Concepts in Quantum Mechanics

Taking a conceptual approach to the subject, Concepts in Quantum Mechanics provides complete coverage of both basic and advanced topics. Following in the footsteps of Dirac’s classic work Principles of Quantum Mechanics, it explains all themes from first principles. The authors present alternative ways of representing the state of a physical system, outline the mathematical connection between the representatives of the same state in different representations, and highlight the connection between Dirac brackets and their integral forms in the coordinate and momentum representations. They also logically develop the equations of motion in Schrödinger and Heisenberg pictures. In addition, the book covers motion in the presence of potential steps and wells, bound state problems, symmetries and their consequences, the role of angular momentum in quantum mechanics, approximation methods, time-dependent perturbation methods, and second quantization. Written by authoritative professors who have taught quantum mechanics at the graduate level for a combined forty years, this textbook provides students with a strong foundation in quantum mechanics. After reading the book, students will be ready to take on quantum field theory.