Physics 139A Quantum Mechanics Spring 2007

Physics Sciences 114, MWF 11:00 to 12:10

Instructor: Robert Johnson

Office: 323 Natural Sciences II; Office phone 459-2125

E-mail: rjohnson@scipp.ucsc.edu

Office hours: MWF 2:00–3:00 pm, or by appointment.

Course Web site: http://scipp.ucsc.edu/~johnson/phys139a/phys139a.htm

TA: Jeff Jones

Office: ISB 314; Phone 459-4138

E-mail: jeff@physics.ucsc.edu

Discussion Section: Tuesdays 6:00–7:30 pm, ISB 235.

Office hours: TBD

Textbook: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, D. Griffiths, 2nd Edition.

Optional text: Interactive Quantum Mechanics, S. Brandt, H.D. Dahmen, T. Stroh.

Week	Dates	Topics	Reading	HW Due	Quiz
1	April 4 April 6	Schrödinger eqn. & statistical interpretation. Momentum and the uncertainty principle.	1.1–1.3 1.4–1.6
2	April 9 April 11 April 13	Stationary states. Infinite Square well. Harmonic oscillator.	2.1 2.2 2.3	#1	HW #1
3	April 16 April 18 April 20	Harmonic oscillator. Free particle. Delta-function potential.	2.3 2.4 2.5	#2	GRE
4	April 23 April 25 April 27	Finite square well. Linear algebra. Uncertainty principle.	2.6 3.1–3.4 3.5	#3	HW #2,3
5	April 30 May 2 May 4	Uncertainty principle. Dirac notation. Spherical coordinates	3.5 3.6 4.1	#4	GRE
6	May 7 May 9 May 11	Hydrogen atom Hydrogen atom Angular momentum	4.2 4.2 4.3	#5	HW #4,5
7	May 14 May 16 May 18	Spin Spin Spin	4.4 4.4 4.4	#6	GRE
8	May 21 May 23 May 25	Two-particle systems Bosons and Fermions Atoms and the periodic table	5.1 5.1 5.2	#7	HW #6,7
9	May 30 June 1	Solids Solids	5.3 5.3	#8	GRE
10	June 4 June 6 June 8	Quantum statistical mechanics Quantum statistical mechanics Black body spectrum	5.4 5.4 5.4		HW #8,9
11	June 11 June 12	Final homework due by 5pm Final examination from noon until 3:00 pm		#9

This course covers physics that should be familiar from Physics 101A. We will not spend much time on the historical development of quantum physics, as that should have been stressed in Physics 101A. Instead, we will study the formal theory, including simple applications, following Griffith’s textbook closely.

Please at least read the relevant sections of the textbook before coming to lecture. Even better, work through on paper the non-obvious derivations in the text, as that will be more valuable to you than watching me do it. I think that this textbook is very readable, with good explanations. If I don’t have to recite to you everything in the text, then that leaves more time for me to work through examples, go over conceptual questions in more depth, and demonstrate concepts using computer calculations.

A set of homework problems will be given out each week, for a total of nine assignments. The problems will mostly be taken from the textbook but will also include some derivations and maybe some short-answer conceptual questions. Due to departmental limitations, only a fraction (probably half) of your homework solutions will be graded. Solutions will be posted online shortly after the due date. You are welcome to collaborate on the homework, but be sure that in the end you know how to work out each assigned problem by yourself. You are also encouraged to seek help on the homework, whenever necessary, from myself and the teaching assistant. While my office hours are the most convenient time for me to meet with you, if you have a conflict with those times or have an urgent question that cannot wait, you are welcome to look for me at other times, make an appointment to see me, or else send questions to me via e-mail.

Instead of a midterm exam, we will have a 30-minute quiz every other Friday, as noted on the syllabus, that will be based on the previous two homework assignments. My intention will be to make quizzes that are easy in case that you’ve done all of the homework, but could be difficult otherwise. Therefore, the quiz will normally be one problem or pieces of multiple problems, taken verbatim or with only small modifications from the homework. Your lowest quiz score will be dropped from your average when calculating your final grade.

I will also give a short “GRE” quiz every other Friday, between the regular quizzes, as noted on the syllabus. These will be conceptual, multiple-choice quizzes with problems similar to those found on physics GRE exams. Quiz solutions will be posted online at the end of each week. Again, the lowest score will be dropped when computing your grade.

Grades and evaluations will be determined according to the following approximate weights:

· Graded homework: 10%

· Regular quizzes: 40%; GRE conceptual quizzes: 10%

· Final exam: 40%

The final exam will include short-answer conceptual questions as well as problem solving. The problems generally will not be identical to any of your homework problems, so do not expect the final exam to be like the quizzes.

In addition to the textbook, I recommend the following texts for your reference:

· S. Brandt, H.D. Dahmen, T. Stroh, Interactive Quantum Mechanics, on reserve. This book comes with a CD containing software for doing various numerical calculations that illustrate phenomena in quantum mechanics. I will use it during lectures for illustration, but you can also load the program onto your computer and use it to gain deeper insights into the physics.

· Shankar, Principles of Quantum Mechanics, on reserve. This is a much thicker and more in-depth textbook, which can be used as a reference on particular topics that you would like to see in more detail. It also includes topics that we will not cover, such as the Feynman path-integral formulation of quantum mechanics.

· M. L. Boas, Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences. A math methods textbook used at UCSC for the Physics 116 series, which covers all of the mathematical methods used in this course.

· Feynman, Leighton, and Sands, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume 3, on reserve. Highly recommended reading, either during or following this course.