psi_{m} \rangle = 0 !
Hmm, paradoxical or not ? Or is it really necessary that \hbar=0 for consistency ?
Daniel.
If one introduces polar coordinates in the plane or spherical coordinates in space, then the polar angle \phi and the component L_{z} of angular momentum are canonically conjugate
variables in classical mechanics. In quantum theory, the variable \phi becomes the operator of "multiplication of the wave function \psi(\phi) by \phi" and
L_{z}=-\frac{\hbar}{i}\frac{\partial}{\partial \phi}
, which implies the commutation relation
[L_{z}, \phi] =\frac{\hbar}{i} \hat{1}
These operators acting on periodic wave functions (i.e. \psi(0) = \psi(2\pi)) are Hermitian. Furthermore, L_{z} admits a complete system of orthonormal eigenfunctions \psi_{m}
L_{z}\psi_{m}(\phi) = m\hbar\psi_{m}(\phi)
, with \psi_{m}(\phi) =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\pi}} e^{im\phi}, m\in\mathbb{Z}.
By evaluating the average value of the operator [L_{z}, \phi] in the state \psi_{m} and by taking into account the fact that Lz is Hermitian, one finds that
\frac{\hbar}{i} =\langle \psi_{m}, \frac{\hbar}{i}\hat{1}\psi_{m}\rangle = \langle \psi_{m} , L_{z}\phi\psi_{m}\rangle -\langle \psi_{m},\phi L_{z}\psi_{m}\rangle
=\langle \L_{z}^{\dagger}\psi_{m} , \phi\psi_{m}\rangle -m\hbar\langle \psi_{m},\phi \psi_{m}\rangle <br /> =(m\hbar-m\hbar)\langle \psi_{m},\phi\psi_{m} \rangle = 0 !
Hmm, paradoxical or not ? Or is it really necessary that \hbar=0 for consistency ?
Daniel.
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