[Physics] Applying Ehrenfest’s theorem to Hamiltonian

quantum mechanics

It maybe a stupid question, but from the Ehrenfest's theorem, we have
\begin{eqnarray*}
\frac{d\langle A\rangle}{dt} &=& \left\langle\frac{\partial A}{\partial t}\right\rangle + \frac{1}{i\hbar}\left\langle[A,H]\right\rangle
\end{eqnarray*}
The if we apply it to the Hamiltonian,
\begin{eqnarray*}
\frac{d\langle H\rangle}{dt} &=& \left\langle\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}\right\rangle + \frac{1}{i\hbar}\left\langle[H,H]\right\rangle
\end{eqnarray*}
But since the last term vanishes
\begin{eqnarray*}
\frac{d\langle H\rangle}{dt} &=& \left\langle\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}\right\rangle
\end{eqnarray*}
But in general cases, the expectation value of the time derivative of the Hamiltonian is not zero, i.e. in the infinite potential well.
$$ \left\langle\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}\right\rangle=\int\Psi^*\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}\Psi dx=\int\sum_n c_n^* \psi_n^*e^{iE_n t/\hbar}\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}\sum_m c_m \psi_m e^{-iE_m t/\hbar}dx$$
$$ =\int\sum_n c_n^* \psi_n^*e^{iE_n t/\hbar}\sum_m c_m (H \psi_m) \frac{\partial }{\partial t}e^{-iE_m t/\hbar}dx$$
$$=\int\sum_n c_n^* \psi_n^*e^{iE_n t/\hbar}\sum_m c_m{1\over{i\hbar}}E_m^2\psi_m e^{-iE_m t/\hbar}dx$$
$$={1\over{i\hbar}}\sum_n\sum_m e^{i(E_n -E_m) t/\hbar}c_n^*c_m\int E_m^2 \psi_n^*\psi_m dx$$
$$={1\over{i\hbar}}\sum_n |c_n|^2E_n^2 $$
But since the expectation value of the Hamiltonian in the infinite well is a constant, it is obviously a contradiction. Is it impossible to apply the Ehrenfest's theorem to the Hamiltonian, or is there any mistake in my calculation?

Best Answer

For the infinite potential well, do we not have $H = \frac{p^2}{2m}$ inside the well? Then $\frac{\partial H}{\partial t} = 0$.

I think you have misinterpreted $\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}$. You seem to be applying $\frac{\partial }{\partial t}$ to $(\psi^* H\psi)$, but you should be applying $\frac{\partial H}{\partial t}$ to $\psi$, and then multiplying that by $\psi^*$.

Ehrenfest's theorem applied to the Hamiltonian is the analogue to the classical mechanics theorem that $H$ is conserved unless it depends explicitly on time.

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