Homepage for 171.605 (Fall 2016): Quantum Mechanics

Instructor: 
     Marc Kamionkowski

                            Bloomberg 439                       
                         kamion AT jhu.edu
                         office hours by appointment; email to set up a time

TA (Spring):  Sayak Dasgupta
                        Bloomberg 410
                        sdasgu15 AT jhu.edu
                        office hours, Friday, 4-6pm

                                       


Class times:    Tues,Thurs, 10:30-11:45am; 278 Bloomberg

Class description:   Graduate-level quantum mechanics


Prerequisites:  Undergraduate preparation in quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, E&M, and statistical mechanics

Homework: There will be problem sets assigned the first class of every week that will be due the first class of the following weekCompletion of all the homeworks, with one exception, is required for the class. If you turn in all the problem sets, your lowest score will be dropped when we calculate the grade.   You will get the most out of the class if you make a real effort to solve all the problems by yourself.    If you are truly stuck, you may consult the literature, a classmate, local postdoc, google, or wikipedia for inspiration.  However, once you have received whatever minimal hints you need to get going,  you should then go back and solve the problems from scratch and write out the solutions entirely on your own.

Grade:     50% homework and 25%/25% midterm/final exam.  NOTE:  Completion of ALL of the problem sets (with one exception) on time (!!), is required.

Some possibly useful books:   There are too many to list....just about anything with "quantum mechanics" in the title will work.  They are more alike than they are different.  I like Merzbacher's book (its got a lot of physics) and Shankar's book (which is elegant in some places, although also lacking in detail in some places).  Sakurai is about as good as any, pretty good with the formal stuff, although not quite as much physics applications as I'd like.  Its probably better to just stick with one book and spend time with that and working through the subject yourself than to waste time bouncing around trying to find answers in different books.


SYLLABUS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS



HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS:


 Problem Set 1-2 (due 20 September 2016)

Problem Set 3 (due 27 September 2016)


Problem Set 4 (due 4 October 2016)

Problem Set 5 (due 13 October 2016)

Problem Set 6 (due 25 October 2016)

MIDTERM EXAM  (due 8 November)  
The midterm will be like any other homework—you can spend as much time as you like, and you can refer to the book and to notes. Please do not, however, work with other students, nor consult with others. Please try to avoid other resources (online, etc.), but if you do look something up, just be sure to note that in your solution.

Problem Set 8 (due 29 November 2016)

Problem Set 9 (due 13 December 2016)

FINAL EXAM (due 4pm 19 December 2016; the rules for the final will be the same as those for the midterm)

Last updated 8 December 2016