Foundations of Quantum Physics

This book is meant to be a text for a ?rst course in quantum physics. It is assumed that the student has had courses in Modern Physics and in mathematics through differential equations. The book is otherwise self-contained and does not rely on outside resources such as the internet to supplement the material. SI units are used throughoutexcept for those topics for which atomic units are especially convenient. It is our belief that for a physics major a quantum physics textbook should be more than a one- or two-semester acquaintance. Consequently, this book contains material that, while germane to the subject, the instructor might choose to omit because of time limitations. There are topics and examples included that are not normally covered in introductory textbooks. These topics are not necessarily too advanced, they are simply not usually covered. We have not, however, presumed to tell the instructor which topics must be included and which may be omitted. It is our intention that omitted subjects are available for future reference in a book that is already familiar to its owner. In short, it is our hope that the student will use the book as a reference after having completed the course. We have included at the end of most chapters a “Retrospective” of the chapter. Thisis notmeanttobemerelya summary,but,rather,anoverviewoftheimportance ofthe material andits placein the contextofpreviousandforthcomingchapters.

Intended to be used as a textbook for an introductory course in quantum mechanics at the undergraduate level, Foundations of Quantum Physics is also meant to be retained by the student for later use as a reference.  The presentation begins with the solution of some basic quantum mechanical problems.  The emphasis is on those features of the solutions that are unique to quantum physics.  It is only after these aspects of quantum physics are thoroughly discussed that the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics is presented and related to the previous chapters.  Throughout the book, the emphasis is on understanding the concepts and relating them to known phenomena.

Because the book is intended to serve as a reference long after it has been used as a textbook, it contains more material than an instructor can likely cover in a two semester course.  In keeping with this theme, there are topics included, not necessarily more advanced topics, that are not normally covered in introductory textbooks.

Charles E. Burkhardt and Jacob J. Leventhal are authors of Topics in Atomic Physics (Springer 2005). Foundations of Quantum Physics will serve nicely as a prequel to the Topics book.