INVITATION TO QUANTUM MECHANICS

How do atoms and electrons behave? Are they just like marbles, basketballs, suns, and planets, but smaller?They are not. Atoms and electrons behave in a fashion quite unlike the familiar marbles, basketballs, suns, and planets. This sophomore-level textbook delves into the counterintuitive, intricate, but ultimately fascinating world of quantum mechanics. Building both physical insight and mathematical technique, it opens up a new world to the discerning reader.After discussing experimental demonstrations showing that atoms behave differently from marbles, the book builds up the phenomena of the quantum world — quantization, interference, and entanglement — in the simplest possible system, the qubit. Once the phenomena are introduced, it builds mathematical machinery for describing them. It goes on to generalize those concepts and that machinery to more intricate systems. Special attention is paid to identical particles, the source of considerable student confusion. In the last chapter, students get a taste of what is not treated in the book and are invited to continue exploring quantum mechanics. Problems in the book test both conceptual and technical knowledge, and invite students to develop their own questions.Contents: Synoptic ContentsWelcome'Something Isn't Quite Right'What Is Quantum Mechanics About?Forging Mathematical ToolsThe Quantum Mechanics of PositionSolving the Energy EigenproblemIdentical ParticlesAtomsThe Vistas Open to UsAppendix A Significant FiguresAppendix B DimensionsReadership: Textbook for second-year undergraduate students in physics, chemistry, engineering, or allied fields, and aimed specifically at the ubiquitous 'Modern Physics' course.Quantum Mechanics;Quantization;Interference; Entanglement;Qubit;Amplitude;Probability Amplitude;Probability;Indeterminacy;Problem Solving;Reading an Equation;Investing an Equation with Meaning;Generate Your Own Questions;Misconceptions;The Character of Science;Significant Figures;Dimensional Analysis;Scaling;Atoms;Identical Particles;Rabi FloppingI love Dan Styer's approach! His writing is lucid. He first discusses experiments that elucidate the need for a new quantum framework before introducing the mathematical tools to delve deeper into understanding them. I highly recommend this textbook for sophomore-level undergraduate quantum instruction.' - Chandralekha SinghProfessor of Physics, University of Pittsburgh andPresident, American Association of Physics Teachers
'Quantum mechanics has always been more than a jumble of tools. In this clear and engaging textbook, Daniel Styer invites students to explore some of the richness of quantum theory to think hard about novel concepts while building confidence and intuition with useful techniques. A marvelous, modern introduction to an essential subject.' - David KaiserProfessor of Physics and the History of Science,Massachusetts Institute of Technology andauthor of How the Hippies Saved Physics

'When Dan Styer lays out quantum mechanics, I listen.' - Edwin TaylorMassachusetts Institute of Technology (retired)winner of the Oersted Medal

Key Features:
Balanced, interwoven treatment of concepts, techniques, and applications so that each thread reinforces the othersEarly treatment of quantum cryptographyTreatment of common (and poisonous) misconceptionsAdvice on problem solvingTime devoted to reading meaning into equationsDeveloped over the course of twelve years; field tested two semesters