Proving the Uncertainty Relation for Finite Dimensional Hermitian Matrices

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The discussion centers on proving that the commutation relation [A,B] = AB - BA = iqI cannot be satisfied by any finite dimensional Hermitian matrices A and B. Participants clarify that this problem is not directly related to the uncertainty relation, which involves variances and the inequality <(\Delta A)^{2}><(\Delta B)^{2}>\geq \frac{\left|C\right| ^{2}}{4}. The suggestion to take the trace of both sides of the equation is highlighted as a key approach to resolving the issue.

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  • Understanding of finite dimensional Hermitian matrices
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  • Basic grasp of the uncertainty principle in quantum mechanics
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Show that [A,B] = AB - BA = iqI, where q is a real no. and I is the identity matrix, cannot be satisfied by any finite dimensional Hermitian matrix A and B.


I think this problem is something related to the uncertainity relation:
[tex]<(\Delta A)^{2}><(\Delta B)^{2}>\geq \frac{\left|C\right| ^{2}}{4}[/tex]
but I don't know how to find the variance of A and B ...

How should I approch this problem? Are there any trick to do with the "finite dimension" ?
 
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No, the problem has nothing to do with the uncertainty relations. Try taking the trace of both left-hand and right-hand sides of your equation.
 

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