Expand the initial wavefunction in the complete orthonormal energy eigenstates, with . The unitary time evolution is
On the two-dimensional subspace spanned by , the observable has matrix . Its normalized eigenvectors are the symmetric and antisymmetric combinations. A complete orthonormal eigenbasis is therefore
The eigenvalues are , with infinitely degenerate. The first two are nondegenerate, regardless of the distinct energies .
The first measurement in quantum mechanics, with outcome , leaves the state up to an irrelevant phase. At time it has become
Its probability amplitude for outcome is
The Born rule gives the two-level observable transition probability