The Picture Book of Quantum Mechanics

The aim of this book is to explain the basic concepts and phenomena of quantum mechanics by means of visualisation. Computer-generated illustrations in color are used extensively throughout the text, helping to establish the relation between quantum mechanics-wave functions, interference, atomic structure, and so forth-and classical physics-point mechanics, statistical mechanics, and wave optics. Even more important, by studying the pictures in parallel with the text, readers develop an intuition for such notoriously abstract phenomena as:

• the tunnel effect 
  
• excitation and decay of metastable states 
  
• wave-packet motion within a well 
  
• systems of distinguishable and indistinguishable particles 
  
• free wave packets and scattering in 3 dimensions 
  
• angular-momentum decomposition 
  
• stationary bound states in various 3-dimensional potentials 
  
• hybrid states 
  
• Kepler motion of wave packets in the Coulomb field 
  
• spin and magnetic resonance 
  

Illustrations from experiments in a variety of fields, including chemistry, and molecular, atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, underline the basic as well as the practical importance of quantum mechanics. In the present, fourth edition all computer graphics are presented in full colour. It also contains additional physics topics such as hybridisation.

List of contents

Introduction.- Light Waves.- Probability Waves of Matter.- Solution of the Schrödinger Equation in One Dimension.- One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential.- One-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Motion within a Potential, Stationary Bound States.- Quantile Motion in One Dimension.- Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Distinguishable Particles.- Coupled Harmonic Oscillators: Indistinguishable Particles.- Wave Packet in Three Dimensions.- Solution of the Schrödinger Equation in Three Dimensions.- Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Scattering by a Potential.- Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Bound States.- Hybridization.- Three-Dimensional Quantum Mechanics: Resonance Scattering.- Coulomb Scattering.- Spin.- Examples from Experiment.- Simple Aspects of the Structure of Quantum Mechanics.- Two-Level System.- Analyzing Amplitude.- Wigner Distribution.- Gamma Function.- Bessel Functions and Airy Functions.- Poisson Distribution.- Index.

About the author

Dr. Siegmund Brandt ist Professor für Physik an der Universität Siegen. Er arbeitet mit seiner Siegener Gruppe bei DESY und CERN an Experimenten zur Elementarteilchenphysik.

Summary

The aim of this book is to explain the basic concepts and phenomena of quantum mechanics by means of visualisation. Computer-generated illustrations in color are used extensively throughout the text, helping to establish the relation between quantum mechanics—wave functions, interference, atomic structure, and so forth—and classical physics—point mechanics, statistical mechanics, and wave optics. Even more important, by studying the pictures in parallel with the text, readers develop an intuition for such notoriously abstract phenomena as:

• the tunnel effect 
  
• excitation and decay of metastable states 
  
• wave-packet motion within a well 
  
• systems of distinguishable and indistinguishable particles 
  
• free wave packets and scattering in 3 dimensions 
  
• angular-momentum decomposition 
  
• stationary bound states in various 3-dimensional potentials 
  
• hybrid states 
  
• Kepler motion of wave packets in the Coulomb field 
  
• spin and magnetic resonance 
  

Illustrations from experiments in a variety of fields, including chemistry, and molecular, atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, underline the basic as well as the practical importance of quantum mechanics. In the present, fourth edition all computer graphics are presented in full colour. It also contains additional physics topics such as hybridisation.

Additional text

From the reviews of the fourth edition:
“This book is aimed at beginners in quantum mechanics who want to gain some insight into the various physical phenomena which happen at the (sub)atomic scale, and for which no daily experience is available. It will serve as a good complement to standard textbooks of quantum mechanics since it contains many carefully produced pictures to illustrate the fundamental concepts and ideas from quantum physics––highlighting in particular how the concepts and predictions of classical mechanics are altered and supplemented by wavelike behaviors.” (Gabriel Stoltz, Mathematical Reviews, May, 2013)

Report

From the reviews of the fourth edition:
"This book is aimed at beginners in quantum mechanics who want to gain some insight into the various physical phenomena which happen at the (sub)atomic scale, and for which no daily experience is available. It will serve as a good complement to standard textbooks of quantum mechanics since it contains many carefully produced pictures to illustrate the fundamental concepts and ideas from quantum physics--highlighting in particular how the concepts and predictions of classical mechanics are altered and supplemented by wavelike behaviors." (Gabriel Stoltz, Mathematical Reviews, May, 2013)

Product details

• Authors: Siegmun Brandt, Siegmund Brandt, H.D. Dahmen, Hans D. Dahmen, Hans Dieter Dahmen
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.09.2012
• EAN: 9781461439509
• ISBN: 978-1-4614-3950-9
• No. of pages: 472
• Weight: 976 g
• Illustrations: XVI, 472 p.
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Theoretical physics