2.1. Observables, Operators and Graphs
In quantum mechanics, an observable is a linear operator, denoted in the text
[
15,
16,
17,
18]. Observables manifest as Hermitian, self-adjoint operators on a separable complex Hilbert space representing the quantum state space, which possess a complete orthogonal set of eigenfunctions [
15,
16,
17,
18]. For every physical quantity in quantum mechanics, there is a definite corresponding linear operator. All Hermitian operators do not possess a complete orthogonal set of eigenfunctions; however the Hermitian operators capable of representing physical quantities possess such a set. To prove that a specific Hermitian operator is an observable is, often, a very difficult physical problem [
15]. The proof has already been given for simple cases, such as coordinate, momentum and angular momentum [
15]. Two operators
and
say to commute with each other if Equation (1) takes place:
If a particle can be in a definite state for two observables, then the two operators associated with those observables will commute [
15,
16,
17,
18]. The converse is therefore also true; if two operators do not commute, then it is not possible for a quantum state to have a definite value of the corresponding two observables at the same time [
15,
16,
17,
18]. The operator of momentum is defined as:
,
, or in components:
The operator corresponding to coordinate
q is simply multiplication by
q [
15,
16,
17,
18]. The spectrum of this operator is continuous. The commutation rules for
and
x are given by Equation (3):
where
is a Kronecker delta. Equation (3) demonstrates that the coordinate of the particle along one of the axes can have a definite value at the same time as the components of the momentum along the other two axes; contrastingly the coordinate and the momentum component along the same axis, cannot be established simultaneously [
15,
16,
17,
18]. For the angular momentum component operators of a particle, denoted
we have, in turn [
15,
16,
17,
18]:
The rules for commutation of the angular momentum operators with the operators of coordinates and linear momenta are given by Equations (5) and (6):
where
is the antisymmetric unit tensor of rank three, and summation is implied over those indices, which appear twice,
[
16]. The rules of commutation for the operator of angular momentum are given by Equation (7):
For the commutation rules established for the total angular momentum of the system, denoted
, see ref. 16. It should be emphasized that the commutation relations given by Equations (3)–(7) are non-transitive. The transitive Ramsey numbers are different from the non-transitive ones [
19].
2.2. Graph Approach to the Observables: Converting Observables into Graph
We start from the motion of a single quantum particle
m. Following mathematical procedure enabling converting of the observables into graph is suggested: observables themselves are represented by the vertices of the graph. The relation between observables/vertices/operators are established by the commutation rules, namely: if the observables/vertices commute, they are linked with the red edge (they are “friends” within the terminology of the Ramsey theory). And, when the observables/vertices do not commute (thus, they are “strangers”), they are connected with the green link, as shown in
Figure 1.
Let us illustrate the idea with the graphs depicted on
Figure 2. The commutating relations are given by Equation (6). The vertices/observables in inset
A are
. The emerging graph is bi-colored.
The vertices/observables shown in inset
B are
. The commutating relations between observables are given in this case by Equation (7). The emerging graph is mono-colored/green. This means that three components of the angular momentum could not be measured simultaneously [
15,
16,
17,
18].
Now address the graph built of four vertices, depicted in
Figure 3. No monochromatic/mono-colored triangle is recognized in the graph. This means that no triad of the addressed observables may be measured simultaneously. The graph shown in
Figure 3 is complete, i.e., it is a graph in which every pair of distinct vertices is connected by a unique edge [
6].
Now consider the graph emerging from five vertices/observables presented in
Figure 4. The bi-colored, complete Ramsye graph shown in
Figure 4, emerges from the vertices/observables
and
. This graph contains the monochromatic triangles, numbered “123”, “125”; “134” and “144”. This means that the triads of observables
;
and
may be measured simultaneously. Moreover, it contains the monochromatic pentagon “12345”. Analysis of this pentagon leads to the paradoxical; however, true conclusion: the pairs of observables
; (
and (
may be measured simultaneously. However, it does not mean that all of five observables may be established at the same time; indeed, this is forbidden for the pairs of observables
and (
Only if the complete graph/subgraph is totally built of monochromatic red links, the entire set of observables may be established simultaneously. Or, alternatively, all of observables could not be measured at the same time, if the links are all monochromatic green (see
Figure 2B).
We conclude that the analysis of the complete graph built according to the suggested coloring procedure leads to important conclusions, which may be verified experimentally.
Now consider the bi-colored, complete graph emerging from the five observables
and
, depicted in
Figure 5. Triangle “125” is monochromatic red, and triangle “134” is monochromatic green one. This means that the triads of observables (
may be measured simultaneously; whereas, observables
could not be established at the same time.
Now we address the graph arising from the observables
and
, shown in
Figure 6. No red triangle is recognized. This means that the triad of the observables, which may be simultaneously established, does not exist in this case. Triangles “134” and “345” are monochromatic green. This means that the triads of observables
) and (
could not be fixed at the same time.
Figure 7 presents the bi-colored, complete, Ramsey graph containing five vertices, namely
and
. Triangle “134” is a monochromatic green one. This means that the observables
and
could not be established simultaneously. We recognize the monochromatic quadrangle “1245” in the graph, shown in
Figure 7. However, it does not mean, that the observables
may be established in the same time, as discussed above. Indeed, the pairs of observables
and
could not be measured simultaneously.
Graphs depicted in
Figure 3,
Figure 4,
Figure 5,
Figure 6 and
Figure 7 contain mono-colored triangles. However, it is possible to build bi-colored, complete graph which will not contain any mono-colored triangle, and this is due to the fact that the Ramsey number
Such a graph is shown in
Figure 8.
Graph depicted in
Figure 8 emerges from five vertices/observables, namely
and
where
is the Hamiltonian of the particle. We also assume that the Hamiltonian
depends explicitly on the coordinates of the particle. In this situation is does not commute with operators
Thus, the graph shown in
Figure 8 arises. The graph does not contain any mono-chromatic triangle, thus illustrating the Ramsey theorem (
.
In order to illustrate, how all this works we consider the motion of the particle in the centrally symmetric field
U(r) [
15,
16,
17,
18]. In this case, we already have the motion of two particles
and
which, however, may be represented by the wave function
, where the function
describes the motion of the center of mass (seen as a free particle
) and
describes the relative motion of the particles, as a particle of effective mass
moving in the centrally symmetric field
U(r) [
15,
16,
17,
18].
The Shrodinger equation for the motion of the particle m in the centrally symmetric field
U(r) is:
where
E is the energy of the particle. So, the problem is reduced to the problem of the motion of a single particle
m in the centrally symmetric field
U(r) [
15,
16,
17,
18]. The graph arising from operators
and
;
is shown in
Figure 9. For the commutation rules see refs. 15-18.
We recognize that the triangle “235” in
Figure 9 is monochromatic red and the triangle “124” is a monochromatic green one. This means that the triad of observables
may be established simultaneously; whereas, the triad of observables
could not be established at the same time. The triangle “135” is also monochromatic red. This means that the triad of observables
may be established experimentally at the same time.