PHY 4605 - Introductory Quantum Mechanics 2 Spring 2018


COORDINATES


Time and Place: MWF 5th Period (11:45 am -12:35 pm) 1220 NPB
Text: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd Edition by David J. Griffiths (2nd ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005).
Instructor: Prof. Hai-Ping Cheng
E-mail:gmail4class at gmail dot com
Office: 2330 NPB
Phone: 392-6256
Office hours: W (1:30 -3:30 pm) or by appointment. Ocassional changes will be announced via Canvas
Grader: XXX, Office XXX NPB, Office Hour: XXX

COURSE SYNOPSIS

PHY 4605 is the second course of the two-semester introductory quantum mechanics sequence PHY 4605 4605. Upon completion of PHY 4604, I expect that you have a sound understanding of key concepts in quantum mechanics, the formalism of quantum mechanics, applications to atomic, molecular, and condensed matter physics, and that you know how to solve problems in chapters 1-5. PHY 4605 covers some of the most important applications of quantum mechanics. You should learn how to solve problems using approaximations.

PREREQUISITES

You should have successfully completed all college-level courses needed for PHY 4604 and PHY 4604. If you are in doubt as to whether you should take PHY 4605, please consult the instructor as soon as possible.

COURSE MATERIAL

The lectures will closely follow the text Griffiths, but digressions can occur. You will need access to the course text to supplement the lectures, to complete reading assignments and as a source of practice problems. However, you do not necessarily need to purchase your own individual copy.

Griffiths is a good introductory quantum mechanics text. However, you may well wish to consult other texts to get alternative explanations of the course material. Three books in particular are worth considering:

* Principles of Quantum Mechanics by R. Shankar (2nd ed., Springer, 1994). Suitable for advanced undergraduate/beginning graduate study, this book places greater emphasis on the more abstract Dirac formalism in place of wave mechanics. Used as the main text for UF's first-year graduate quantum mechanics courses.

* Quantum Mechanics: A Modern Development by L. E. Ballentine (2nd ed., World Scientific, 1998). Ballentine provides a much more careful discussion of the mathematical underpinnings of quantum mechanics than is usual in standard texts, as well as a passionate exposition of the ensemble interpretation of the state function. A relatively inexpensive paperback, this text is also available as an e-book through the UF library system.

* Physlet Quantum Physics: An Interactive Introduction by M. Belloni, W. Christian, and A. J. Cox (Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006). Contains more than 200 interactive exercises implemented as Java applets, provided on a CD. About two-thirds of the exercises overlap with topics covered in PHY 4605 4605; the rest deal with other aspects of modern physics (such as special relativity and wave-particle duality). The exercises guide the user to adjust applet inputs and interpret the output, which is mostly graphical and in many cases animated. This approach frees one from a lot of cumbersome mathematics to develop intuition about the quantum-mechanical world. This book is also relatively inexpensive. Earlier versions of many of the exercises can be accessed for free.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS and POP-QUIZZES

There will be 6-7 homework assignments. Their schedule and selections are posted via Canvas. Their due dates will be indicated and strictly enforced. Constructive collaboration is encouraged, but you are required to write up your own final solution, and you must list the names of any and all collaborators and/or solution sources. A 50% deduction will apply for late homework within 3 days past due and no credit will be given after that.

The sum of your homework scores will make up 25% of your overall score on PHY 4605.

In-class, pop-quizzes will be given at any time. The quizzes will make up another 15% of your score. The purpose of these is to discourage skipping class and also to motivate students to keep up with material. There will be no makeups; students with valid excuses will receive credit based upon their performance on the relevant exam.

EXAMS and GRADES

Exams: There will be two 2-hour midterm exams. Each exam will count 30% toward your final course grade.

Grades: Letter grades will be assigned on the basis of the overall course score out of 100. A guidance as to the likely scale used to convert course scores to letter grades will be provided before the final exam.

Additional Notes