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.

Auteur

Paul C.W. Davies

Contenu

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<BR