Sakurai page 196: Orbital angular momentum as rotation generator

In summary, the conversation discusses the operation of equation (3.6.4) on an arbitrary position eigenket and the resulting equation (3.6.5). The question arises as to why the position operators were operated on first instead of the momentum operators. It is clarified that the order does not matter since the commutator of the position and momentum operators is zero.
  • #1
omoplata
327
2
From "Modern Quantum Mechanics, revised edition" by J.J. Sakurai, page 196.

Equation (3.6.4),[tex]
1-i \left( \frac{\delta \phi}{\hbar} \right) L_z = 1 - i \left( \frac{\delta \phi}{\hbar} \right) (x p_y - y p_x )
[/tex]Making this act on an arbitrary position eigenket [itex]\mid x', y', z' \rangle[/itex],
Equation (3.6.5),[tex]
\begin{eqnarray}
\left[ 1-i \left( \frac{\delta \phi}{\hbar} \right) L_z \right] \mid x', y', z' \rangle & = & \left[ 1 - i \left( \frac{p_y}{\hbar} \right) ( \delta \phi x' ) + i \left( \frac{p_x}{\hbar} \right) ( \delta \phi y' ) \right] \mid x', y', z' \rangle \\
& = & \mid x' - y' \delta \phi, y' + x \delta \phi, z' \rangle
\end{eqnarray}
[/tex]
What I don't understand is, in equation (3.6.5), why did they operate by the position operators first, and not the momentum operators. Looking at equation (3.6.4), it looks like the ket [itex]\mid x', y', z' \rangle[/itex] should be operated on by the momentum operators first.
 
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  • #2
It wouldn't matter, since [itex][\hat p_{x},\hat y]=[\hat p_{y},\hat x]=0[/itex]. Remember [itex][\hat p_{i},\hat x_{j}]=i\hbar \delta_{ij}[/itex]?
 
  • #3
Oh, OK. Got it. Thanks.
 

1. What is the Sakurai page 196?

The Sakurai page 196 refers to page 196 in the book "Modern Quantum Mechanics" by Jun John Sakurai. It is a widely used textbook for graduate-level quantum mechanics courses.

2. What is orbital angular momentum?

Orbital angular momentum is a quantum mechanical property that describes the rotational motion of a particle around a fixed point. It is a vector quantity and is related to the spatial distribution of the particle's wave function.

3. How is orbital angular momentum related to rotation generator?

The orbital angular momentum operator is the generator of rotations in quantum mechanics. This means that it describes how the wave function of a particle changes under rotations in space, and it can be used to calculate the corresponding eigenvalues and eigenstates.

4. What is the significance of Sakurai page 196 in understanding orbital angular momentum?

Sakurai page 196 provides a detailed explanation of the derivation and properties of the orbital angular momentum operator. It also includes examples and exercises that help in understanding its application in quantum mechanics.

5. How is the concept of orbital angular momentum used in real-world applications?

The concept of orbital angular momentum is used in various fields such as atomic and molecular physics, quantum chemistry, and even in modern technologies like quantum computing. It has also been applied in understanding the properties of light and in the development of new imaging techniques.

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