- #1
mmwave
- 647
- 2
I'm trying to demonstrate that angular momentum and the Hamiltonian commute provided that V is a function of radius r only. Using L = Lx + Ly + Lz components, the definition of Lx = yPz - zPy, etc, the commutator definition and the fact that H = p^2/2m + V. I can reduce [Lx,H] to the following:
[Lx,H] = [yPz,V] - [ZPy,V] and by expanding using and the relation [AB,C] = A[B,C] + [A,C]B and the Pz = hbar/i * d/dz, etc. get
[Lx,H] = hbar/i * ( yf dV/dz - zf dV/y) where f is a test function.
I have not used the fact that V is a function of r only and I can't take this any further.
I know that ( yf dV/dz - zf dV/y) must equal zero but have no idea how to prove it. Please help with a suggestion.
(I believe that H commutes with each component Lx, Ly and Lz and not just L so I don't think the terms above will cancel with terms from [Ly,H] and [Lz,H].)
[Lx,H] = [yPz,V] - [ZPy,V] and by expanding using and the relation [AB,C] = A[B,C] + [A,C]B and the Pz = hbar/i * d/dz, etc. get
[Lx,H] = hbar/i * ( yf dV/dz - zf dV/y) where f is a test function.
I have not used the fact that V is a function of r only and I can't take this any further.
I know that ( yf dV/dz - zf dV/y) must equal zero but have no idea how to prove it. Please help with a suggestion.
(I believe that H commutes with each component Lx, Ly and Lz and not just L so I don't think the terms above will cancel with terms from [Ly,H] and [Lz,H].)