Second course in quantum mechanics for students with a good background
in wave mechanics and atomic and molecular structure. operators, state
vectors, and the formal structure of quantum theory; operator treatments
of simple systems; angular momentum and vector addition coefficients;
stationary state perturbation theory; introduction to scattering theory
for
particles without spin, partial wave analysis, and Born approximation;
examples taken from atomic, nuclear and elementary particle physics.
Senior-level atomic physics and quantum mechanics.
Typeset notes covering most of the material will be be available as .pdf files on this web site.
As a textbook covering the material of Physics 480, but not of
Physics 481, we suggest
R. Shankar
"Principles of Quantum Mechanics, 2nd Ed."
This book covers well the basics of quantum mechanics as well as the mathematical methods used.
Several other books are also recommended (see
textbooks).
There will be a midterm as well as a final exam.
Problems will be assigned every week. Each problem is due the following
week. Solutions handed in late cannot be graded.
Please staple your
homework pages together when handing them in to the graders.
The homework
sets are to be placed into a drop box labelled Physics 480 located near the Loomis-MRL interpass.
The homework is a key part of the course. One can learn
Quantum Mechanics only by doing. This is, of course, true for any area of
Physics, but particularly so for Quantum Mechanics.
Your grade for this course will be based on your homework (50%), the midterm
exam (20%) and the final exam (30%) - percentages are approximate.