Course Information

Calendar

 

Bibliography

Homework

 

Notes

 

 

Homework

 

Problem solving:

 

The problems are the most important element of this course. You already know SchršdingerÕs equation, but you may not have become proficient with using arbitrary sets of basis states, using the relationship between symmetries and observables, and using perturbation methods.

 

I would like you to solve several problems each week of the semester. The assigned problems are on the pdf files linked below. Many of SakuraiÕs problems are quite simple once you understand the relationship between states, matrices, bras and kets, and the pdf often includes comments that should help clarify this relationship and what is expected in the problem. I will try to spend a great deal of class time working examples and answering questions.

 

Reading:

 

Keep up with the reading. If I assign problems covering certain material in the text, read all of the text up to and including that topic.

 

Assignments:

 

Feel free to ask questions about the problems in class. Links to problems are in red.

 

 

Chapter/Assignment number

 

Due date

Read Goudsmit on the discovery of spin: Goudsmit (ItÕs hilarious too!)

 

Jan 20

Exercises on Pauli matrices

Historical Overview

Jan 20

Problems on wave mechanics

HERE

Jan 27

Barriers and tunneling

HERE

Jan 31

Chapter 1

(pdf below)

Feb 22

Chapter 2

(pdf below)

March

See Notes for Midterm Questions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ch 3a

 

 

Ch 3b,c

 

 

Read Mermin, Is the moon there . . .

 

 

Ch 4 problems 1, 6, 12 only

 

 

 

 

The links in the table above give the assignments and some comments on the problems. Below are copies of the complete problem pages of the correct edition of Sakurai:

 

Sakurai, Chapter 1 problems

 

Sakurai, Chapter 2 problems

 

Sakurai, Chapter 3 problems

 

Sakurai, Chapter 4 problems

 

Sakurai, Chapter 5 problems

 

 

Course Information

Calendar

 

Bibliography

Homework

 

Notes