Proof that Commuting Operators have Simultaneously Defined Eigenvalues

Set up in Operator Notation


First of all, assume a wavefunction which is an eigenfunction of both operators A and B with eigenvalues a and b respectively. From this, we can write

Proof of Simultaneous Eigenstates

The same eigenstate has eigenvalue a and b, hence both properties can be measured simultaneously. Such is not the case, if the operators do not commute.


Author: Dan Thomas email: <thomas@chembio.uoguelph.ca>
Last Updated: Saturday, August 24, 1996
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