PH403: Quantum Mechanics I
Course Information
Instructor: Alok Shukla
Office: Room 221, Physics Bldg.
Phone: X-7576
E-mail: shukla@phy.iitb.ac.in
Office Hours: Feel free to drop in anytime.
Course Outline
This course is all about an introduction to quantum mechanics. I will assume that you have some knowledge of partial differential equations and basics of linear algebra. Apart from that, no other prior background will be assumed. I plan to cover the following topics during the semester:
- Why quantum mechanics? Louie de Broglie's hypothesis and wave-particle duality. Young's double slit experiment with electrons and photons and other experiments. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
- Wave function and Schrdinger equation. Born interpretation of the wave function. Solution of the Schrdinger equation for simple cases such as: (a) free particle, (b) potential barriers, (c) potential wells etc. Discussion of a wave packet for the free particle case.
- Exactly solvable problems in quantum mechanics: solving the Schrdinger equation for the simple harmonic oscillator and hydrogen atom.
- Mathematical tools of quantum mechanics. Wave function space. State space and Dirac notation. Observables and operators. Eigenvalue equations. Representations in the state space.
- Postulates of quantum mechanics and their physical interpretation.
- Applications of the postulates of quantum mechanics to spin- and two-level systems. Stern-Gerlach experiment.
- Creation and annihilation operator approach to the simple harmonic oscillator.
- Spherically symmetric potentials and angular momentum in quantum mechanics. Angular momentum operators and their commutation relations. General theory of angular momentum.
Suggested Books
We are fortunate that a large number of excellent textbooks have been written on this subject. Most of the textbooks cover the topics mentioned above quite nicely. I am listing quite a few textbooks below, and it will be good if you have a personal copy of at least one of these. Cheap Indian editions of most of these books are available.
- Quantum Mechanics I and II, by C. Cohen-Tannoudji, B. Diu, F. Lalo, John Wiley and Sons (1977).
- Modern Quantum Mechanics, by J. J. Sakurai, Pearson Education Asia (1994).
- Quantum Mechanics (3rd edn), by E. Merzbacher, John Wiley & Sons (1998).
- Introductory Quantum Mechanics (4th edn), by R. Liboff, Addison Wesley (2002).
- Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn), by B. H. Bransden and C. J. Joachain, Prentice Hall (2000).
- Principles of Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn), by R. Shankar, Plenum Press (1994).
- Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd edn) by D. J. Griffiths, Prentice Hall (2004).
- Quantum Physics (3rd edn), by S. Gasiorowicz, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. (2003).
Additionally, the books listed below are older classics, but are still a joy to read. You can find them in our library. Indian editions of the books by Feynman and Dirac are available in bookstores.
- Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, by R. H. Dicke and JP Witke, Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA (1960).
- Quantum Mechanics vols I and II, by A. Messiah, North Holland Publishing Co. (1961).
- Lectures on Quantum Mechanics, by G. Baym, Benjamin Cummings (1974).
- Quantum Mechanics (3rd edn), by L. I. Schiff, Mc Graw Hill (1968).
- The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, by P. A .M. Dirac, Clarendon Press, Oxford (1958).
- Feynman Lectures in Physics Vol III: Quantum Mechanics, by R. Feynman, R. Leighton, and M. Sands, Addison-Wesley (1964).
Attendance Requirements
IIT Bombay rules require that all students attend at least 80% of the lectures in each course. This is precisely what I also expect you to follow.
Examinations and Grading
Your final grade will be based upon your performance in the following:
- Quizzes (2) 10 %+10 %
- Midsem Exam: 30 %
- Final Exam: 50 %
Lecture Notes (Handwritten scanned)
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Chapter 3
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
- Part 4
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Part 1
- Part 2
- Part 3
- Chapter 7
Tutorial Sheets
- Tutorial Sheet 1
- Tutorial Sheet 2
- Tutorial Sheet 3
- Tutorial Sheet 4
- Tutorial Sheet 5
- Tutorial Sheet 6
- Tutorial Sheet 7
- Tutorial Sheet 8