With this text, basic quantum mechanics becomes accessible to undergraduates with no background in mathematics beyond algebra. Includes more than 100 problems and 38 figures. 1986 edition.

This book gives an introduction to quantum mechanics with the matrix method. Heisenberg's matrix mechanics is described in detail. The fundamental equations are derived by algebraic methods using matrix calculus. Only a brief description of Schrödinger's wave mechanics is given (in most books exclusively treated), to show their equivalence to Heisenberg's matrix method. In the first part the historical development of Quantum theory by Planck, Bohr and Sommerfeld is sketched, followed by the ideas and methods of Heisenberg, Born and Jordan. Then Pauli's spin and exclusion principles are treated. Pauli's exclusion principle leads to the structure of atoms. Finally, Dirac ́s relativistic quantum mechanics is shortly presented. Matrices and matrix equations are today easy to handle when implementing numerical algorithms using standard software as MAPLE and Mathematica.

Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students, this compact treatment examines linear space, functionals, and operators; diagonalizing operators; operator algebras; and equations of motion. 1969 edition.

Inspired by Richard Feynman and J.J. Sakurai, A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics allows lecturers to expose their undergraduates to Feynman's approach to quantum mechanics while simultaneously giving them a textbook that is well-ordered, logical and pedagogically sound. This book covers all the topics that are typically presented in a standard upper-level course in quantum mechanics, but its teaching approach is new. Rather than organizing his book according to the historical development of the field and jumping into a mathematical discussion of wave mechanics, Townsend begins his book with the quantum mechanics of spin. Thus, the first five chapters of the book succeed in laying out the fundamentals of quantum mechanics with little or no wave mechanics, so the physics is not obscured by mathematics. Starting with spin systems it gives students straightfoward examples of the structure of quantum mechanics. When wave mechanics is introduced later, students should perceive it correctly as only one aspect of quantum mechanics and not the core of the subject.

A complete explanation of quantum mechanics, from its early non-relativistic formulation to the complex field theories used so extensively in modern theoretical research, this volume assumes no specialized knowledge of the subject. It stresses relativistic quantum mechanics, since this subject plays such an important role in research, explaining the principles clearly and imparting an accurate understanding of abstract concepts. This text deals with quantum mechanics from its earliest developments, covering both the quantum mechanics of wave fields and the older quantum theory of particles. The final chapter culminates with the author's presentation of his revolutionary theory of fundamental length--a concept designed to meet many of quantum theory's longstanding basic difficulties.

Quantum mechanics is one of the most challenging subjects to learn. It is challenging because quantum phenomenon is counterintuitive, and the mathematics used to explain such a phenomenon is very abstract, and difficult to grasp. This textbook is an attempt to overcome these challenges. Every chapter presents quantum ideas step- by- step in a structured way with a comparison between quantum and classical concepts. It provides a clear distinction between classical and quantum logic. Conceptual questions are provided after every important section so that the reader can test their understanding at every step. Such an approach aids in preventing misconceptions. Problem solving is not restricted to solving differential equations and integration. But it requires to systematically and creatively analyze a problem, to apply the new and powerful concepts for finding a solution and to understand the physical meaning of the solution. The tutorials on special topics are an effort to teach problem solving by actively engaging the reader in a thinking process, to apply the concepts and to understand the physical meaning of the solution. The simulations are provided for some of the topics. The simulations aid in the visualization of the quantum phenomenon, and for meaningful understanding of the mathematics. This approach may lead to development of "quantum mechanical intuition "as well as learning mathematical techniques for problem solving. Most importantly, the book is not flooded with numerous topics that makes the reader confused and distracted, rather the most important topics are discussed at a deeper level. The understanding of quantum mechanics is incomplete without understanding the early ideas and experiments that lead to the development of the quantum theory. Thus, the first two chapters of the book are dedicated to such topics. The key features of this book are: A simplified, structured, and step-by-step introduction to quantum mechanics. The simplification is attained through use of two-level system, step- by- step discussion of important topics in a simplified language at a deeper level, analogies, and visualization using illustrations and simulations A systematic arrangement of topics, and numerous worked- out examples. The presentation of the structure in the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics provides clarity in understanding complicated and abstract mathematics. It also helps to understand the distinction between the quantum mechanical and classical approaches Conceptual questions at the end of every important section. The conceptual questions can be used in a classroom as a point of discussion between an instructor and students Tutorials on special topics. Simulations on special topics aid in the visualization of the physical phenomenon, and demonstration of the application of mathematics An in-depth discussion of the wave-particle duality, measurement problem, and their philosophical implications in Chapter 2 provides an understanding of the broader meaning of quantum mechanics

Quantum Theory, together with the principles of special and general relativity, constitute a scientific revolution that has profoundly influenced the way in which we think about the universe and the fundamental forces that govern it. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is a definitive historical study of that scientific work and the human struggles that accompanied it from the beginning. Drawing upon such materials as the resources of the Archives for the History of Quantum Physics, the Niels Bohr Archives, and the archives and scientific correspondence of the principal quantum physicists, as well as Jagdish Mehra's personal discussions over many years with most of the architects of quantum theory, the authors have written a rigorous scientific history of quantum theory in a deeply human context. This multivolume work presents a rich account of an intellectual triumph: a unique analysis of the creative scientific process. The Historical Development of Quantum Theory is science, history, and biography, all wrapped in the story of a great human enterprise. Its lessons will be an aid to those working in the sciences and humanities alike.