Prof.
Barus & Holley 329
What's New (as of January 30):
Office hours will be held at 1-2.30pm on
Wednesday, February 1.
Please come to the Monday colloquia -- it is a good way to be exposed to the
wide world of physics. The colloquia are held each Monday at
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Material covered: Hydrogen atom, spin, addition of angular momenta, tensor operators, perturbation theory, WKB method, scattering theory, multielectron atoms, second quantization, and other topics if time permits
Prerequisites: Physics 205, or the permission of the instructor, Prof. Feldman.
The course will emphasize two areas: (1) Key tools of quantum mechanics. (2) How to calculate things and get real, actual numbers. The use of proper dimensional analysis will be required for all problems that call for it.
Class meets: in Barus & Holley 153 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00 to 10:50 am.
Required Texts:
J. Sakurai, "Modern
Quantum Mechanics."
R. Shankar, "Principles
of Quantum Mechanics" (2nd Edition).
Homework: About 1 set per week.
Course grader:
Tests and Exams: Two midterm tests plus a final exam.
Grading scheme:
Classroom Participation ................................... 5%
Homework .....................................................
20%
Midterms .................................. 20% + 20% = 40%
Final
Exam .....................................................
35%.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total
..............................................................100%
Here are some other books that you may find useful for basic background:
1. Basic Training in Mathematics: A Fitness Program for Science Students by R. Shankar. [Call number = QA300.S4315 1995] This book will be helpful if you are finding the mathematics that we use in PH205 to be difficult. Chapters 8 and 9 on "Matrices and Determinants" and "Linear Vector Spaces" are good supplements to Shankar's Principles of Quantum Mechanics. The notation, as you might expect, is very similar in the two books. And there is much else of value between the covers.
2. Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. III by Feynman, Leighton, and Sands. [Call number = 1-SIZE QC23.F45 (1964).] In this famous set of lectures, Feynman introduces quantum mechanics from his own unique viewpoint. The "bra" and "ket" notation is used right away. Feynman's terrific physical intuition makes these lectures great fun to read.
3. Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David J. Griffiths
(Prentice-Hall 1995). An
exceptionally well-written undergraduate level textbook. Highly recommended.
Here are some intermediate textbooks that are classics:
1. L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz: Quantum Mechanics.
2. G. Baym: Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
3. K. Gottfried: Quantum Physics.
4. P. A. M. Dirac: Principles of Quantum Mechanics
e-mail Prof. Dima Feldman: [email protected]
Prof. Feldman's telephone extension: x33056
Prof. Feldman's Office Hours: Wednesdays
2:00 to 3:30 in B&H 329.
Prof. Feldman's Web
Page