PHY567 Syllabus

• Crises in classical physics: blackbody radiation, atomic spectra and the photoelectric effect. Electron diffraction.
• Towards quantum mechanics: de Broglie and the Bohr atom
• Wavefunctions and the Schroedinger equation. Probability interpretation.
• Simple solutions to (time independent) one dimensional problems - the free particle, discrete bound state energies, scattering and quantum tunneling.
• Solving the Schroedinger equation on the computer - the harmonic oscillator and band structure in crystals.
• Fundamental postulates of quantum mechanics: states, operators and observables, superposition and measurement. Finite dimensional examples and matrix mechanics. The uncertainty principle.
• Angular momentum. Spin. The hydrogen atom.
• Approximate solutions: perturbation theory.
• Applications: atomic spectra, chemical bonding, neutron stars and superconductivity.
• What about relativity ? Dirac's equation and antiparticles. Quantum Field Theory ...

Lectures: Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm B129W Physics Building.

Office hours: Tuesdays rm 309 Physics 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm.

Prerequisites: PHY322 and PHY424

Grading etc There will be a weekly homework, two exams and a project. The project will be worth 30% of the final grade, the exams 10% each and the homeworks 50%. Homework: The homework will be assigned weekly typically on a Thursday and it will be due the following Thursday. I expect you to hand it in on time. Doing the homework will be a large part of learning the material on this course - try it early in the week and come see me in the Tuesday office hours if you have problems or questions.

Exams: The exact dates are not fixed yet. The style and nature of these tests will be designed to test basic understanding of essential topics.

Projects: A large part of your work in this class will be a project of your choice. The general guidelines are that it should

a) in some way demonstrate your understanding of topics covered in this course,

b) be about the same amount of work as a term paper (which I would consider to be about 10-20 pages in a reasonable type-style like this one) and

c) include references to outside sources as appropriate for that project. Projects will be graded on a combination of creativity and the understanding of course material (and outside reading) that they demonstrate. The rule of thumb should be that your project should be something that you are proud of. Each project must, however, be approved by me, so you need to discuss your project with me before you begin! You are welcome to continue to consult with me while you work on your project. Each of you need to `contract' with me for a project by end of March . It is a good idea to start thinking about your project early!!! You may be asked to give a short presentation about your project at the end of the semester. They may include use of the Web and/or programming components.

Here are some possible project suggestions. Books: Griffiths: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (Prentice Hall)