http://www.physics.uc.edu/~sokoloff/P508

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
15-PHY-508
Winter Quarter, 2007

Michael D. Sokoloff

Links

Overview

This is the second quarter of the three-quarter senior undergraduate/firt-year graduate level Quantum Mechanics course. We will continue where we left off last quarter with the study of atomic systems. We will study the theory of angular momentum, identical particles, atoms and molecules, and then we will then learn how to use perturbation theory to solve a variety of problems.

We will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in room 309 Braunstein.  We will be using Introduction to Quantum Mechanics by David J. Griffiths as our primary textbook. We will also be using material from The Quantum Mechanics Solver by Basdevant and Dalibard. Although attendance is not mandatory, a substantial part of the final grade is based on in-class presentations. Of course, you are responsible for all material presented in class, and for all changes to the schedule or plans which are announced in class.

My office is room 411 in the Geology/Physics Building.  My office phone number is 556-0533.  My home phone number is 533-4265.  You are welcome to call me in my office at any time or at home between 8 AM and 10 PM.  There are answering machines at both numbers if I do not answer the phone.  My e-mail address is sokoloff@physics.uc.edu .  I read e-mail frequently.  You can make appointments with me or stop by my office at any time.  I am often around evenings and weekends, and I am available to work with you at these times as well as during "usual" business hours.

Grading

The final letter grade for this course will be my best estimation of your mastery of the material.  I expect to base it on in-class presentations, weekly homework assignments,  a mid-term examination, and a final examination.  The examinations may include both in-class and take-home questions. At the moment (January 19, 2007), my default plan is to use the following:
 
 

in-class presentations 150
weekly homework 250
mid-term examination 150 
final examination 250
TOTAL 800

Those students who wish to substitute a term project in place of graded homework should talk to me early in the quarter. If anyone wants to be evaluated differently, talk to me as early in the quarter as possible.

Best-Guess Schedule

The exact schedule for lectures, exams, etc., will depend on how long it takes to cover the material, whether there are any school closings due to inclement weather, etc. I will try to keep the best-guess schedule up to date. However, you are responsible for all changes announced in class. The final examination is scheduled for Wednesday, March 14 from 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM.


Homework

Homework will be due once a week. In general, late homework will not be accepted. Approximately four or five problems per week will be selected randomly for grading, and each problem will be graded on a scale from 0 to 10. At the end of the quarter, there will be at least 30 - 35 graded problems. I expect to drop the lowest five scores in computing your total homework score. I encourage you strongly to work with other students doing the assigned problems, and to talk to me about how to do the problems. However, you must write up your solutions individually. The earlier you start your assignments, the more you are likely to learn. Please follow this link to the assignment schedule.
 


 last significantly modified  January 19, 2007