A Modern Approach to Quantum MechanicsInspired by Richard Feynman and J.J. Sakurai, A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics allows lecturers to expose their undergraduates to Feynman's approach to quantum mechanics while simultaneously giving them a textbook that is well-ordered, logical and pedagogically sound. This book covers all the topics that are typically presented in a standard upper-level course in quantum mechanics, but its teaching approach is new. Rather than organizing his book according to the historical development of the field and jumping into a mathematical discussion of wave mechanics, Townsend begins his book with the quantum mechanics of spin. Thus, the first five chapters of the book succeed in laying out the fundamentals of quantum mechanics with little or no wave mechanics, so the physics is not obscured by mathematics. Starting with spin systems it gives students straightfoward examples of the structure of quantum mechanics. When wave mechanics is introduced later, students should perceive it correctly as only one aspect of quantum mechanics and not the core of the subject. |
Contents
SternGerlach Experiments | 1 |
1 | 8 |
2 | 27 |
3 | 33 |
6 | 40 |
7 | 51 |
Angular Momentum | 65 |
7 | 82 |
Bound States of Central Potentials | 274 |
2 | 297 |
TimeIndependent Perturbations | 306 |
Identical Particles | 341 |
The Born Approximation | 368 |
5 | 385 |
6 | 393 |
Photons and Atoms | 399 |
A System of Two Spin Particles | 120 |
Wave Mechanics in One Dimension | 147 |
Scattering | 178 |
The OneDimensional Harmonic Oscillator | 194 |
Path Integrals | 216 |
Translational and Rotational Symmetry | 237 |
4 | 410 |
6 | 417 |
7 | 425 |
Dirac Delta Functions | 453 |
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Common terms and phrases
action amplitude angle apply axis basis becomes calculate called Chapter charge classical commutation relations Compare complete condition consider constant coordinates corresponding dependence derivative determine device differential direction discussion effect eigenfunctions eigenstates eigenvalue electric field electron elements energy eigenvalue energy levels equation evaluate example expectation value experiment express fact factor field FIGURE follows given ground Hamiltonian harmonic oscillator hydrogen atom increases indicated initial integral interaction introduce linear magnetic field magnitude mass measurement molecule momentum operators natural Note Notice obtain operator particle particular path perturbation phase photon physics polarization position position space potential energy probability Problem produce quantum mechanics requires rotations S₂ satisfy scattering shift shown in Fig shows solution solve spherical spin symmetry theory transition translations uncertainty unit vector wave function yield