Ph 651   Quantum Mechanics I

Physics Department, Oregon State University

Fall 2007 term

Date	Lectures	Assignments		Notes
09/26	Problems with classical theory and emergence of quantum mechanics.	HW 1	WS 1	Questionnaire
09/28	Wave aspects of matter.		WS 2	papers: 1, 2
10/01	Linear spaces. Dirac notation.	HW 2	WS 3
10/03	Bra-ket algebra. Operators.	HW 3	WS 4
10/05	Properties of operators. Commutators.	HW 4	WS 5
10/08	Projection operator. Matrix representation.	HW 5	WS 6
10/10	Measurements. Eigenvalues and expectation values.	HW 6	WS 7
10/12	Compatible observables and uncertainty relations.	HW 7	WS 8
10/15	Complete sets of commuting observables.	HW 8	WS 9
10/17	Infinitesimal and finite unitary trasformations.	HW 9	WS 10
10/19	Position, momentum, and translation.	HW 10	WS 11
10/22	Momentum operator in the position basis.	HW 11	WS 12
10/24	Gaussian wave packets.	HW 12	WS 13
10/26	Time evolution of the system's state.		WS 14
10/29	Time evolution of the expectation values. The virial theorem.		WS 15
10/31	Midterm   (9 am, Weniger 377)
11/02	The Schroedinger versus the Heisenberg picture.	HW 13	WS 16
11/05	Time-dependent and time-independent Schroedinger equation.	HW 14	WS 17
11/07	Energy quantization.	HW 15	WS 18
11/09	Parity operator. Symmetric potentials and parity.	HW 16	WS 19
11/12	Scattering in 1D. Tunneling through potential barriers.	HW 17	WS 20
11/14	Harmonic oscillator (coordinate representation).	HW 18	WS 21	papers: 1, 2
11/16	Harmonic oscillator (number representation).	HW 19	WS 22
11/19	Time development of the oscillator.		WS 23
11/21	The classical limit. WKB approximation.		WS 24
11/23	Thanksgiving
11/26	WKB approximation.	HW 20	WS 25	PRL1998-WKB
11/28	Conceptual and philosophical problems of QM.			Bell-Compact, Sci07-entanglement, Nat07-Bell, RPP1978-Bell, Nat03-EPR, Sci03-Bell, Sci05-EPR, PRB1935-Bohr, PRB1935-EPR,