Course Description
This course presents the principles of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Topics include: Black body emission, photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, photons, the Bohr atom, electron diffraction, , and wave-particle duality of matter and light. Introduction to wave mechanics: postulates of quantum mechanics; De Broglie waves, wave packets, and the uncertainty principle; Schrodinger theory and its applications; Interpretation of the wave function, probability density and current, expectation values of observables, Eigen values and Eigen functions; The simple harmonic oscillator; The hydrogen atom; Operator algebra; Angular momentum and commutation relations; Orbital angular momentum.
Course Objectives & Outcomes
Upon satisfactory completion of this course, the student is expected to learn and understand the central concepts and basic principles of non-relativistic quantum theory, its mathematical language, and applications:
Know the key points in the historical development of quantum mechanics and Schrödinger equation.
- to discuss the results of the black body radiation
- to explain the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect
- understand How x-rays were discovered
- to analyze the results of Compton scattering
- understand the important experiments leading to our understanding of the nature of atoms and of light
- understand the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom .
- Be able to explain and discuss experiments that suggested matter waves and motivated the need for a wave equation for matter.
- Understand matter waves, wave packets, and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
- Understand the principles of quantum mechanics: the Schrödinger equation, the wave function and its physical interpretation, probability density and current, stationary and non-stationary states, time evolution, observables, eigenvalues, eigen functions, and expectation values.
- Apply Schrödinger equation to systems in one dimension, two dimensions, and three dimensions.
- Understand commutation relations and apply them to quantum operators.
- Understand the concepts of angular momentum and its quantization.
References
- Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd edition, Addison -Wesley, 2004), David J. Griffiths
- Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, (Wiley, 2003), C. A. Phillips.
- Quantum Mechanics (5th edition, Taylor & Francis, 2007), A. I. M. Rae.
- Introductory Quantum Mechanics ( 4th editionn, Addison-Wesley 2002). Richard L. Liboff.
- Introduction to quantum mechanics, (2nd edition 2000), B. Bransden and C. Joachain,
- Quantum Physics, (3rd edition, Wiley 2003), Stephen Gasiorowicz
- Principles of Quantum Mechanics, (2nd ed., Springer 1994), R. Shankar
- A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics, (University Science Books 2012), J.S. Townsend
- Concepts of Modern Physics (sixth edition) Arthur Beiser
Course ID: PHYS 401
Credit hours | Theory | Practical | Laboratory | Lecture | Studio | Contact hours | Pre-requisite | 4 | 4 | 4 | Calculus III, Physics II |
---|