Quantum Mechanics, Second edition

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 CONCEPTSOriginsCollapse of DeterminismMatter WavesHeisenberg's Uncertainty PrincipleWhen is a Wave a Particle?Schrodinger's Wave EquationWAVE MECHANICS ITime-Independent Schrodinger EquationThe Infinite Square-Well PotentialDegeneracy and ParityFinite Square WellBouncing BallONE-DIMENSIONAL DELTA WELLSThe Single One-Dimensional Delta WellThe One-Dimensional Triple Delta WellWAVE MECHANICS 2Simple Harmonic OscillatorHydrogen AtomFree ParticlesScattering from a Potential StepTunnellingMany-Particle Wave FunctionsSCATTERING IN THREE DIMENSIONSPartial Wave AnalysisAttractive Spherical Well in the Limit of Low Energy S-Wave ScatteringRepulsive Spherical ObstacleTHE FORMAL RULES OF QUANTUM MECHANICSWave Superposition in Vector LanguageOperatorsMomentum and Position EigenstatesCompatible Observables and Commutation RelationsSymmetry and Conservation LawsSummaryANGULAR MOMENTUMOperators and CommutatorsEigenfunctions and EigenvaluesMatrix FormulationIntrisic SpinSpin EigenvectorsIllustrating the Rules of Quantum MechanicsMagnetic MomentSpin Wave FunctionsPARTICLE IN A CENTRAL POTENTIALSeparation of Radial and Anular VariablesRadial Square WellHydrogen AtomSOME ATOMIC PHYSICSAddition of Angular MomentaAddition of Orbital and Spin Angular MomentaSpin-Orbit CouplingA Further Relativistic EffectEffect on a One-Electron Atom of an Externally Applied Magnetic Field: Zeeman EffectAPPROXIMATION METHODSPerturbation TheoryApplications of Perturbation TheoryThe Variational MethodTRANSITIONSTime-Dependent Perturbation TheoryHarmonic PerturbationEnergy-Time Uncertainty Relation and Fermi's Golden RuleEmission and Absorption of Electromagnetic Radiation by AtomsSpontaneious emission of RadiationAPPENDICESThe One-Dimensional Infinite Array of Delta WellsSpherical HarmonicsThe Dirac Delta FunctionUseful QuantitiesUseful IntegralsExercisesAnswers to Exercises

Paul C.W. Davies