Ebook: The Picture Book of Quantum Mechanics

In studying classical mechanics, students are often helped by the fact that intuitions developed in everday life can give one a good idea of the behavior of the idealized objects dealt with in introductory courses. In addition, equations encountered are sufficiently simple to solve even in relatively complex situations that students can further develop their intution by solving problems. In learning quantum theory, however, intutions developed for the classical world fail, and the equations to be solved are sufficiently complex that they can readily be solved without a computer only for the simplest situations. This book represents an attempt to jump the hurdle to an intuitive understanding of wave mechanics by using illustrations profusely to present the time evolution and parameter dependence of wave functions in a wide variety of situations. Most of the illustrations are computer-generated solutions of the Schr dinger equation for one- and three-dimensional systems. The situations discussed range from the simple particle in a box through resonant scattering in one dimension to the hydrogen atom and Regge classification of resonant scattering. This edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded to include a discussion of spin and magnetic resonance.

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In studying classical mechanics, students are often helped by the fact that intuitions developed in everday life can give one a good idea of the behavior of the idealized objects dealt with in introductory courses. In addition, equations encountered are sufficiently simple to solve even in relatively complex situations that students can further develop their intution by solving problems. In learning quantum theory, however, intutions developed for the classical world fail, and the equations to be solved are sufficiently complex that they can readily be solved without a computer only for the simplest situations. This book represents an attempt to jump the hurdle to an intuitive understanding of wave mechanics by using illustrations profusely to present the time evolution and parameter dependence of wave functions in a wide variety of situations. Most of the illustrations are computer-generated solutions of the Schr dinger equation for one- and three-dimensional systems. The situations discussed range from the simple particle in a box through resonant scattering in one dimension to the hydrogen atom and Regge classification of resonant scattering. This edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded to include a discussion of spin and magnetic resonance.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages N1-xviii
Introduction....Pages 1-10
Light Waves, Photons....Pages 11-33
Probability Waves of Matter....Pages 34-57
Solution of the Schr?dinger Equation in One Dimension....Pages 58-76
One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential....Pages 77-102
One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Motion within a Potential, Stationary Bound States....Pages 103-128
Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Distinguishable Particles....Pages 129-141
Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Indistinguishable Particles....Pages 142-156
Wave Packet in Three Dimensions....Pages 157-194
Solution of the Schr?dinger Equation in Three Dimensions....Pages 195-201
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential....Pages 202-220
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Bound States....Pages 221-263
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Resonance Scattering....Pages 264-289
Coulomb Scattering....Pages 290-305
Spin....Pages 306-325
Examples from Experiment....Pages 326-365
Back Matter....Pages 366-427

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In studying classical mechanics, students are often helped by the fact that intuitions developed in everday life can give one a good idea of the behavior of the idealized objects dealt with in introductory courses. In addition, equations encountered are sufficiently simple to solve even in relatively complex situations that students can further develop their intution by solving problems. In learning quantum theory, however, intutions developed for the classical world fail, and the equations to be solved are sufficiently complex that they can readily be solved without a computer only for the simplest situations. This book represents an attempt to jump the hurdle to an intuitive understanding of wave mechanics by using illustrations profusely to present the time evolution and parameter dependence of wave functions in a wide variety of situations. Most of the illustrations are computer-generated solutions of the Schr dinger equation for one- and three-dimensional systems. The situations discussed range from the simple particle in a box through resonant scattering in one dimension to the hydrogen atom and Regge classification of resonant scattering. This edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded to include a discussion of spin and magnetic resonance.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages N1-xviii
Introduction....Pages 1-10
Light Waves, Photons....Pages 11-33
Probability Waves of Matter....Pages 34-57
Solution of the Schr?dinger Equation in One Dimension....Pages 58-76
One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential....Pages 77-102
One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Motion within a Potential, Stationary Bound States....Pages 103-128
Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Distinguishable Particles....Pages 129-141
Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Indistinguishable Particles....Pages 142-156
Wave Packet in Three Dimensions....Pages 157-194
Solution of the Schr?dinger Equation in Three Dimensions....Pages 195-201
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential....Pages 202-220
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Bound States....Pages 221-263
Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Resonance Scattering....Pages 264-289
Coulomb Scattering....Pages 290-305
Spin....Pages 306-325
Examples from Experiment....Pages 326-365
Back Matter....Pages 366-427
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