Quantum Mechanics, Fifth Edition
Purchasing Options
Features
- Covers recent developments as well as the philosophical and theoretical bases of the subject
- Incorporates examples of the application of quantum mechanics to physical systems, such as the hydrogen atom
- Features a discussion of quantum information, including quantum teleportation and computing
- Contains numerous worked examples and figures throughout to illustrate the principles discussed and to test students' understanding
- Includes a number of problems at the end of each chapter as well as a detailed solutions manual for qualifying instructors
- Provides a complementary web page with a bibliography, color illustrations, and links to other relevant sites
Summary
For more than 25 years, Alastair Rae's Quantum Mechanics has been one of the most highly regarded textbooks in this area. From elementary atomic physics and mathematics, to angular momentum and time dependence, to relativity and quantum computing, the text shows how cutting-edge research topics of quantum mechanics have been applied to various disciplines.
Retaining the clarity of its predecessors, this fifth edition presents revised and updated material throughout the text. It offers a clear exposition of fundamental ideas, additional worked examples of the application of quantum mechanics principles to a range of physical problems, and more information on modern quantum information technology. This text was one of the first to include a substantial discussion of the conceptual and philosophical implications of quantum mechanics, which has been revised and extended in the fifth edition. Other topics covered include one- and three-dimensional Schrödinger equations, angular momentum, time-independent perturbation theory, time dependence, scattering, and relativity.
Cementing its reputation as an exceptional introductory textbook, Quantum Mechanics, Fifth Edition fully covers the concepts of quantum mechanics taught in an undergraduate physics course and provides the foundation necessary for other specialized courses.
Table of Contents
PREFACES
INTRODUCTION
The Photoelectric Effect
The Compton Effect
Line Spectra and Atomic Structure
De Broglie Waves
Wave-Particle Duality
The Rest of This Book
THE ONE-DIMENSIONAL SCHRÖDINGER EQUATIONS
The Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation
The Time-Independent Schrödinger Equation
Boundary Conditions
The Infinite Square Well
The Finite Square Well
Quantum Mechanical Tunneling
The Harmonic Oscillator
THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL SCHRÖDINGER EQUATIONS
The Wave Equations
Separation in Cartesian Coordinates
Separation in Spherical Polar Coordinates
The Hydrogenic Atom
THE BASIC POSTULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS
The Wavefunction
The Dynamical Variables
Probability Distributions
Commutation Relations
The Uncertainty Principle
The Time Dependence of the Wavefunction
Degeneracy
The Harmonic Oscillator Again
The Measurement of Momentum by Compton Scattering
ANGULAR MOMENTUM I
The Angular Momentum Operators
The Angular Momentum Eigenvalues and Eigenfunctions
The Experimental Measurement of Angular Momentum
General Solution to the Angular Momentum Eigenvalue Problem
ANGULAR MOMENTUM II
Matrix Representations
Pauli Spin Matrices
Spin and the Quantum Theory of Measurement
Dirac Notation
Spin-Orbit Coupling and the Zeeman Effect
A More General Treatment of the Coupling of Angular Momenta
TIME-INDEPENDENT PERTURBATION THEORY AND THE VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLE
Perturbation Theory for Non-Degenerate Energy Levels
Perturbation Theory for Degenerate Levels
The Variational Principle
TIME DEPENDENCE
Time-Independent Hamiltonians
The Sudden Approximation
Time-Dependent Perturbation Theory
Selection Rules
The Ehrenfest Theorem
The Ammonia Maser
SCATTERING
Scattering in One Dimension
Scattering in Three Dimensions
The Born Approximation
Partial Wave Analysis
MANY-PARTICLE SYSTEMS
General Considerations
Isolated Systems
Non-Interacting Particles
Indistinguishable Particles
Many-Particle Systems
The Helium Atom
Scattering of Identical Particles
RELATIVITY AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
Basic Results in Special Relativity
The Dirac Equation
Antiparticles
Other Wave Equations
Quantum Field Theory and the Spin-Statistics Theorem
QUANTUM INFORMATION
Quantum Cryptography
Entanglement
Cloning and Teleportation
Quantum Computing
THE CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS
The Conceptual Problems
Hidden-Variable Theories
Non-Locality
The Quantum Measurement Problem
The Ontological Problem
Problems appear at the end of each chapter.
Editorial Reviews
"… this book was a lifesaver for me as an undergraduate, and even though it wasn't our adopted course text, it was an invaluable companion both in its coverage of what you really need to know and its concise explanations. This new edition will do an even better job, with worked examples placed right after new material and up-to-date descriptions of experimental results and exciting new applications. I also like the descriptions of the philosophical implications of quantum mechanics, which would be hard to find elsewhere (usually either in watered-down populist accounts or in obscure journals or graduate-level texts). Along with the new material on quantum field theory, this will stimulate the interested reader to continue to the next level in the subject. In summary, this is a time-tested yet up-to-date introduction, which will remain an invaluable companion to the current generation of undergraduates. Rae's accurate yet accessible writing style makes the book, and the subject, appealing to beginning students as well as scientifically trained professionals. As an instructor, it's one of the few books I'll pull off the shelf and 'dip into' from time to time for guidance on explaining a concept."
-Dr. Philip Blanco, Grossmont College, El Cajon, California, USA
Praise for previous editions
"… an excellent undergraduate text. The material is very well written, logically presented, and illustrated with relevant contemporary examples wherever appropriate … an extremely useful text for anyone studying or teaching quantum physics at the tertiary level. It would also be a valuable reference for postgraduate students needing a reasonably solid understanding of quantum mechanics for their research in other fields."
-P.V. Smith, The Physicist
"Rae's book has struck almost exactly the right note in attractiveness of language without loss of rigor, and is informal in style and related in tone…"
-The Times Higher Education Supplement
"…fully hits its target as a highly stimulating introduction. This book certainly deserves its place in all university libraries and laboratories."
-Semiconductor Science and Technology
"… One of the major strengths of Rae's work is the lucidly written text and explanation of the steps … This remains an excellent course book in quantum mechanics and I would strongly recommend it as an undergraduate text for quantum physics."
-Dr. K. Dholakia, Contemporary Physics
Downloads Updates
| Resource | OS Platform | Updated | Description | Instructions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C9705_Rae_Extra.pdf | Cross Platform | December 02, 2011 | Errata |
