SYLLABUS

PHYSICS 4455
INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM MECHANICS PART I

Fall 2005 (CRN 94307)

http://www.phys.vt.edu/~beate/QM/entry_05.html

http://www.phys.vt.edu/~beate/QM/QMSYL_05.html

 

Lectures, homework and exams:

  Lectures:

  Tues and Thurs      11:00  am  -  12:15 pm

  Robeson 122

  Help
  Session:

  TBA 

  Robeson TBA

  Homework
  due:

 Thursdays, in class

  Robeson 122

   9/27/05

  Midterm 1  -  in class

  Robeson 122

  11/3/05

  Midterm 2  -  in class

  Robeson 122

  12/14/05

    (Wednesday)

  Final        2:05 - 4:05 pm

  Robeson 122

 

People:

 Instructors:

  Beate Schmittmann

  Royce K.P. Zia

  Robeson 111

  Robeson 115

 Contact
  info:

  schmittm@vt.edu         231-6518

  rkpzia@vt.edu              231-5767

 

 Office
 hours:

  Tue       4:00  -  5:00 pm, 
  Wed     3:00  -  3:55 pm, and by appointment.

  Robeson 111

 Grader:

  Sayak Mukherjee

  Robeson  104B

 Contact
  info:

  smukhe04@vt.edu           231-5344

 

 Office
  hours:

  TBA

  Robeson TBA

Required Text:

Introductory Quantum Mechanics, by Richard L. Liboff. (Addison Wesley, 4th edition, 2003).
 

Further recommended reading:  

·         Quantum Mechanics, by F. Schwabl (Springer, 3rd edition 2002). Concise, well organized, clear exposition. Fairly high level.

·         Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, by D.J. Griffiths. (Prentice Hall, 2nd edition, 2004). Clear and comprehensive treatment.

·         Principles of Quantum Mechanics, by R. Shankar. (Plenum, 2nd edition 1994) Quite elementary; nice selection of modern examples.

·         Modern Quantum Mechanics, by J.J. Sakurai (Addison Wesley, 2nd edition 1994). Elegant approach, focuses on symmetries and group theory.

·         The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol III, by R.P. Feynman (Addison Wesley, 2nd edition, 2005). From the grandmaster.

 

 

  Assignments, exams, grades and all that:

Three or four homework problems will be assigned each Thursday. Problem sheets will be handed out in class and posted on-line, along with suggested reading from Liboff. Typically, every other week, one of the problems will be optional for extra credit. You are welcome and encouraged to work together, but each of you needs to turn in his/her own version. Unless otherwise noted, your solutions are due one week later, and we will of course be available for help and discussions. After you have turned in your work, solutions to the problems will be posted on the course webpage . We will also schedule a regular “help session”, to discuss the assigned problems and to provide an additional opportunity for questions.

 

The in-class exams (two midterms and the final) are closed-book, but you are allowed to bring one letter-sized formula sheet. The final will be comprehensive. The honor code pertains to all three in-class exams.

Your grade history will be updated regularly, so you can monitor your progress.

Grade composition:
30% homework, 20% Midterm1, 20% Midterm 2, 30% Final.

 

  Course content:

This is the first part of a two-semester introduction to quantum mechanics which lies at the heart of virtually all of modern physics, from high energy physics to the latest-generation nanoscale devices. We shall largely follow the text book, with occasional deviations to additional topics.

 

  Topics:

We hope to cover most of Chapters 1-10 of Liboff.