Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2017/ib/paper-3/16b/c/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 ib Paper 3 16B c Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
Use the radial exponential shown in the original PDF; the TeX's is a transcription defect. Every orbital angular momentum operator annihilates a radial function, so it acts only on . The angular momentum of a radial function times a linear polynomial is determined by its degree-one angular factor: direct application of the rotation derivatives givesEquivalently its restriction to the sphere is a degree-one spherical harmonic. ThusFurthermore . Its expected value is proportional to the integral of . The cross terms are odd in a coordinate, and the integrals of and agree by rotational symmetry. HenceThe state need not be an eigenstate of . If normalization is desired, , so ; the zero expectation holds after normalization for any nonzero initial .
New to topics? Read the docs here!