Physics 3220 is a first course in Quantum Mechanics, the foundation and explanatory framework of much of modern physics. The purpose of this class is to teach you how to do some quantum mechanics, using wave and operator techniques, with emphasis on both theoretical foundations and practical applications.

Professor: Steven J. Pollock

Office Hours (tentative) : Mon 3-3:50, Tues 1:10-3, and other times by appointment

Email/Electronic Office Hours: pollock@lucky.colorado.edu (anytime)

Grader: Kalashnikova?

Lectures: MWF 2 PM in Duane G0060a (note change!)

Texts:

Required: ""Quantum Physics " - S. Gasiorowicz

(Homework assignments will often come out of Gasiorowicz. There will be 2 copies on reserve in the physics library)

Suggested: "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" - D. Griffiths

(This is written at a slightly more basic level than Gasiorowicz, and you may find it useful as a reference. There will be a copy on reserve in the physics library)

Other references:

Thee are tons of introductory quantum textbooks out there, probably more than for any other undergraduate physics topic. Most of the books below are very comparable in level to Gasiorowicz, but are useful for their different styles and perspectives, additional problems and examples. They should be useful to you if you difficulty with some particular aspect of the course. Quantum mechanics is pretty non- (or counter-) intuitive: it's tough to really learn quantum mechanics well from a single text! Here are just a few suggestions:

P. Tipler, "Modern Physics" (pretty introductory, more like a 2170 text)

Eisberg and Resnick, "Quantum Physics " (between Tipler and Gasiorowicz in level)

R. Liboff, "Introductory Quantum Mechanics"

E. Merzbacher, " Quantum Mechanics"

F. Mandl, " Quantum Mechanics "

R. Robinett, " Quantum Mechanics "

Other books of possible use for this course:

Stephen Wolfram, "Mathematica: A system for Doing Mathematics by Computer" - On occasion we will have computer assignments, so this is a useful reference. (There should be a copy in the physics computer lab.)

Feynman, Leighton, and Sands: "The Feynman Lectures on Physics, part III."

(The latter is part of a truly wonderful series of 3 "introductory" physics books.)

M. Boas, "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences", very useful for mathematical tricks and techniques you may have forgotten.

Required Work:

Because solutions will be posted, late homeworks can not be accepted.

Grades and Exams:

Short quizzes may be given during lectures roughly every few weeks.

(Probable quiz dates: Fridays Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 21, Dec. 5)

2 Midterm exams are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday evening, Sept. 30 (7:30 PM), and Thursday evening, Nov. 6 (7;30 PM).

Please report conflicts with me right away!

Final exam will be Sat, Dec 13, 3:30-6:30

The total grade weighting will be approximately:

Problem sets: 36-40% (lowest will be dropped)

Quizzes: a couple of percent (lowest will be dropped)

Mid Terms: 17.5% each (=> 35%)

Final Exam: 25%

The quizzes are designed to help you decide if you are mastering both the basic points and the fine points of the class material. They also help me find out how well people are following. They are meant to be low stress, and will count very little towards your grade - the only reason they count at all is to help motivate people to show up on quiz days, and try their best on them. The quizzes will be open book, note, and mouth(!).

Computer info:

We have a WWW page - you're looking at it!: http://spot.colorado.edu/~pollocks/current_class.html Copies of hw assignments, brief summaries of classes, and late announcements will be there. Occasionally, extra credit hw problems may be there as well. Accessible from this page (or from any news reader), we have a newsgroup "cu.courses.phys3220". I encourage you to post questions, comments, and ideas there. Use common sense (posting your h.w. solutions before the set is due is clearly not in your best interest!) But, feel free to discuss the homework on the newsgroup (or in study groups), as long as you always generate your final solutions by yourself. If you have a specific question for me, you're better off emailing me directly, as I check email more often than I read the newsgroup. I will answer your questions to you directly, and will also post the question (anonymously!) and my solution on the web, so if you're stuck you might want to take a look to see if someone else has already asked the same question!

There may be a couple of computer assignments this semester - you can use any language on any machine, but I encourage you to use Mathematica ("Mma"). The physics department's computer facility is changing this year. Information on accounts will appear here as soon as it's available. Most public terminals (e.g. at CNS, or Engineering, or Norlin), should have Mathematica availalble - You are welcome to use computers at any time for help with your homeworks. I can provide you with a brief written Mma tutorial, but we will not spend class time on it. If you have no computer experience, let me know, and I can help you get started.

Reading Assignments: