2nd Edition

Quantum Mechanics, Second edition

By Paul C.W. Davies, David S. Betts Copyright 2002
    192 Pages
    by CRC Press

    192 Pages
    by CRC Press

    Quantum mechanics is the key to modern physics and chemistry, yet it is notoriously difficult to understand. This book is designed to overcome that obstacle. Clear and concise, it provides an easily readable introduction intended for science undergraduates with no previous knowledge of quantum theory, leading them through to the advanced topics usually encountered at the final year level.

    Although the subject matter is standard, novel techniques have been employed that considerably simplify the technical presentation. The authors use their extensive experience of teaching and popularizing science to explain the many difficult, abstract points of the subject in easily comprehensible language. Helpful examples and thorough sets of exercises are also given to enable students to master the subject.

    PRELIMINARY CONCEPTS
    Origins
    Collapse of Determinism
    Matter Waves
    Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
    When is a Wave a Particle?
    Schrodinger's Wave Equation

    WAVE MECHANICS I
    Time-Independent Schrodinger Equation
    The Infinite Square-Well Potential
    Degeneracy and Parity
    Finite Square Well
    Bouncing Ball

    ONE-DIMENSIONAL DELTA WELLS
    The Single One-Dimensional Delta Well
    The One-Dimensional Triple Delta Well

    WAVE MECHANICS 2
    Simple Harmonic Oscillator
    Hydrogen Atom
    Free Particles
    Scattering from a Potential Step
    Tunnelling
    Many-Particle Wave Functions

    SCATTERING IN THREE DIMENSIONS
    Partial Wave Analysis
    Attractive Spherical Well in the Limit of Low Energy S-Wave Scattering
    Repulsive Spherical Obstacle

    THE FORMAL RULES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS
    Wave Superposition in Vector Language
    Operators
    Momentum and Position Eigenstates
    Compatible Observables and Commutation Relations
    Symmetry and Conservation Laws
    Summary

    ANGULAR MOMENTUM
    Operators and Commutators
    Eigenfunctions and Eigenvalues
    Matrix Formulation
    Intrisic Spin
    Spin Eigenvectors
    Illustrating the Rules of Quantum Mechanics
    Magnetic Moment
    Spin Wave Functions

    PARTICLE IN A CENTRAL POTENTIAL
    Separation of Radial and Anular Variables
    Radial Square Well
    Hydrogen Atom

    SOME ATOMIC PHYSICS
    Addition of Angular Momenta
    Addition of Orbital and Spin Angular Momenta
    Spin-Orbit Coupling
    A Further Relativistic Effect
    Effect on a One-Electron Atom of an Externally Applied Magnetic Field: Zeeman Effect

    APPROXIMATION METHODS
    Perturbation Theory
    Applications of Perturbation Theory
    The Variational Method
    TRANSITIONS
    Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory
    Harmonic Perturbation
    Energy-Time Uncertainty Relation and Fermi's Golden Rule
    Emission and Absorption of Electromagnetic Radiation by Atoms
    Spontaneious emission of Radiation

    APPENDICES
    The One-Dimensional Infinite Array of Delta Wells
    Spherical Harmonics
    The Dirac Delta Function
    Useful Quantities
    Useful Integrals
    Exercises
    Answers to Exercises

    Biography

    Paul C.W. Davies

    "…a very useful, readable, and relatively inexpensive technical introduction to the subject."
    -Roger Penrose, THES

    "I do not know of anyone who has put the essence of quantum mechanics more clearly, more understandable, more soundly, and more compactly than Professor Davis."
    -Professor J.A. Wheeler, University of Texas at Austin