Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-quantum-theory-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/2/a/solution
Past exam of the quantum theory course of the University of Oxford 2023 2 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-25
The Hamiltonian operator separates into two commuting one-dimensional quantum harmonic oscillators. WriteProducts of harmonic oscillator eigenfunctions giveHere is the physicists' Hermite polynomial, so , and . The first six energy eigenstates, ordered with multiplicity, areFor this two-dimensional oscillator level ordering, the excitation energies obeyEvery state with costs at least , so none has been missed. Equalities within the list occur when . Then the two-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator hasThe quantum degeneracy counts with . The six listed states occupy three distinct energy levels, of quantum degeneracies one, two and three.
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