Quantum Physics [Physics 401]                     Spring Semester, 2005

    Professor:   Dr. John K. Elwood

Text:  Principles of Quantum Mechanics, Second Edition, Ramamurti Shankar, Ó1994, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, ISBN 0-306-44790-8  [required]

    Lecture Times:  M from 2:30 - 3:45 PM in Gessner 118
              Th from 1:00 - 2:15 PM in Gessner 117

    Course Web Page: Access the course page from my home page at:

        http://www.esu.edu/~jelwood/

    To Haver with John:      email: John.Elwood@po-box.esu.edu
                Office:  Gessner 201
                Office Phone: (570) 422 3408
Office hours:  Mondays 10 - 11 AM, 1:30 - 2:30 PM, and 5 - 6 PM; Thursdays 10 - 11 AM; Fridays 10 - 11 AM.    
                                                                       
                                                                       

* and by appointment.  I am usually here! *

Course Description:  This course introduces the ideas of wave mechanics and matrix mechanics.  Schrödinger's Equation is applied to simple problems.  Approximation techniques for the more difficult problems of nuclear and atomic physics are studied.  A large fraction of the material contained in the first 17 chapters of Shankar is covered.

    Course Prerequisites:  PHYS 262 and MATH 341

Special Needs:  Students who are eligible for accommodations are invited to make an appointment to deliver their letter from the Office of Disability Services and to discuss their accommodation requests.
    
Grading:  The points that you earn on Homework problems and Exams determine your grade for the course.  They are worth, respectively:


            Homework                60%
            Take Home Exams (2)        20%
            In-Class Exams (2)            20%    
                                100%

    

   Your grade will be determined according to the prescription:

        90%-100%            A
        80%-89.9%            B
        70%-79.9%            C
        60%-69.9%            D
           < 60%            E

In-Class Storytime:  Before each lecture, there will be a reading assignment out of Shankar.  It will be assumed that you have read the assignment at least 50 times before you come to class.  Each lecture will begin by addressing questions regarding that day's reading assignment.  If the questions take the entire class period, so be it.  If there are no questions, I will simply move on to new material.  This is a rare opportunity for you to understand every single line in your text as we go through it.  Don't waste it by being unprepared.

Homework: Let's be honest.  The only way that you truly learn physics is by doing it.  That's why I've made the homework worth a staggering 60% of your grade in this class.  This 60% is spread over 140 homework problems, all of which are available on the first day of class, should you want them.  The grading of the homework is simple:  each correct problem earns you one point; each incorrect problem earns you nothing.  Incorrect problems will be returned to you with comments.  You are free to resubmit problems as many times as you like.  When you finally do get a problem correct, you get your point.  While working on the homework, you may consult with other students, but the work that you turn in must be your own.

Take-Home Exams: As stated above, two Take-Home Exams will be given during the term.  They will be handed out on Thursday, February 10 and Thursday, April 21, respectively.  You will be allowed to consult your textbook and notes while working on the Take-Home Exams, but will not be allowed to consult with any humans while working on the exams (save myself).

In-Class Exams: The first In-Class Exam will be given on Thursday, March 24, while the second will be given during Finals Week.  The In-Class Exams will be completed without reference materials of any kind and, shudder, without calculators.  

Obtaining Assignments: I will typically provide reading and homework assignments at the beginning of each lecture.  If you miss these, you can get them from the course website.




Retention of Student Material/Garbage Reduction Act:  Student exams, homework, and other contributions that are not picked up will be kept for one year after the close of the current term.  That is, all contributed student material may be destroyed at any time following the first week of the Fall 2006 semester.

Good luck in the Class!  May you bear the paroxysms of Quantum Fever with a glad heart.






    Course Outline



Week                      Topics                           Corresponding Sections
Dates                                    in Shankar

1

Jan. 10 - Jan. 14		 What is Quantum Mechanics?
Introduction to Linear Vector Spaces
Operators
Matrix representations of mathematical objects

 1.1 - 1.6
2

Jan. 17 - Jan. 21		 Eigenvalues, Eigenvectors, Eigenkets
The propagator


 1.7 - 1.10
3

Jan. 24 - Jan. 28		 Classical physics from the Lagrangian point of view


 2.1 - 2.7
4

Jan. 31 - Feb. 4		 The consequences of symmetries
The failures of classical physics


 2.8
3.1 - 3.5
5

Feb. 7 - Feb. 11

 The postulates of quantum mechanics
The Schrödinger Equation

Take-Home Exam 1 on Feb. 10!

 4.1 - 4.3
6

Feb. 14 - Feb. 18

 One dimensional systems


 5.1 - 5.6
7

Feb. 21 - Feb. 25

 The correspondence principle
The Harmonic Oscillator		 Chapter 6
7.1 - 7.5
8

Feb. 28 - Mar. 4

 Path integrals in quantum mechanics
Heisenberg relations

 Chapter 8
Chapter 9
9

Mar. 14 - Mar. 18

 Multiple particles

 Chapter 10
10

Mar. 21 - Mar. 25

 Noether's Theorem

In-Class Exam I on March 24!


 Chapter 11
11

Mar. 28 - Apr. 1

 Introduction to angular momentum 12.1 - 12.4
12

Apr. 4 - Apr. 8

 Solving the angular momentum problem


 12.5 - 12.6
13

Apr. 11 - Apr. 15

 The Hydrogen Atom
Spin		 Chapter 13
Chapter 14
14

Apr. 18 - Apr. 22

 Adding angular momenta

Take-Home Exam II on April 21!		 Chapter 15
15

Apr. 25 - Apr. 29

 Time-Independent Perturbation Theory Chapter 17
















Selected Bibliography


There are many standard texts in quantum mechanics at the introductory
undergraduate level.  Three that have been around for quite a while now are

Stephen Gasiorowicz, Quantum Physics, 3rd Edition, J. Wiley, 2003, ISBN 0471057002.

Richard Liboff, Introductory Quantum Mechanics, 4th Edition, Addison Wesley, 2002, ISBN 0805387145.

Eugen Merzbacher, Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Edition, J. Wiley, 1997, ISBN 0471887021.

You will find a somewhat more conversational tone in

David J. Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 1st Edition, Prentice Hall, 1994, ISBN 0131244051.

Your humble professor originally learned the subject from (an earlier edition of!)

B. H. Bransden and C. J. Joachain, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd Edition, Prentice Hall, 2000, ISBN 0582356911.

And some students have of course found the following helpful:

Eliahu Zaarur and Phinnik Revven, Schaum's Outline of Quantum Mechanics, 1st Edition, McGraw Hill, 1998, ISBN 0070540187.