Euclidean-style Geometry in Complex Scalar Product Spaces

Complex scalar products arise naturally in quantum mechanics because there is an experimental interpretation for the complex scalar product of two wave functions (as we saw in Section 1.2). Students of physics should note that the traditional brac-ket notation is consistent with our complex scalar product notation—just put a bar in place of the comma. The physical importance of the bracket will allow us to apply our intuition about Euclidean geometry (such as orthogonality) to states of quantum systems. 

3 Euclidean-style Geometry in Complex Scalar Product Spaces 

Since a complex scalar product resembles the EucUdean dot product in its form and definition, we can use our intuition about perpendicularity in the Euclidean three-space we inhabit to study complex scalar product spaces. However, we must be aware of two important differences. Eirst, we are dealing with complex scalars rather than real scalars. Second, we are often dealing with infinite-dimensional spaces. It is easy to underestimate the trouble that infinite dimensions can cause. If this section seems unduly technical (especially the introduction to orthogonal projections), it is because we are careful to avoid the infinite-dimensional traps. 

By analogy to the geometry of EucUdean space we define perpendicularity. 

For example, the constant function 3 and the function cos rtx are perpendicular in the complex scalar product space C[—1, 1] since 

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