Book description
If you think projection operators work in the cinema, or learning about spin-1/2 makes your head, well, spin, Quantum Mechanics DeMYSTiFieD will energize your knowledge of this topic's fundamental concepts and theories, and allow you to learn at your own pace.
This thoroughly revised and updated guide eases you into the subject, beginning with wave mechanics then introducing you to the mathematical foundations needed to do modern quantum physics. As you progress, you will learn the fundamentals of matrix mechanics, including how to compute the trace of a matrix, find eigenvalues, and use ladder operators. You will understand the difference between time independent perturbation and time dependent perturbation theory and other oncecomplicated concepts. Detailed examples make it easy to understand the material, and end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam help reinforce key ideas.
It's a no-brainer! You'll learn about:
- State Space
- Basis Vectors
- Functions of Operators
- The Postulates of Quantum Mechanics
- Angular Momentum
- Spin and the Pauli Matrices
- Scattering Theory
Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Quantum Mechanics DeMYSTiFieD, Second Edition is your shortcut to a working knowledge of this engaging science.
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- About the Author
- Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Historical Review
-
Chapter 2: Basic Developments
- The Schrödinger Equation
- Solving the Schrödinger Equation
- The Probability Interpretation and Normalization
- Expansion of the Wavefunction and Finding Coefficients
- The Phase of a Wavefunction
- Operators in Quantum Mechanics
- Momentum and the uncertainty Principle
- The Conservation of Probability
- Summary
- Quiz
- Chapter 3: The Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation
- Chapter 4: An Introduction to Hilbert Space
- Chapter 5: The Mathematical Structure of Quantum Mechanics I
- Chapter 6: The Mathematical Structure of Quantum Mechanics II
- Chapter 7: The Mathematical Structure of Quantum Mechanics III
-
Chapter 8: The Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
- The Postulates of Quantum Mechanics
- Spectral Decomposition
- Projective Measurements
- The Completeness Relation
- Completely Specifying a State with a CSCO
- The Heisenberg versus Schrödinger Pictures
- Describing Composite Systems in Quantum Mechanics
- The Matrix Representation of a Tensor Product
- The Tensor Product of State Vectors
- The Density Operator
- The Density Operator for a Completely Mixed State
- A Brief Introduction to the Bloch Vector
- Summary
- Quiz
- Chapter 9: The Harmonic Oscillator
- Chapter 10: Angular Momentum
-
Chapter 11: Spin-1/2 Systems
- The Stern-Gerlach Experiment
- The Basis States for Spin-1/2 Systems
- Using the Ladder Operators to Construct Sx, Sy
- Unitary Transformations for Spin-1/2 Systems
- The Outer Product Representation of the Spin Operators
- The Pauli Matrices
- The Time Evolution of Spin-1/2 States
- The Density Operator for Spin-1/2 Systems
- Summary
- Quiz
- Chapter 12: Quantum Mechanics in Three Dimensions
- Chapter 13: Identical Particles
- Chapter 14: Time-Independent Perturbation Theory
- Chapter 15: Applications of Perturbation Theory to the Hydrogen Atom
- Chapter 16: Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory
- Chapter 17: Scattering
- Final Exam
- Answers to Quiz and Exam Questions
- Index
Product information
- Title: Quantum Mechanics Demystified, 2nd Edition, 2nd Edition
- Author(s):
- Release date: May 2013
- Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill
- ISBN: 9780071765640
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