PHYS 452/552 

Quantum Mechanics I

Course:     PHYS 452 (CRN 14723)   (3 credits)
Lecture:    Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:30 — 2:45 pm, OCNPS 142 (Scale-Up room)
Recitation:  Mon, Tue, or Thurs afternoon TBD.  Location TBA

Instructor:  Dr. Charles E. Hyde
Office:    OCNPS/PSB 2100C
Office Hours:   Mondays, 1:00-2:00 pm Physics Learning Center, and by appointment
email:     chyde'at'odu.edu
phone:    (757) 683 5853
web:       www.physics.odu.edu/~chyde

Textbook:  David J. Griffiths:  Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd Edition Pearson Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-111892-7
For a critical examination of the foundations of quantum mechanics, in readable and entertaining prose, I highly recommend Speakable and unspeakable in quantum mechanics, by J.S. Bell, available from the ODU library as an ebook:
http://proxy.lib.odu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.safaribooksonline.com/9781139636988?tocview=true

Lecture Format:   Emphasis is this class will be on doing Quantum Mechanics, rather than just listening. Lectures will be brief, but interspersed with problems for you to work on in small groups on the large white boards in the Scale-Up room.  It is crucial to read (and study) the assigned chapter sections before each class.  All in class exercises must be completed individually as take-home problems, due during the next class period.  Attendance will be taken every class, and will be part of your grade.  Please notify Prof. Hyde in advance (if at all possible) of any absences.

Homework:  Homework problems will be assigned every class period, and due in the next class, as discussed above.  Students in PHYS 552 will be given supplementary problems.  You are encouraged to work with your classmates on the homework, but all submitted work must be your own, in your own handwriting (or typesetting).  Copying solutions, either from your classmates, textbooks, or online resources is cheating,  and must of all cheats yourself.  At the end of each study period, you should be able to work all problems by yourself starting from a blank piece of paper.
Late Homework will be discounted 50% per class period it is late.

Exams:  We will have two Midterm Exams plus the Final exam.  Exams are closed notes and closed book.  I will provide a basic formula sheet for each exam.  No other notes allowed.  All exams will be in OCNPS 142.  Make-up exams will not be given.  If you have to miss an exam please notify Prof. Hyde immediately.  In special circumstances only, your other exams will be averaged to replace the missed exam score.
Exam 1:  Tuesday 29 Sept 2015:  1:30–2:45 pm, Chapters 1, 2 and Appendix Sections A.1-A.3
Exam 2:  Tuesday  10 Nov 2015:  1:30–2:45 pm, Chapters 1–4 and Appendix Sections A.1-A.6
Each exam will be followed on the next class with the same exam as an in class Homework assignment to be completed in the class time, but open book and open notes.  These will be graded as part of your Homework score
Final Exam:  Tuesday 8 Dec 2014:  12:30–3:30 pm ONCPS 142 (Comprehensive of whole class)
Grades:  Your final grade will be based on the following distribution
Exam 1:        15%
Exam 2:        15%
Final Exam    30%
Homework    20%
Class participation    10%
In-class exam follow-up 10%
Anticipated Grade Distribution:
A-, A:            90% —100%
B-, B, B+:     80% — 89%
C-,C,C+:        70% — 79%
D-, D, D+:      60% — 69%
F                    < 60%
Syllabus:  We will cover Part I of the textbook, Chapters 1—4, with a brief introduction to Chapter 5.

Course Schedule

Subject to change, Last update: 13 Aug 2015, 4:15 pm

text: D.J. Griffiths:  Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 2nd Ed.
Week of
 Chapter Reading
 Tuesday Class
 Thursday Class
Recitation
24 Aug 2015
 Preface,
Chapter 1
 Why Quantum Mechanics?
The Wave Equation
Section 1.1
 Probability Interpretation, Probability Theory
Sections 1.2, 1.3
 none
31 Aug 2015
 Chapter 1, Appendix
 Normalization, vector spaces
Section 1.4, Appendix A.1-A.3
 Momentum, Uncertainty Principle
Sections 1.5-1.6
 Exercises,
Math Review
07 Sep 2015
 Chapter 2
Solving the Schroedinger Eq'n
 Time Independent States
Sections 2.1, 2.2
 Harmonic Oscillator -I
Section 2.3
 Harmonic Oscillator
14 Sep 2015
 Chapter 2
 Harmonic Oscillator -II
Section 2.3
 Free Particle Solutions
Section 2.4
 Harmonic Oscillator
21 Sep 2015
 Chapter 2
 Delta-function Potential
Section 2.5
 Finite Square Well
Section 2.6
 Exam Review
28 Sep 2015
 Chapter 1-2
 Midterm Exam 1, Chapters 1–2
 Exam post-view
05 Oct 2015
 Chapter 3
Formalism
 Hilbert Space, Observables
Sections 3.1, 3.2
 Eigenfunctions,
Sections 3.3, 3.4
 Math Review
12 Oct 2015
 Chapter 3
 Fall Holiday
 Observables, Uncertainty Principle,
Sections 3.4, 3.5
 Exercises
19 Oct 2015
 Chapter 4
QM in 3-Dimensions
  Dirac Notation
Section 3.6 		Wave Equation in 3-D
Section 4.1 		TBA
26 Oct 2015
 Chapter 4
 Hydrogen Atom -I
Section 4.2 		Hydrogen Atom -II
Section 4.2 		TBA
02 Nov 2014
 Chapter 4
 Angular Momentum-I Operators
Section 4.3 		Angular Momentum-II:
 Operators
Section 4.3 		Exam Review
9 Nov 2015
 Chapter 1-4
 Midterm Exam 2, Chapters 1–4 (up to section 4.3 only)
 Exam post-view
 TBA
16 Nov 2015
 Chapter 4

 Spin
Section 4.4 		Angular Momentum Addition TBA
23 Nov 2015
 Chapter 5
Multiparticle Systems
 Two Particle Systems
Section 5.1
 Thanksgiving Holiday
 Holiday
30 Nov 2015
 Chapter 1-4
 Review problems
 Last class, Review Problems
 TBA
07 Dec 2015
 Final Exam Week
 Final Exam:  12:30–3:30 pm OCNPS 142 grades available
 none