Past exam of the chemistry A course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / Paper 1 / A1 / a / i

Write $D_x=y{\partial }_z-z{\partial }_y$, $D_y=z{\partial }_x-x{\partial }_z$ and $D_z=x{\partial }_y-y{\partial }_x$. The product rule applied to a smooth test function $f$ givesThe mixed second partial derivatives cancel because they commute. Since the orbital angular momentum components are ${\hat{j}}_i=-i\hslash D_i$, their commutator isThis is one of the orbital angular momentum commutation relations; the Planck constant enters through the definition of each linear operator.