A particle in an infinite square well has an initial state vector, with A a real number and ι the imaginary unit, ❙Ψ(t=0)❭ = A(❙φ₁❭ - ❙φ₂❭ + ι❙φ₃❭). where ❙φₙ❭ are the energy eigenstates. This also means ❬Ψ(t=0)❙ = A(❬φ₁❙ - ❬φ₂❙ - ι❬φ₃❙) In the energy basis, ❙φ₁❭ ≐ ⎛1⎞ ❙φ₂❭ ≐ ⎛0⎞ and ❙φ₃❭ ≐ ⎛0⎞ ⎜0⎟ ⎜1⎟ ⎜0⎟ ⎝0⎠, ⎝0⎠, ⎝1⎠. So, ❙Ψ(t=0)❭ ≐ ⎛ A ⎞ ⎜-A ⎟ ⎝ιA ⎠. (𝐚) The state vector is normalized by taking the quotient of the magnitude. ❙Ψ′(t=0)❭ ≐ __͟A͟__ ⎛ 1 ⎞ = _͟1͟ ⎛ 1 ⎞ √(3A²) ⎜-1 ⎟ √3 ⎜-1 ⎟ ⎝ ι ⎠ ⎝ ι ⎠. When the Hamiltonian operates on ❙φₙ❭ with results according to the general eigenvalue equation, with Eₙ the measured energy of state n, Ĥ❙φₙ❭ = Eₙ❙φₙ❭. The measured energies for a point particle in an infinite square well are given by, with L the x-width of the well, and m the particle mass, Eₙ = n͟²͟π͟²͟ħ͟². 2mL² So, Ĥ❙Ψ′(t=0)❭ = _͟1͟ (E₁❙φ₁❭ - E₂❙φ₂❭ + ιE₃❙φ₃❭). √3 (𝐛) There is an equal chance of measuring any of the three values, so 𝓟ₙ=1/3. The measured enemies are given by the previous expression. Energy Probability π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₁=¹/₃ 2mL² 2͟π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₂=¹/₃ mL² 9͟π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₃=¹/₃ 2mL² The average value of the energy, or the expectation value, is given by │❬Ψ′❙Ĥ❙Ψ′❭│² = │_͟1͟ (❬φ₁❙ - ❬φ₂❙ - ι❬φ₃❙)_͟1͟ (E₁❙φ₁❭ - E₂❙φ₂❭ + ιE₃❙φ₃❭)│² │√3 √3 │. ❬Ψ′❙Ĥ❙Ψ′❭ = _͟1͟ (❬φ₁❙ - ❬φ₂❙ - ι❬φ₃❙)_͟1͟ (E₁❙φ₁❭ - E₂❙φ₂❭ + ιE₃❙φ₃❭) √3 √3 = ¹/₃ (❬φ₁❙ - ❬φ₂❙ - ι❬φ₃❙)(E₁❙φ₁❭ - E₂❙φ₂❭ + ιE₃❙φ₃❭) = ¹/₃ (❬φ₁❙E₁❙φ₁❭ - ❬φ₁❙E₂❙φ₂❭ + ❬φ₁❙ιE₃❙φ₃❭) (-❬φ₂❙E₁❙φ₁❭ + ❬φ₂❙E₂❙φ₂❭ - ❬φ₂❙ιE₃❙φ₃❭) (-ι❬φ₃❙E₁❙φ₁❭ + ι❬φ₃❙E₂❙φ₂❭ - ι❬φ₃❙ιE₃❙φ₃❭). Orthogonality is a property of the energy eigenstates: ⎧ 0 if n≠m ❬Eₙ❙Eₘ❭ = δₙₘ, where δₙₘ = ⎨ , so ⎩ 1 if n=m ❬Ψ′❙Ĥ❙Ψ′❭ = ¹/₃ (❬φ₁❙E₁❙φ₁❭) (❬φ₂❙E₂❙φ₂❭) (-ι❬φ₃❙ιE₃❙φ₃❭) = ¹/₃ E₁ E₂ E₃ = ¹/₃ π͟²͟ħ͟² 4͟π͟²͟ħ͟² 9͟π͟²͟ħ͟² = _͟3͟ ⎛π͟²͟ħ͟²⎞³ 2mL² 2mL² 2mL² 2 ⎝ mL²⎠. (𝐜) Therefore, the energy expectation value │❬Ψ′❙Ĥ❙Ψ′❭│² = _͟9͟ ⎛π͟²͟ħ͟²⎞⁶ 4 ⎝ mL²⎠. Because the hamiltonian is time-independent, the state vector progresses timewise according to, ❙Ψ′(t)❭ = exp(-ι͟Ĥ͟t͟ )❙Ψ′(t=0)❭ = _͟1͟ exp(-ι͟Ĥ͟t͟ ) (❙φ₁❭ - ❙φ₂❭ + ι ❙φ₃❭). ħ √3 ħ _͟1͟ ⎛exp(-ι͟E͟₁͟t͟ )❙φ₁❭ - exp(-ι͟E͟₂͟t͟ )❙φ₂❭ + ι exp(-ι͟E͟₃͟t͟ )❙φ₃❭⎞ √3 ⎝ ħ ħ ħ ⎠ (𝐝) = _͟1͟ ⎛exp(-ι π͟²͟ħ͟t͟ )❙φ₁❭ - exp(-ι 2͟π͟²͟ħ͟t͟ )❙φ₂❭ + ι exp(-ι 9͟π͟²͟ħ͟t͟ )❙φ₃❭⎞ √3 ⎝ 2mL² mL² 2L² ⎠. What are the possible measurements at time t = ħ/E₁? (𝐞) The same value of energy will be measured for each state. Since there has been no change to the coefficients besides a change in phase, and the phase term goes to 1 under the modulus, the probabilities remain the same. ❙Ψ′(t=ħ/E₁)❭ = _͟1͟ ⎛exp(-ι)❙φ₁❭ - exp(-ι E͟₂͟ )❙φ₂❭ + ι exp(-ι E͟₃͟ )❙φ₃❭⎞ √3 ⎝ E₁ E₁ ⎠ Energy Probability π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₁=¹/₃ 2mL² 2͟π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₂=¹/₃ mL² 9͟π͟²͟ħ͟². 𝓟₃=¹/₃ 2mL²