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Physics LibreTexts

9.E: Spin Angular Momentum (Exercises)

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  1. Find the Pauli representations of Sx, Sy, and Sz for a spin-1 particle.
  2. Find the Pauli representations of the normalized eigenstates of Sx and Sy for a spin-1/2 particle.
  3. Suppose that a spin-1/2 particle has a spin vector that lies in the x-z plane, making an angle θ with the z-axis. Demonstrate that a measurement of Sz yields /2 with probability cos2(θ/2), and /2 with probability sin2(θ/2).
  4. An electron is in the spin-state χ=A(12i2)
    in the Pauli representation. Determine the constant A by normalizing χ. If a measurement of Sz is made, what values will be obtained, and with what probabilities? What is the expectation value of Sz? Repeat the previous calculations for Sx and Sy.
  5. Consider a spin-1/2 system represented by the normalized spinor χ=(cosαsinαexp(iβ))
    in the Pauli representation, where α and β are real. What is the probability that a measurement of Sy yields /2?
  6. An electron is at rest in an oscillating magnetic field B=B0cos(ωt)ez,
    where B0 and ω are real positive constants.
    1. Find the Hamiltonian of the system.
    2. If the electron starts in the spin-up state with respect to the x-axis, determine the spinor χ(t) which represents the state of the system in the Pauli representation at all subsequent times.
    3. Find the probability that a measurement of Sx yields the result /2 as a function of time.
    4. What is the minimum value of B0 required to force a complete flip in Sx?

Contributors and Attributions

  • Richard Fitzpatrick (Professor of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin)


This page titled 9.E: Spin Angular Momentum (Exercises) is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Richard Fitzpatrick.

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