Introduction to Quantum Mechanics · Problem A.30

Afterword — David J. Griffiths

Physics — Quantum Mechanics · hermitian-transformations

Problem

A unitary transformation is one for which U^†U^=1\hat{U}^\dagger \hat{U} = 1. (a) Show that unitary transformations preserve inner products, in the sense that ⟨U^α∣U^β⟩=⟨α∣β⟩\langle \hat{U}\alpha | \hat{U}\beta \rangle = \langle \alpha \mid \beta \rangle, for all vectors ∣α⟩|\alpha\rangle, ∣β⟩|\beta\rangle. (b) Show that the eigenvalues of a unitary transformation have modulus 1. (c) Show that the eigenvectors of a unitary transformation belonging to distinct eigenvalues are orthogonal.

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