An Introduction to Quantum Physics

Michael Bergman’s An Introduction to Quantum Physics makes quantum mechanics concepts more accessible by focusing on the essentials of the Schrodinger equation and its application to the hydrogen atom, while exploring other idealized but important quantum mechanical problems, such as the infinite square well and the harmonic oscillator, in order to build students’ physical intuition. The text assumes only calculus-based introductory physics, but helps students understand the origin of the periodic table and the electronic structure of atoms in a deeper way than they may have explored in introductory chemistry coursework. The text also enables users to make connections with concepts in linear algebra, a course that many students have recently taken or may be taking concurrently. An Introduction to Quantum Physics also seeks to explore in rigorous fashion philosophical issues in quantum mechanics that readers will find intriguing. Testing these philosophical issues has now become experimentally possible, laying the groundwork for quantum computing, and broadening the book’s potential interest to students in related fields, including computer science, mathematics, and engineering. For a student’s first exposure to quantum mechanics the book offers a unique concentration on locality, entanglement, Bell’s theorem, and quantum gates. This valuable first edition delivers engaging explanations and illustrative examples for both classic problems solved by quantum mechanics and new ones that form the basis for quantum computing.