Quantum Mechanics for Dummies

[mooeypoo]

So.. I failed the QM exam.... along with the majority of the class. Since the average was 9 out of 30, and the majority of the class did "catastrophically bad" (words of the professor), I am taking the rest of this long weekend to sulk, and then the rest of the summer to study-study-study and do some more study on this course. The professor was kind enough to give us a make-up test at the end of the summer, instead of giving us the D or C- we probably deserve with this low grade.

 

(btw, just to save us a discussion in a moot direction - no, there's no way for a curve; yes, the course is dual-purpose for undergrads AND grads; no, I don't have a choice; yes, I have to pass it with a minimum of a C both for my GPA [which is otherwise quite awesome] and for the continuing QM2 course that I must take next semester. Dwelling over the details of "go talk to the prof" will be a moot argument, and will help me none, so.. please.. lets just skip it )

 

Essentially, I expect to re-study the entire material on my own. A lot of those concepts are new to me and are quite complicated, and I would like to get to a stage where I know the basics that I'm supposed to know for this exam so well that I drive this make-up test out of the ballpark, and get an A.

 

I'm not sure how good these odds are, but hell, I'm aiming high and hoping to get something along those lines. If I fail it again, I have to stay another year in my degree, which will be an actual catastrophe in my financial current position.

 

Here's where I stand: If you ask me theoretically, I can probably do well in explaining what QM basics are about - schroedinger's equation (and its use), statistical representation, what does it mean to calculate the "probability of a particle being in location A".. I am having a BIT of difficulty with spins, but I understand the main concepts too.

 

My problem is more about the actual practice. I go to class, I get it. I come home, I get stuck in homework. This switch from the theoretical to the actual practice is where I'm lacking. The exam had problems that were tweaked upwards (level-wise) from what we're used to -- I am not sure they were completely difficult, it was more than the professor expected us to be able to analyze the questions better, and this, I guess (and hope) comes with lots of practice.

 

The book we're working with through uni is Griffith's "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition)". It's not a bad book, but since the entire class got a really bad grade, I'm wondering if, maybe, there's another book(s) that could help me out here.

 

I wanted to ask and see if any of you physics masters and phds have any suggestions for books or online/offline material to read, watch, listen to or solve, that explains the basic concepts of Quantum Mechanics.

 

Does anyone know of a good resource to get into the concepts of QM better? I have tons of questions to answer in the book, so in terms of practice I think I'm okay, it's more about driving the concepts home in my own classical-physics head.

 

Help?

 

~moo

[iNow]

The book we're working with through uni is Griffith's "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition)". It's not a bad book, but since the entire class got a really bad grade, I'm wondering if, maybe, there's another book(s) that could help me out here.

A very bright fella I know on another forum who has been doing math and physics for decades mentioned a few months back (and this is almost a direct quote) that he's not sure there is anything better than Griffiths book.

 

However, he did simultaneously mention an old standard by Messiah called Quantum Mechanics.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Mechanics-2-Volumes-1/dp/0486409244/ref=sr_1_1/184-5299721-8916347?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275192838&sr=1-1

 

 

Maybe that one will help you out some.

Your knowledge of the topic is already beyond my own, but I thought I could at least relay this information which I came across elsewhere. Good luck with it all.

[timo]

Silly me forgot to save the message before posting and was logged out. In short:

- Don't fall into the trap thinking you had a good grasp of QM. There is some intermediate plateau in learning QM (the chemists' plateau ). You are blocking your progress by mistaking it for the peak.

- Do exercises. Not only solve the problems but reflect on the solutions after you got there and try to figure out in hindsight why obviously this way to solve the problem was one that lead to success.

- Form a learning group with others. Having people to discuss ansatz and result can be very helpful, I think.

- Have a look at the book by Schwabl.

[swansont]

See if the library has Selected problems in quantum mechanics by D. ter Haar. (Or maybe you can pick up a used copy on the cheap). Lots of worked problems, so you can practice and then check your work.