Dan Reisenfeld -PHYS 461

Dan Reisenfeld - PHYS 461


Physics Department home page:
Contact the instructor: dan.reisenfeld@ umontana.edu

Taught Autumn Semester - MWF 2:10 pm - Science Complex Room 231

Quantum Mechanics I 3 credits. Offered Autumn semester. Prerequisites: Phys 341, Corequisite: Math 311. Introduction to quantumn mechanics. Topics include Schrodinger equation, piecewise constant potential, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen atom, angular momentum theory, and electron spin.

Notices

Next Exam: Exam 3 will be held on November 19/20. It will cover chapter 2, section 2.6, chapter 3, and chapter 4, sections 4.1 and 4.2. You will have 2 hours for this exam, so things should be more relaxed. From a scheduling point of view, the preferred time to take the exam will be on Friday at the regular class time, plus the hour immediately proceeding it. For those of you not available during that block, we can make other arrangements. As always, you will be allowed one 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper with anything you want written on one side.

Exam 3 Help Session: We will hold a help session for exam #3 on Wednesday November 18th at 4:10 in the regular classroom

Make-up Classes: To recover from my travels, we will be having two make-up classes, on Wednesday December 2nd and Wednesday December 9th at 4:10 in the regular classroom.

Quantum Mechanics 1-D Applet

Click on this link to use and/or download the 1-D quantum mechanics applet to play with the infinite well potential, the harmonic oscillator, or other interesting 1-D potentials.

Quantum Mechanics Hydrogen Atom Applet

Click on this link to use and/or download to view the hydrogen atom wavefuction.

Course Materials

View the 2009 Syllabus.

Reading & Homework Assignments

Note: Homeworks are due on Fridays except where noted.
Homework Scoring: Unless otherwise noted, homework problems are worth 10 points if they have two or less lettered parts. Problems with more than two parts are worth 5 points per lettered part. (e.g. a problem with parts lettered (a)-(e) would be worth 25 points). In addition: Each problem is worth an additional 2 points if you comment correctly on the intention of the problem.

Week Reading Due Date Day of Week Reading Assignment Topic Homework for the Week
1 8/31
9/2
9/4
Mon
Wed
Fri
none
Preface, 1.1 - 1.2
1.3
--
The Wave Function & its meaning
Probability
none
2 9/7
9/9
9/11
Mon
Wed
Fri
Labor Day: no class
1.4, 1.5
1.6, 2.1
--
Normalization; The Momentum Operator
The Uncertainty Principle
1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.15
3 9/14
9/16
9/18
Mon
Wed
Fri
2.1
2.2
2.2
Stationary States
The Infinite Potential Well
1.7, 1.18, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5
Due Monday, September 25th
4 9/21
9/23
9/25
Mon
Wed
Fri
Finish 2.2, 2.3.1
2.3.1
Exam #1
The Harmonic Oscillator 2.10, 2.12, 2.15
Homework #3 handout (with hints!)
Due Friday, October 2nd
5 9/28
9/30
10/2
Mon
Wed
Fri
2.3
Finish 2.3, 2.4
2.4
Harmonic Oscillator (cont'd)
The Free Particle
HW #3 due Friday
no additional problems due this week
6 10/5
10/7
10/9
Mon
Wed
Fri
2.5
2.5
2.6
Dirac Delta Function

Finite Potential Well
2.18, 2.21, 2.22, 2.23, 2.24, 2.26
Homework #4 handout (with hints!) Due Monday, October 12
7 10/12
10/14
10/16
Mon
Wed
Fri
2.6
3.1
Exam # 2
Finite Potential Well II
Formalism: Hilbert Space & Observables
2.29, 2.34, 2.52,
A.1, A.2, A.4, A.8, A.25(a,b,c)
Homework #5 handout
Due Friday, October 23
8 10/19
10/21
10/23
Mon
Wed
Fri
3.2 - 3.3
no class
3.4
Observables
--
Eigenvalue Approach
No new problems assigned this week
(but note the load from last week!)
9 10/26
10/28
10/30
Mon
Wed
Fri
3.6
3.5
4.1.1-4.1.2
Matrix Manipulation in QM
The Uncertainty Principle
The Schodinger Eq. in 3D
3.5, 3.6, 3.38, (on part c, only answer the question for H, not A and B)
3.13, 3.18 (hint: make use of the results from
probs. 2.4 and 2.5) Homework #6 handout
Due Monday, November 2
10 11/2
11/4
11/6
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.1.3
no class
4.2.1
QM in 3D
--
The Hydrogen Atom: Radial Wave Eq.
4.2 (parts (a) & (b) only),
4.3, 4.10, 4.13, 4.15
No Hints this week! Due Monday, November 9
11 11/9
11/11
11/13
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.2.2
Veteran's Day: no class
4.3.1
Spectrum of Hydrogen
--
Angular Momentum: eigenvalues I
no additional problems this week
12 11/16
11/18
11/20
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.3.1 cont'd
4.3.2
Exam #3
Eigenvalues II
Eigenfunctions
4.18, 4.19, 4.20, 4.21
Homework #8 handout
Due Monday, November 30
13 11/23
11/25
11/27
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.4.1
no class
no class
SPIN!
(go home)
(eat)
Happy Thanksgiving!
14 11/30
12/2
12/4
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.4.1 cont'd
4.4.2
4.4.2 cont'd
Spin 1/2 Formalism
Electrons in a magnetic field I (Double Lecture!)
Electrons in a magnetic field II
4.27, 4.28, 4.31
15 12/7
12/9
12/11
Mon
Wed
Fri
4.4.3
12.1, 12.2
12.2
Addition of Angular Momentum I
Add. Ang. Mom II/Philosophy (Double Lecture!)
Philosophy
4.34, 4.35, 4.55
Homework Solutions

Homework solutions will be posted no later than 1 week after due date.
  • Homework #1 solutions
  • Homework #2 solutions
  • Homework #3 solutions
  • Homework #4 solutions
  • Homework #5 solutions
  • Homework #6 solutions
  • Homework #7 solutions