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  6. PX3511: QUANTUM MECHANICS

PX3511: QUANTUM MECHANICS (2016-2017)

Last modified: 28 Jun 2018 10:27


Course Overview

The course aims to provide the students with the underpinning knowledge that will enable them to think constructively about phenomena that relate to the quantum structure of matter. It is intended that the students will gain a broad appreciation of the hierarchy of interactions that give rise to the energy levels of atoms and the consequent structure of the associated spectroscopic transitions. In comparison to the previous years more emphasis will be put on the general, mathematical structure of quantum theory, tackling topics such as Hilbert spaces and time independent perturbation theory.





Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Ekkehard Ullner

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • PX2510 Relativity and Quantum Mechanics (Passed)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • PX3509 Quantum Atomic and Molecular Physics (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The content reflects the learning outcomes of the course:

General ideas:

  • Operators, eigenstates, eigenvalues.
  • The TDSE and the TISE.
  • The statistical interpretation of the wavefunction.
  • Superposition.
  • Expectation value of a dynamical variable.
  • Solutions of the TISESquare wells.
  • Barriers.
  • 1-D SHO.
  • Hydrogen atom.
  • Electron wave functions for the H atom.
  • The quantum numbers n, m.
  • Spherical harmonics.
  • Radial probability densities.
  • Spin states.
  • The intrinsic spin of the electron.
  • Perturbation theory.

Further Information & Notes

This course builds on PX 2510 to evaluate the eigenstates various systems including atomic systems. The mathematics of the uncertainty principle, expectation values, states, spin, probability and probability currents is formalized and time independent perturbation theory is explained.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (75%) Continuous assessment (25%) - three class tests.

Resit: Same as above, with the continuous assessments carried forward. Only the marks obtained at the first attempt can count towards Honours classification.

Formative Assessment

By dialogue with the lecturer in class and by problem classes.

Feedback

Immediately with problem classes and within two weeks (usually one) for class tests.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.
 

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