Abstract
For tutorial purposes, the simple problem of a classical magnetic moment interacting with various magnetic field configuration is reformulated in terms of coordinate-free, time-dependent rotation operators. In this approach, the corresponding equation of motion assumes the form of an operator equation, identical with the Schrödinger equation of a spin-1 interacting with the same field configurations. It is solved utilizing deliberately the concepts of a Hermitian Hamiltonian and a unitary time evolution operator to familiarize students early in their curriculum with these important ingredients of the quantum-mechanical formalism. It turns out that besides furnishing useful exercises for the manipulation of three-dimensional rotation operators, being an end in itself, the approach also provides simple but nontrivial examples for a number of theorems for which the students will have frequent use in their quantum-mechanics course.
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