Lecture 2

Angular Momentum
• What is angular momentum?
1. Angular momentum has a symbol (L).
2. It is a vector physical quantity:
(has magnitude and direction).
3. Can be measured due to it is a physical quantity.

➢ Angular momentum in Classical Mechanics:

If a particle has mass(m) moving around an orbit its radius(r) with
velocity(v) as shown: m v

∵ (linear momentum) P = mv
∵ (Vector angular momentum) L = r ∧ P

➢ Angular momentum in Quantum Mechanics:

̂ =𝐑
𝐋 ̂∧𝐏
̂

∵ L̂ (angular momentum operator).

∵R ̂ (Radius(Position) operator) (x, y, z).
∵P̂ (Linear Momentum operator)(ℏ ∇)
𝒾
∵ ∧ (Cross) (Vector multiplication).

This vector multiplication solves with matrix as shown:

+ − +
𝑖 j k Unit vector along (i, j, k) in (x, y, z) directions.
L̂ = | 𝑥 y z |Directions (R̂).
P𝑥 Py Pz Linear momentum (P̂).

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 Lecture 2

+ − +
𝑖 j k
∴ L̂ = | 𝑥 y z|
P𝑥 Py Pz

y z
∴ = 𝑖 |P Pz | = 𝑖(yPz − zPy )
y

𝑥 z
∴ = −j |P
𝑥 Pz | = −j(𝑥Pz − zP𝑥 ) = j(zP𝑥 − 𝑥Pz )

𝑥 y
∴ = k |P Py | = k(𝑥Py − yP𝑥 )
𝑥

∴ L̂ = 𝑖(yPz − zPy ) + j(zP𝑥 − 𝑥Pz ) + k(𝑥Py − yP𝑥 )

̂ = 𝒊𝐋
∴𝐋 ̂ 𝒙 + 𝐣𝐋
̂ 𝐲 + 𝐤𝐋
̂𝐳

Angular momentum Linear momentum

ℏ 𝜕 𝒾 𝜕
L̂𝑥 = yPz − zPy P𝑥 = × = −𝒾ℏ
𝒾 𝜕𝑥 𝒾 𝜕𝑥

𝜕
L̂y = zP𝑥 − 𝑥Pz Py = −𝒾ℏ
𝜕y

𝜕
L̂z = 𝑥Py − yP𝑥 Pz = −𝒾ℏ
𝜕z

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 Lecture 2

• Properties of angular momentum.

Commutation relation between:
̂ ) with direction (R
1. Angular momentum operator (L ̂ ) [L̂ , R
̂ ]:

i. [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂]

∵ L̂𝑥 = yPz − zPy

∴ [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂] = [(ŷP

̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , 𝑥̂]

̂±B
∵ [A ̂ , Ĉ] = [A
̂, B ̂ , Ĉ]
̂ ] ± [B

∴ [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂] = [(ŷP

̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , 𝑥̂] = [ŷP
̂z , 𝑥̂] − [ẑP
̂y , 𝑥̂]

̂B
∵ [A ̂ , Ĉ] = A
̂ [B
̂ , Ĉ] + B ̂ , Ĉ]
̂ [A

̂z , 𝑥̂] − [ẑP
∴ [ŷP ̂y , 𝑥̂] = ŷ[P
̂z , 𝑥̂] + P
̂z [ŷ , 𝑥̂ ] − ẑ[P
̂y , 𝑥̂] − P
̂y [ẑ , 𝑥̂ ]

̂𝓍 , ŷ] = [P
∵ [P ̂y , ẑ] = [P
̂z , 𝓍̂ ] = 0

∵ [𝑥̂ , 𝑥̂ ] = [ŷ , ŷ] = [ẑ , ẑ] = [𝑥̂ , ŷ] = [𝑥̂ , ẑ] = [ŷ , ẑ] = 0

̂z , 𝑥̂] − [ẑP
∴ [ŷP ̂y , 𝑥̂] = ŷ(0) + P
̂z (0) − ẑ(0) − P
̂y (0)

∴ [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂] = 0

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂) are:

1. Commute.
2. Compatible.
3. Can be measured at the same time.
4. Have the same eigenfunction.
̂ 𝔁,𝒙
∴ [𝐋 ̂ 𝐲 , 𝐲̂] = [𝐋
̂] = [𝐋 ̂ 𝐳 , 𝐳̂] = 𝟎

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 Lecture 2

ii. [L̂𝑥 , ŷ]

[L̂𝑥 , ŷ] = [(ŷP

̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , ŷ]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ] = [(ŷP

̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , ŷ] = [ŷP
̂z , ŷ] − [ẑP
̂y , ŷ]

̂z , ŷ] − [ẑP
∴ [ŷP ̂y , ŷ] = ŷ[P
̂z , ŷ] + P
̂z [ŷ , ŷ] − ẑ[P
̂y , ŷ] − P
̂y [ẑ , ŷ]

̂z , ŷ] − [ẑP
∴ [ŷP ̂y , ŷ] = −ẑ[P
̂y , ŷ]

̂y , ŷ]ψ = (P
∵ [P ̂y ŷ − ŷ P
̂y )ψ

𝜕
̂y = −𝒾ℏ
∵P
𝜕y
∂ ∂
̂y , ŷ]ψ = −𝒾ℏ (
∴ [P (y ψ) − y (ψ))
∂y ∂y
∂ψ ∂y ∂ψ
̂y , ŷ]ψ = −𝒾ℏ (y
∴ [P +ψ −y )
∂y ∂y ∂y
∂y
̂y , ŷ]ψ = −𝒾ℏψ
∴ [P = −𝒾ℏψ
∂y
̂y , ŷ] = −𝒾ℏ
∴ [P
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ] = [ŷP
̂z , ŷ] − [ẑP
̂y , ŷ] = −ẑ(−𝒾ℏ)

∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ] = [ŷP

̂z , ŷ] − [ẑP
̂y , ŷ] = ẑ𝒾ℏ

∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ] = 𝒾ℏẑ

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , ŷ) are not:

5. Commute.
6. Compatible.
7. Can be measured at the same time.
8. Have the same eigenfunction.
̂ 𝔁 , 𝐲̂] = 𝓲ℏ𝐳̂
∴ [𝐋 ̂ 𝐲 , 𝐳̂] = 𝓲ℏ𝒙
∴ [𝐋 ̂ ̂ 𝐳 ,𝔁
∴ [𝐋 ̂ ] = 𝓲ℏ𝐲̂

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 Lecture 2

̂ ,R
2. [L ̂ 2 ]:
i. [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂ 2 ]
̂, B
∵ [A ̂, B
̂ 2 ] = [A ̂ ]B
̂+B ̂, B
̂ [A ̂]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂ 2 ] = [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂]𝑥̂ + 𝑥̂[L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂]

∵ [L̂𝓍 , 𝑥̂] = [L̂y , ŷ] = [L̂z , ẑ] = 0

∴ [L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂ 2 ] = 0

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , 𝑥̂ 2 ) are commute.

̂ 𝔁 ,𝒙
∴ [𝐋 ̂ 𝐲 , 𝐲̂ 𝟐 ] = [𝐋
̂𝟐 ] = [𝐋 ̂ 𝐳 , 𝐳̂ 𝟐 ] = 𝟎

ii. [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ]
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = [L̂𝑥 , ŷ]ŷ + ŷ[L̂𝑥 , ŷ]
∵ [L̂𝓍 , ŷ] = 𝒾ℏẑ ∵ [L̂y , ẑ] = 𝒾ℏ𝑥̂ ∵ [L̂z , 𝓍̂ ] = 𝒾ℏŷ
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 𝒾ℏẑŷ + ŷ𝒾ℏẑ
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 𝒾ℏẑŷ + 𝒾ℏŷẑ
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 𝒾ℏ(ẑŷ + ŷẑ)
∵ [ẑ , ŷ] = (ẑŷ − ŷẑ) = 0
ẑŷ = ŷẑ
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 𝒾ℏ(ẑŷ + ẑŷ)
∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 𝒾ℏ(ẑŷ + ẑŷ)

∴ [L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ] = 2𝒾ℏẑŷ

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , ŷ 2 ) are not commute.

̂ 𝔁 , 𝐲̂ 𝟐 ] = 𝟐𝓲ℏ𝐳̂𝐲̂
∴ [𝐋 ̂ 𝐲 , 𝐳̂ 𝟐 ] = 𝟐𝓲ℏ𝒙
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝐳̂ ̂ 𝐳 ,𝒙
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝟐 ] = 𝟐𝓲ℏ𝐲̂𝒙
̂

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 Lecture 2

̂ ) with linear momentum (P

1. Angular momentum operator (L ̂) [L̂ , P
̂]:

i. [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑥 ]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑥 ] = [(ŷP
̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , P
̂𝑥 ] = [ŷP
̂z , P
̂𝑥 ] − [ẑP
̂y , P
̂𝑥 ]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑥 ] = ŷ[P
̂z , P
̂𝑥 ] + P
̂z [ŷ , P
̂𝑥 ] − ẑ[P
̂y , P
̂𝑥 ] − P
̂y [ẑ , P
̂𝑥 ]

̂𝓍 , ŷ] = [P
∵ [P ̂y , ẑ] = [P
̂z , 𝓍̂ ] = 0

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑥 ] = 0

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , P

̂𝑥 ) are commute.

̂ 𝒙 ,𝐏
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝒙 ] = [𝐋
̂ 𝐲 ,𝐏
̂𝐲 ] = [𝐋
̂ 𝐳 ,𝐏
̂𝐳 ] = 𝟎

ii. [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑦 ]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑦 ] = [(ŷP
̂z − ẑP
̂y ) , P
̂𝑦 ] = [ŷP
̂z , P
̂𝑦 ] − [ẑP
̂y , P
̂𝑦 ]

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑦 ] = ŷ[P
̂z , P
̂𝑦 ] + P
̂z [ŷ , P
̂𝑦 ] − ẑ[P
̂y , P
̂𝑦 ] − P
̂y [ẑ , P
̂𝑦 ]

̂𝓍 , ŷ] = [P
∵ [P ̂y , ẑ] = [P
̂z , 𝓍̂ ] = 0

̂𝓍 , P
∵ [P ̂𝓍 ] = [P
̂y , P
̂y ] = [P
̂z , P
̂z ] = 0

̂y , ŷ] = −𝒾ℏ = −[ŷ , P

∵ [P ̂y ] = 𝒾ℏ

∴ [L̂𝑥 , P
̂𝑦 ] = 𝒾ℏP
̂𝑧

Then the two operators (L̂𝑥 , P

̂𝑥 ) are not commute.

̂ 𝔁 ,𝐏
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝐲 ] = 𝓲ℏ𝐏
̂𝐳 ̂𝐲𝐏
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝐳 ] = 𝓲ℏ𝐏
̂𝒙 ̂ 𝐳 ,𝐏
∴ [𝐋 ̂𝒙 ] = 𝟐𝓲ℏ𝐲̂𝐏
̂𝐲

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 Lecture 2

Note for remember:

[𝒙 ̂] = [𝐲̂ , 𝐲̂] = [𝐳̂ , 𝐳̂] = [𝒙
̂ ,𝒙 ̂ , 𝐲̂] = [𝒙
̂ , 𝐳̂] = [𝐲̂ , 𝐳̂] = 𝟎
̂𝔁 , 𝐏
[𝐏 ̂𝔁 ] = [𝐏
̂𝐲 , 𝐏
̂𝐲 ] = [𝐏
̂𝐳 , 𝐏
̂𝐳 ] = 𝟎

̂𝔁 , 𝐏
[𝐏 ̂𝐲 ] = [𝐏
̂𝐲 , 𝐏
̂𝐳 ] = [𝐏
̂𝐳 , 𝐏
̂𝐱 ] = 𝟎

̂𝔁 , 𝐲̂] = [𝐏
[𝐏 ̂𝐲 , 𝐳̂] = [𝐏
̂𝐳 , 𝔁
̂] = 𝟎

̂𝔁 , 𝔁
[𝐏 ̂𝐲 , 𝐲̂] = [𝐏
̂ ] = [𝐏 ̂𝐳 , 𝐳̂] = −𝓲ℏ

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