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The material for these volumes has been selected from 20 years of examination questions for graduate students at the University of California at Berkeley, Columbia University, University of Chicago, MIT, SUNY at Buffalo, Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

revista
I'm glad to pursache this book of problems of quantum mechanics because it is a great variety of them from varios universitys. Thank you.

A Treasure
All of these books titled "Problems and Solutions on (subject): Major American Universities Ph.D. Qualifying Questions and Solutions" are invaluable tools for a physics graduate student, in my experience.For quantum mechanics in particular, solved problems often illustrate difficult concepts better than any explanatory paragraph in a text.

Criticism: Sparse index and contents.You'll find yourself adding notes to pages in the book quite often.

If you are a student in physics, I suggest that you get your hands on these books.

An excellent handbook on the subject
Sometimes it is very difficult to teach a course in quantum mechanics because there are few problems that have solutions that do not require months of research and numerical methods to solve. I have found that in my own courses on quantum mechanics, I take a lot of notes and I do a lot of homework assignments, but I don't have a whole lot of concrete, well-explained problems and solutions to show for all of the work.Since I found this book and those that accompany it, however, I have a very good source for problems and their solutions in QM.These problems are an excellent study aid for the solutions provide insight into the basics of the field.Strongly recommended.

The Editor Needs Glasses
I study physics in Chile, and this book has been pretty useful for a first course in QM, but I have to note that the first 170 pages are titled "Problems and Solutions on Electromagnetism"! I hope someone gets word to the editor....

Other than that, I'm pretty sure this book will find a place on your private shelf. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Heisenberg explained
Beyond Uncertainty: Heisenberg, Quantum Physics, and the Bomb
David C. Cassidy
Bellevue Literary Press, NY, 2009

David Cassidy has written what surely must be the definitive work on Werner Heisenberg. He clearly likes the subject, as this is his second book on the same person! The previous one: "Uncertainty: The life and science of Werner Heisenberg" appeared in 1991. The present book draws on more material, has a wider scope, and at least on the subject of the German nuclear-weapon program draws conclusions that would appear to this reviewer as beyond contention.

After a brilliant career, the Nobel Prize in physics at the age of 31 (in 1932), Heisenberg was faced with the onset of the Nazi regime. His love of his country and culture meant that he refused to leave Germany. He never joined the Nazi party, but was faced with living, and working, with the regime. Cassidy finds this the most fascinating aspect of Heisenberg, and it is difficult to disagree.

Many of Heisenberg's actions appear difficult to comprehend with the advantage of hindsight; for example, the famous visit to Niels Bohr in 1941 (the subject of Michael Frayn's wonderful play) is covered in length. We also (since 2002) have the advantage of the Bohr archives to set the record straight on this visit. Cassidy puts them in perspective with what Heisenberg had to suffer at the hands of not only the regime, but also the German clique (led by Nobel Laureates Stark & Lenard) who promoted "Aryan Physics". Specifically, they tried to eliminate all references to Einstein and relativity, and, just for good measure, quantum mechanics as well. Heisenberg's work was inextricably tied into both concepts, and he was vigorously attacked. Cleared in 1937 by the personnel intervention of Heinrich Himmler (whose mother knew Heisenberg's), Heisenberg was greatly relieved, and came to have confidence in his judgment about the regime. He was terribly mistaken.

With the discovery of fission at the end of 1938, Heisenberg, like most other physicists, became involved. He went on to head the main German effort to develop a nuclear threat. As explained by Cassidy, this was not successful due to competing efforts sponsored by different parts of the regime, as well as a lack of leadership and clear scientific, and technical, drive. Conditions in war-time Germany, especially after the start of Allied bombing, were, of course, much more difficult than in the US, but there were no great moral discussions. The notion (the infamous "lesart") that the Germans did not develop the bomb because they did not want to is nonsense. Cassidy destroys this myth, as others have before, especially the Farm Hall tapes (edited by Bernstein and published in 1996). The German program was blighted by mistakes, both in physics and technology, and they never even got a reactor operating, which Fermi did for the Allies in Chicago in 1942.

After the war Heisenberg used his considerable prestige to help rebuild both Germany and physics. In this, he deserves praise. Physics, as expected, had moved on, and he never made any lasting contribution after the war, but his legacy in physics is assured.

Heisenberg was a brilliant physicist, and a man who knew right from wrong. Of all the senior German physicists who stayed in Germany during this dreadful time, only Max von Laue seems to have steered a path through the rocks - he chose not to collaborate at all with the regime. Heisenberg's great error was to believe that he could somehow steer between the moral conflicts of the Nazi regime. He was to learn, to his cost, that if one sups with the devil, take a long spoon. Heisenberg's was not nearly long enough. David Cassidy has captured this conflict in a brilliant book and I do not expect him to produce a third biography.

Good book --bad book
I just started reading the book and I find it very interesting and very well written, but I feel that I have to comment on the physical book itself--

It is not an inexpensive book, but it is cheaply made---small print, thick cheap rough paper, bad photos printed on poor paper stock--

All in all, a book that looks that it will fall apart in several years---it is an argument for ebooks---

Did Heisenberg "suppress information that might have led to a bomb?"
Born into a family that prized academic achievement, Werner Heisenberg's was raised with clearly defined expectations.Indeed, when he was seventeen he was the teacher and leader of "Group Heisenberg" and by the age of twenty he was already an advanced student of physics, at twenty-six, Germany's youngest professor of theoretical physics at the University of Leipzig.Around the time his leadership abilities came to the fore, an unexpected revelation came to him."All at once and with utter certainty, I found my link with the center."

A life of physics can be a lonely one, but at the age of thirty-two he began a new life and family with Elisabeth Schumacher, who later wrote that she resented him and his "Swabian idyll."During the war, with a growing family with six children, Werner had other pressing concerns. The "uranium club" had been looking at the prospect of a nuclear weapon along with more the more practical use of energy production.Many years later there was a sharp division of opinion as to his motives.Did Heisenberg want Germany to win the war or was he "able to suppress information that might have led to a bomb" and did he "further [sabotage] the project by slowing it down and keeping other less scrupulous scientists from constructing a weapon that would indeed have enabled Hitler to win the war."Just how close did they come?

This is a comprehensive and well-done biography, one in which the reader need not have any knowledge of quantum theory (you will not have to struggle with Schröedinger's cat as you did if you read the Quantum Enigma.)This is a definite page turner for all who are interested in not only Heisenberg, but also Bohr, Einstein, Planck, Diebner, Bagge, Debye and a host of others. My only problem with this book, albeit petty, was that the print was quite small.If you are really hooked, you will be able to find short sound bites of Heisenberg discussing the Uncertainty Principle on the internet. Wunderbare erfahrung!

Beyond Uncertainty
Allow me to mention this is an excellent book on an excellent subject by an excellent author. I have no qualms about using "excellent" so much in this case, for I read the author's prior work on the subject of Heisenberg, and a couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to make contact with the author, who is a true gentleman and was quite helpful.This is a follow-up to his book Uncertainty, an excellent biography David C. Cassidy wrote in 1991/1992(?), on the late Werner Heisenberg. I have not read the current book, but knowing his excellent work ethic from the previous book and knowing he is considered the leading expert on the life of Werner Heisenberg, this book should be excellent, as well. I plan to buy it. If you are interested in science or history, you should buy this book.I will try to return once I have read Beyond Uncertainty.For now, I want you to know in my opinion, based on the dedication I have seen in Cassidy for Heisenberg as a subject and as a human being, if you are hesitating to buy this book, DON'T.Buy the book.David C. Cassidy writes with the heart, historical knowledge, and scientific understanding we wish every writer like him would do.I hope I have helped someone out there decide to buy this book and I am sure you will enjoy it.Thank you for trusting my opinion. ... Read more

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For students who just need to know the vital concepts of physics, whether as a refresher, for exam prep, or as a reference, Physics Essentials For Dummies is a must-have guide. Free of ramp-up and ancillary material, Physics Essentials For Dummies contains content focused on key topics only. It provides discrete explanations of critical concepts taught in an introductory physics course, from force and motion to momentum and kinetics. This guide is also a perfect reference for parents who need to review critical physics concepts as they help high school students with homework assignments, as well as for adult learners headed back to the classroom who just need a refresher of the core concepts.

The Essentials For Dummies Series
Dummies is proud to present our new series, The Essentials For Dummies. Now students who are prepping for exams, preparing to study new material, or who just need a refresher can have a concise, easy-to-understand review guide that covers an entire course by concentrating solely on the most important concepts. From algebra and chemistry to grammar and Spanish, our expert authors focus on the skills students most need to succeed in a subject. ... Read more

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This book is a self-contained presentation of the quantum field theory of topological defects created during spontaneous symmetry breakdown phase transitions, with a particular emphasis on phenomenological issues of current interest. ... Read more

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The Quantum Challenge, Second Edition is an engaging and thorough treatment of the extraordinary phenomena of quantum mechanics, and of the enormous challenge they present to our conception of the physical world.Traditionally, the thrill of grappling with such issues is reserved for practicing scientists, while physical science, mathematics, and engineering students are often isolated from these inspiring questions.This book was written to remove this isolation.Greenstein and Zajonc present the puzzles of quantum mechanics using vivid references to contemporary experiments.The authors focus on the most striking and conceptually significant quantum phenomena, together with a clear theoretical treatment of each.The depth and extent of the challenge of quantum mechanics becomes increasingly compelling as they move from the simplest experiments involving single photons or particles, to the famous Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen and Bell's Theorem, and then to macroscopic quantum phenomena. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fantastic book for gaining real understanding of many key QM experimental results
As others have said, this is by far the best book for gaining a solid understanding of many key experimental results in QM until about 2002.

I am using this book for self-study and have found that it complements standard undergraduate textbooks on quantum mechanics very well. The level of the book is between (typically misleading) popular accounts and highly technical textbook or journal article accounts.As such, it assumes you have some background in calculus and modern physics.[The only textbook I am aware of that deals with more recent experiments is Auletta, Fortunato and Parisis, Quantum Mechanics, 2009.ISBN978-0-521-86963-8. This is a very fine textbook but assumes the reader is fairly sophisticated in terms of mathematics and physics background.]

excellent for first year grad students
This book is great for understanding QM conceptually. You should have studied QM at least at the undergraduate level already - the authors assume you already know the math. I'm a first year grad student in electrical engineering and the level is perfect for me (that is, challenging and slow to read, but very rewarding and not too frustrating). The authors go over a lot of spiffy experiments that have taken place in the last 50 years. They give you the experimental schematic, tell you the "expected result", give you charts of the actual result, and discuss what it means. As an engineer, this style of learning is great for me, because there's a lot of pretty diagrams and plots.

The authors also teach you how to apply the math you learned in your undergrad to actually analyze real world situations. For example, they analyze scattering events inside a fission reactor using the uncertainty principle and conclude *warning: spoilers* that the uncertainty in the position of a particle in a fission reactor is one hundred times bigger than the cross section of the nucleus it is to strike. (This is a fundamental uncertainty due to the Heisenberg Principle, not due to faulty measuring equipment). This means that we cannot visualize a fission chain reaction as these neat little balls that bounce around, splitting nuclei apart. It means that we cannot be sure what is going on inside at all. I thought that was neat.

The Foundations of Quantum Mechanics made accessible
Even after taking an advanced-level quantun mechanics course my junior year of college, I had only heard vague reference to Bell's Inequalities, and certainly had not heard of delayed-choice experiments or Bohm's formulation of quantum mechanics.I knew nothing about quantum computation, hidden variable theories, or really anything at all beyond the Copenhagen Interpretation.

Quantum mechanics tends to bring up philosophical questions in first-time students.I have a friend who after taking his first quantum course, was adamant, to near the point of hysteria, that quantum mechanics must be wrong because to him the collapse of the wave function simply did notmake sense.For him, and for myself, The Quantum Challenge was exactly what we needed.It takes questions about the meaning of quantum mechanics and answers them firmly and concretely (to the extent that the answers are known) in light of experimental results.These are the sort of things they don't teach you in physics class, where you diagnolize matrices, solve Schrodinger Equations, and learn approximation methods for months without understanding how everything you're doing works in application.

I was a teaching assistant for an intensive, 4-week quantum mechanics course for high school students this summer.The Quantum Challenge was our text.At first, I was skeptical of using this route to introduce students to quantum physics, but now I realize that it is much more successful than a traditional approach towards the mathematics of quantum.After working with Quantum Challenge, my students had a better understanding of quantum physics than they would have if we had spent four weeks trying to teach differential equations and linear algebra to them.

The book does include some math and is not for a complete beginner in quantum mechanics.Before reading it, you should understand bra-ket notation and have enough quantum mechanics to do simple one-dimensional problems, but after that, dive into the arcane and fascinating world of the quantum.

An honest presentation of the puzzles in Quantum Mechanics
This is the only pedagogical book I have seen that tries to explain the issues in interpreting Quantum Mechanics without trying to sell the reader on a philosophical direction first. The authors just try to explain the implications and rationale behind QM as it is today, without promoting a "new direction". I think this is extremely useful - even if you want to go somewhere else, it helps to know where you are, to start.

There is a lot of discussion of the relevant experiments and the issues they settle (and raise). This is rather grounding.

The reader will need a good undergraduate-level capability in mathematics and previous exposure to quantum physics, in order to make real progress with this book. I think this is unavoidable, as QM is inherently mathematical. Given this background, the reader should find this book clear and well filled-out.

(I am writing about the 1st edition - I'm not sure how the 2nd edition differs.)

Great book.
I had Professor Zajonc for my Modern Physics class. He assigned some readings from his book; I don't think anyone read it. They should have because this book is immensely readable and it was a LOT better than his lectures. I think I learned more reading this book than going to class, which admittedly I didn't do very often.

This book is an excellent bridge between popular accounts of quantum mechanics, which focus on the consequences but have no math in them at all, and technical accounts, which are all math. This book is a good medium. If you have knowledge of undergraduate math and physics you should be able to get through this book. ... Read more

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Fun format makes this complex subject easy to grasp solutions to typical problems that are explained in full detail. It is perfect for self-study or class supplement. It is great for quick review or help prepare for the Physics qualifying exam. Learn quantum mechanics at warp speed! Now anyone can master the basics of quantum mechanics - without formal training, unlimited time, or a genius IQ. In "Quantum Mechanics Demystified", physicist (and student-savvy author) David McMahon provides an effective and illuminating way to learn the essentials of quantum mechanics.With "Quantum Mechanics Demystified", you master the subject one step at a time - at your own speed. This unique self-teaching guide is filled with solved examples throughout, and offers problems to try at the end of each chapter to pinpoint weaknesses. A final exam serves to reinforce concepts covered in the entire book. This fast and entertaining self-teaching course makes it much easier to - master serious quantum mechanics in easy-to-follow steps.This book cuts through the jargon and learn how to do quantum mechanics using worked examples.It helps reinforce learning and pinpoint weaknesses with questions at the end of each chapter and a comprehensive final exam. Learn about Schrodinger's equation, one dimensional scattering, Hilbert space, and the density operator. Find extensive explanations of spin and angular momentum, vector spaces, matrix mechanics, the harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom. Perform better on qualifying or placement exams. Take a 'final exam' and grade it yourself! Clear enough for beginners, but challenging enough for those who already know something about advanced physics, "Quantum Mechanics Demystified" is the best self-teaching tool you can find! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Math focused, terrible editing
(NOTE: the conclusion to this longish review is at the bottom, but the details must be read in the body of the review)

This book is actually quite good at refreshing your introductory quantum mechanics. It covers all the usual one semester topics, and a bit more. That's why I chose this book to help me review what I learned a long time ago in a modern physics class. Yet page after page is bogged down by horrendous mistakes.

The mistakes, unfortunately, usually pertain to the actual equations, where numbers that should be squared are not, or constants are missing without explanation (where is the constant in coulombs law? How can you just set that to 1?). These aren't just grammatical errors, they are errors that matter to the understanding of the material.

I can't help feeling this book was hastily edited, if it was edited at all. Of course this is a double edged sword, as it forces you to work through the equations yourself and make sure they're right. A book that can do that (even by mistake) earns some points in my book. Anyone who just scans the pages for equations to copy will be in big trouble with this book. Which brings me to another issue, where sometimes non-obvious details are completely left out.

When it talks about the separation of variables technique, it does nothing to hint at how one could use that to turn the equation into two ordinary differential equations, by virtue of the fact that you can get all the functions of one variable on the left hand side of the equation, and the function of the other variable on the right hand side. If two equations with different variables equal each other they must be constant (which is something to think about, not obvious to many people at all!). It says nothing of the sort, and I think mistakes like this will make life difficult for the intended audience of self-teachers and beginners . Yet in complete contrast the book will occasionally go into over much detail about something mechanical like integration, or computing a geometric series. It's assumptions about the target audience are inconsistent.

But the book has a magical lucidity to it, it just flows. I was able to read almost 40+ pages in one 3 hour setting, and I feel like my comprehension level is strong for the time I spent. I call it magical, because it's not like the book uses captivating prose, and like I said it's rife with mistakes that I must carefully check. If I had to pinpoint it, it would be that it lets the math do the talking, without being overly terse. It contains the standard introduction on the history of the subject, but does so without 60 pages of overly detailed explanations of specific experiments. The math is what you learn from, and for the most part enough steps are done out were the book never feels to terse with the reader. This balance is something rarely seen in mathematical works. In addition to the amount of material covered, this almost makes up for the glaring flaws. Although I wish there were more problems to do, but there are plenty of worked examples to give the reader an idea of what you can do with the equations.

IN CONCLUSION:
I recommend this to anyone who wants a refresher, but I also strongly recommend at least another text so you can compare some of the possibly erroneous equations, and fill in the gaps where the author left out much needed reasoning or explanations. The physicist will lament the lack of experimental reasoning, and the casual reader will find nothing in the way of cool thought experiments, but for the mathematically oriented reader, this is a great book to have. At least if you don't mind working the steps yourself to ensure their accuracy, but this is a practice any math reader should adopt anyways.

This Book is Gold
There are books that you hope will help you and books that actually do. If you are serious about teaching yourself quantum mechanics "Quantum Mechanics Demystified" by David McMahon is a must-have. The book is concise clear and he does a good job of explaining the reasons behind what's going on. I will say you do need the undergrad math preparation in matrices and differential equations however. Hence I suspect, some of the lower star ratings. Dirac notation and density matrices are what I have been interested in learning. How many texts out there do a thorough job of getting you started with density matrices and their interpretation? Not many. Blum might be an example. Shankar? Forget it. McMahon gives just the right amount of hand holding to enable you to crack open these types of abstract ideas. There are numerous helpful examples. As a result, I am finally "getting it" at long last. The text does have a lot of typos, but there are lists of errata online to help you out. McMahon, I praise you for ability to explain this challenging kind of material. My original quantum mechanics prof by comparison seems clueless.

Missing the Point
I think many of the reviews of "Quantum Mechanics DeMystified" are missing the point. David McMahon, gets you through each topic, in a clear logical manner, step by step, that few books on the topic, come close to matching. Many other books start off well, like
"Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by Shankar, "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by Griffiths, or "The Structure And Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics" by Hughes. But they loose you in the details.
In the middle of a topic, there's complex proofs that add nothing to the material being presented. Or problems at the end of each chapter that no one but Google could solve.
David McMahon does a great job, taking you step by step, through problem after problem. Yes, there were errors in the first release of this book. But many of those errors were fixed in the current release. And yes, not all errors may have been corrected.
But I thought so much of this book, I purchased a second copy,
that contained most of the known corrections.
This book is a great supplement to books like thosed mentioned above.
And its also a great supplement to free iTunes U courses on Quantum Mechanics like those from Leonard Susskind from Stanford University
or James Binney from Oxford University.
I've bought a number of David McMahon DeMystified books like "Quantum Field Theory", "Linear Algebra", "Relativity" and "Matlab". All of them, got me started on subjects, that other books that used a textbook approach, just left me hanging.
I'm a fan. I'm hoping he'll consider writing a book on "Particle Physics and the Standard Model". It would be a great supplement to
Leonard Susskinds currect lecture series on iTunes U or YouTube titled "New Revolutionsin Particle Physics: The Standard Model"

So Many Mistakes!
This book is so full of mistakes, it's hard to follow.The examples skip over a lot of the math, occasionally making it difficult to figure out how they got from point A to point B.This is made even worse by the fact that the answer they end up with might be full of typos.They do stupid stuff like using + instead of = or writing the wrong exponent on a variable, but they also skrew up important equations from time to time.I'm wasting a lot of time in my reading of this text trying to figure out when and where the book went wrong.I would definitely NOT recommend this text.

Better than my prof!But the book does have many typos...
I got more out of this book than from two semesters of university-level quantum.The books does need some editing--there are quite a number of typos, especially at the beginning of the book--but it's still a great resource, and perfect for someone (like myself) looking for a quantum refresher. ... Read more

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The main theme of this book is the "path integral technique" and its applications to constructive methods of quantum physics. The central topic is probabilistic foundations of the Feynman-Kac formula. Starting with main examples of Gaussian processes (the Brownian motion, the oscillatory process, and the Brownian bridge), the author presents four different proofs of the Feynman-Kac formula. Also included is a simple exposition of stochastic Itô calculus and its applications, in particular to the Hamiltonian of a particle in a magnetic field (the Feynman-Kac-Itô formula).

Among other topics discussed are the probabilistic approach to the bound of the number of ground states of correlation inequalities (the Birman-Schwinger principle, Lieb's formula, etc.), the calculation of asymptotics for functional integrals of Laplace type (the theory of Donsker-Varadhan) and applications, scattering theory, the theory of crushed ice, and the Wiener sausage.

Written with great care and containing many highly illuminating examples, this classic book is highly recommended to anyone interested in applications of functional integration to quantum physics. It can also serve as a textbook for a course in functional integration. ... Read more

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introduction to brownian motion and its applications
This is the best introduction to brownian motion. The writing by Barry Simon is extremely clear, comparable to Donald Knuth. It covers:

-clear construction of Brownian motion

-demonstration of the Feynmann Katzformula -usual Simon work: Schrodinger operators, remarquable inequalitieslike the CLK, eigenvalues problems

-geometric theory of brownianmotion

-very extensive bibliography for further reading

Nevertheless itlacks:

-conformal theory of brownian motion

-statistical mechanics(there is an explanation of feynmann series in a particular case) ... Read more

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The Times Literary Supplement called their previous book, Symmetry and the Beautiful Universe: "[A] tour de force of physics made simple."

Quantum theory is the bedrock of contemporary physics and the basis of understanding matter in its tiniest dimensions and the vast universe as a whole. But for many, the theory remains an impenetrable enigma.

Nobel Prize laureate Leon M. Lederman and Fermi lab theoretical physicist Christopher T. Hill seek to remedy this situation by both drawing on their scientific expertise and their talent for communicating science to the general reader. In this lucid, informative book, designed for the curious, they make the seemingly daunting subject of quantum physics accessible, appealing, and exciting.

Their story is partly historical, covering the many "Eureka" moments when great scientists--Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger, and others--struggled to come to grips with the bizarre realities that quantum research revealed. Although their findings were indisputably proven in experiments, they were so strange and counterintuitive that Einstein refused to accept quantum theory, despite its great success.

The authors explain the many strange and even eerie aspects of quantum reality at the subatomic level, from "particles" that can be many places simultaneously and sometimes act more like waves, to the effect that a human can have on their movements by just observing them!

Finally, Drs. Lederman and Hill delve into quantum physics' latest and perhaps most breathtaking offshoots--field theory and string theory. The intricacies and ramifications of these two theories will give the reader much to ponder. In addition, the authors describe the diverse applications of quantum theory in its almost countless forms of modern technology throughout the world.

Using eloquent analogies and illustrative examples, Quantum Physics for Poets render even the most profound reaches of quantum theory understandable and something for us all to savor. ... Read more

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Quantum mechanics is one of the great success stories of modern physics, making sense of the very small just as Einstein's theory of relativity made sense of the very large. But, for most students, the ideas that make quantum mechanics powerful can be confusing and counterintuitive. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science series provides a history of quantum mechanics from the early breakthroughs of Planck and Einstein, at the beginning of the 20th century, to the present frontiers of quantum computing and quantum gravity.The approach is entirely non-technical, and is aimed at the general reader who may not have much mathematical background but who has a strong curiosity about some of the most important developments in modern science.

Quantum Mechanics: A Historical Perspective traces the history of this powerful theory, including:

; The early discoveries by Max Planck and Albert Einstein regarding the quantization of radiation

; The early quantum theory, including Neils Bohr's theory of the atom

; The birth of modern quantum mechanics through the work of Heisenberg, Schrodinger, Born, Dirac and others

; Applications of quantum mechanics in chemistry, nuclear physics, electronics, and many other areas

; Recent work in quantum computation and quantum information theory

The book emphasizes the fact that despite the great success of quantum mechanics, many exciting intellectual frontiers remain open for further researchers to explore. It includes a glossary, a timeline, and a bibliography of accessible resources for further research.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Explanation of A Complex and Difficult Subject
Peacock's book is a thorough, clear outline of the development of quantum mechanics -- the new physics -- from its earliest origins in the nineteenth century.The author, who seems very well-grounded in quantum physics, tries hard to explain the growth of this highly mathematical field in simple analogies and well-crafted written text.There are no equations in this readable account, but a reader not already familiar with some of the history and great names of twentieth century physics will probably have to refer to the time-line and glossary in the back of the book to keep it all straight. Quantum physics is extremely important; this may be the best introduction to it for the layperson in English. ... Read more

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Quantum Wells, Wires and Dots, 3rd Edition is aimed at providing all the essential information, both theoretical and computational, in order that the reader can, starting from essentially nothing, understand how the electronic, optical and transport properties of semiconductor heterostructures are calculated. Completely revised and updated, this text is designed to lead the reader through a series of simple theoretical and computational implementations, and slowly build from solid foundations, to a level where the reader can begin to initiate theoretical investigations or explanations of their own.

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent Book
This book is the best you are going to find for new quantum electronics.It covers all the essentials (wells, wires and dots as the title says) and, AND it gives you all the code used to generate every figure.This way you can work all the numbers and equations yourself.Yes, it is very expensive, but hey, Harrison has to eat man; a book like this has a real limited audience, so you have to bear the cost to be elite.

The code is all C code and can be run in unix or linux.You can also get an emulator (cygwin.com) or translate into your favorite C.The author has a great website with errata and software updates.

Again, the ability to follow along by running your own code helps really bring the information across.The book and the code are both well written.

Excellent book.

a great work
It is a great work of this book. I think it is very useful to readers with all kinds of levels. But it is a pity I can't buy it in my own country-mainland of China.Could you give me a chance? Thanks! ... Read more

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This revised edition of Feynman’s legendary lectures includes extensive corrections Feynman and his colleagues received and Caltech approved, making this the definitive edition of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. For all readers interested in physics. ... Read more

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Feynman Lectures on Physics Vol 1
Vol2 was ordered but Vol 1 was delivered.I decided to keep Vol 1 and place a new order for Vol 2.

Vol 1 was in excellent as-new condition and was the required edition.Delivery was as advertised. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (25)

Not as advertised.
The book was advertised as brand new, but it had pencil markings and words written in the margin in one of the chapters.Very disappointed.Also took a long time to receive.Didn't want to send it back because I'd waited so long and had to return library copy, transfer paragraph tags, etc.

Some serious errors...
I agree with other reviewers that this book has bias issues, the least of which is not a strong Feminist bias. But beyond these biases, there are serious factual errors in its presentation of modern physics. I will list only two:

1. On page 17, the author says that we know that the earth has existed for at least 15 billion years. In fact, modern theory has it that the universe has existed for about 15 billion years while our earth has only existed for about 5 billion years, our sun being a second or third generation star. This error is in some very elementary material. Confusing the ages of the earth and the universe raises an immediate red flag to me and throws a shadow on the remaining contents of the book.

2. On page 31, the author refers to passing a beam of light through a "Stern-Gerlach device" in which the (magnetic) field seperates the initial beam into two weaker beams. The Stern-Gerlach experiment in fact involves sending a beam of (uncharged) particles (not light) through an inhomogeneous magnetic field and observing their deflections. The results show that, while the particles do, in fact, possess intrinsic angular momenta, analogous to the angular momentum of classically spinning objects, these momenta are quantized and take on only certain discreet values. Light is not involved at all in the Stern-Gerlach experiment. Confusing a beam of light with a particle beam is another serious error which (for me) throws into question everything that the book claims to teach about quantum mechanics (or about modern science in general).

There have been many books that have attempted to combine religion or mysticism with quantum mechanics. This one was recommended to me by a friend who is a Catholic nun. I spotted the errors while scanning the pages of the book prior to actually reading it. Perhaps it is best simply to leave such disciplinary mixtures as physics and religion/mysticism alone since they are more like oil and water in their mixing properties, forming an emulsion rather than a solution, than, say sugar and water, in which the sugar really does go into solution.

I do not recommend this book.

Quantum Theology
I was so captivated by this book, that I not only have read it through three times, but have ordered copies for my friends.It opens the mind to unlimited creativity of the universe and its creator.

Quantum Theology
An interesting topic, but a difficult read.Author seems to go around in circles

Thought Provoking but Hard to Connect the Dots
Very stimulating book but also hard to follow.Maybe that's because I don't have much of a background in quantum physics, but then again, he doesn't either.Not much new from his first edition.The best thing about the book to me was that it really made me think.It took me in different directions I think than the author intended, but gave me a lot to consider.
From my philosophy and theology background I had to wonder how he connected the dots between naturalism and supernaturalism.His metaphors were particularly cumbersome.Just because a quark can't be divided doesn't necessarily mean it relates somehow to the Trinity.Correlations doesn't automatically mean causation or connection.
Still I enjoyed the book very much and as I said, it really gives the reader a lot to think about.Terry Bell (The author of "The Love Ethic.")
... Read more

Product Description
Why is quantum theory so difficult to understand?In this book, written for both undergraduate and graduate students of chemistry and physics, the author looks at the continuing debate about the meaning of quantum theory.The historical development of the theory is traced from the turn of the century through to the 1930s, and the famous debate between Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein.The book examines in detail the arguments that quantum theory is incomplete, as made by Einstein, Boris Podolsky, and Nathan Rosen; the development of Bell's theorem; and crucial experimental tests performed in the early 1980s.Alternative interpretations -- pilot waves, quantum gravity, consciousness, and many worlds -- are described in the closing chapter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A good review of the mysteries of Quantum Physics
Jim Baggot's ' The Meaning of Quantum Theory' is an excellent book and this reviewer is happy to recommend it to anyone trying the understand what quantum physics is all about. Of course,in the process he makes it clear that a full understanding is not yet available.


Although it is not a large book, it is reasonably comprehensive in it's coverage of the topic, where it gives the reader a good outline of the mysteries of quantum world. It is not a popular science book. The author does not shirk from including essential mathematics. It is as the expanded title says: 'A Guide for Students of Chemistry and Physics', and of course those with a scientific backround who are interested in the topic.

The mathematics is, though, mainly confined to one chapter. Overall, the book explains the mysteries of the quantum world in a clear and precise manner (insofar as they can be explained). This reviewer is, however, not impressed with the 'Many Worlds' interpretation but I suppose it has to be covered and it is dealt with towards the end of the book.


Whether, as indicated by the title of the book: ' The Meaning of Quantum Theory', Quantum Physics has meaning is a debatable point, which is more in the region of philosophy rather than science. It could encourage those who try to connect Quantum Physics to Eastern mysticism to come up with their 'ideas' as to what it is all about. Rather, the book's third chapter: ' Quantum Theory: What Does it Mean' has a different connoctation and is what has occupied a lot of minds over the years. Again, the book's closing chapter entitled 'The hand of God' might also have been better left to a book on philosophy rather than a book on Quantum Physics which is supposed to be aimed at students of Physics and Chemistry.

These, though, are minor criticisms which do not really detract from the book's overall merit.

Schrodingers Cat in Graduate School
This book covers pretty much the same ground as Gribbins "In Search of Schrodingers Cat", but does so in a more mathematical manner.The math is not overly complex, it does not go beyond algebra, but does use very complicated notation systems (including Dirac's bracket notation).The reader should be familiar with the concept of an operator and not be frightened by the sight of partial differential equations, although none are actually solved.The book is aimed at students of Chemistry and Physics, but it is not a textbook per se, but rather an adjunct to a quantum theory text.This book is about the meaning of quantum theory, rather than about solving specific quantum problems.It focuses on the implications of the various interpretations of quantum theory.It not only goes into the standard Copenhagen interpretation (developed by Niels Bohr and colleagues) and the objections to it raised by Einstein and others, but also goes into several other interpretations, such as Einstein's hidden variable idea, DeBroglie's pilot waves and Bohm's quantum potentials.Baggott not only develops these other ideas, but also shows where many have been abandoned by their developers or proved to be inconsistent with quantum theory and experimental data.

By using some math the book Baggott is able to derive the Schridinger wave equation is a very simple manner.This derivation comes from Schrodingers own notebooks and is much simpler than the more sophisticated one that Schrodinger used in his paper describing the wave equation.Baggott also shows where the uncertainty principle comes from and why it is inherent in the mathematics of wave and matrix mechanics because it is a feature of all non-commuting operators.In my opinion the derivation of the wave equation and this analysis of the uncertainty principle are alone worth the price of the book.
Baggott also goes into the EPR thought experiment, derives Bell's inequality and describes in some detail the various tests for the EPR experiment and Bell's inequality.Much of this material is also included in "In Search of Schrodingers Cat", but because no math is included, Gribbin's discussion is not as detailed or complete as Baggott's.(This is not a criticism of Gribbin's book, as it is aimed at a more general audience.)

Baggott's book a great choice for someone studying quantum mechanics, but is probably beyond those with an insufficient background in mathematics.I recommend Gribbins "In Search of Schrodingers Cat" (see my review of this book for more details on it) for those who want a non-mathematical treatment of this subject.

Bridging Descriptions and the Mathematics
Succinctly: if you want more than descriptive science popularizations and are ready to tackle the math then this is, quite simply, the best book there is.Jim Baggott introduces the notation and the concepts in an engaging and untiring style and after a careful reading (or three) one is ready to read the original papers.Cannot recommend highly enough.

Author unqualified by own admission, obviously confused
The author begins telling us why he wrote it and asking why we should read it. Good question, and the answer is that we shouldn't, and he shouldn't have either.

Oh sure, Jim Baggott has got his equations down pat, but alas, from the opening page he gets hopelessly lost in matters he clearly doesn't understand. Get a clue, Jim;Schrodinger's Cat was a REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM, a "jumping out of the box" so to speak, showing that the word "consciousness" does not belong in a discussion of quantum theory, unless perhaps in a chapter on the the early history of this subject when everyon was confused.Even Von Neumann went out on some pretty wild limbs when this whole flap started, though he certainly came off of them before his famous axiomatization of quantum mechanics. Furthermore, in case you missed his sequels, he would later advance the concept of "strong" artificial intelligence, which minimally agrees with modern cognitive science that consciousness is a high order function in which the quantum scale of things appears to be utterly irrelevant (and visa versa.)

How about this for a metaphor? This book is much like an otherwise excellent "biology in a nutshell" chapbook, but one which also has a few sprinklings and maybe a chapter or two on scientific creationism and intelligent design, delusions which clearly have no place in modern science.

Such is it with "quantum quackery," the notion that uncertainty gives us carte blanche to impose our metaphysical fantasies on the univerese.Intermixed with genuine erudition, to be sure, this book provides a basic groundwork for all the pseudoscience and mysticism that are the current rage in new age circles.Sadly, the author has done such a fine job with those components of quantum theory thathe actually does understand, that this seems to legitimize the rubbish with which he has filled his knowledge gaps.

In short, this book flirts with the notion of being intellectually dangerous.I'm apalled that Oxford would publish such drivel.Whatever happened to peer review?

Great intro to the quantum, from Author of Quantum Mechanics Demystified
This was the first book I ever read about quantum theory-and I found it utterly fascinating. The book is written with a great style-its like he communicates a sense of urgency in the scientific exploration that led to the development of quantum mechanics. He begins with a very well written historical intro that covers Planck's blackbody radiation, the photoelectric effect etc. In the second chapter Baggot takes a surprising turn and lays out some of the mathematical tools of quantum mechanics but in a very basic way. From here he goes into the Bohr-Einstein debates of the 20s and 30s. This part was absolutely fascinating, if you haven't read about this before you'll be blown away by the amazing intellectual challenge fought between these two geniuses. The rest of the book is devoted to the fascinating topic of Bell's theorem, entanglement and hidden variables. The book absolutely blew me away because at the time I didn't know anything about quantum mechanics. If a small bit of math doesn't put you off, I highly recommend the book. If you're a physics, math or engineering student I definitely recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
As we humans have expanded our horizons to see things vastly smaller, faster, larger, and farther than ever before, we have been forced to confront preconceptions born of the human experience and create wholly new ways of looking at the world around us.  The theories of relativity and quantum physics were developed out of this need and have provided us with phenomenal, mind-twisting insights into the strange and exciting reality show of our universe. 
 
Relativity and Quantum Physics For Beginners is an entertaining and accessible introduction to the bizarre concepts that fueled the scientific revolution of the 20th century and led to amazing advances in our understanding of the universe.  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

relativity 2 stars, quantum theory 4 stars
I thought the book did a much better job with quantum theory than relativity.For example, the twins paradox is not discussed at all in the relativity section (the first part of the book), but the modern interpretation of electrons as an ever changing collection of virtual particles is discussed in some detail toward the end of the book.I felt I learned something there.Otherwise the book just covered "the usual suspects" in pretty standard ways.The graphics are fine, and the text easy to read.In the end, I got my money's worth, in a break even sort of way. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics is an introduction to the power and elegance of quantum mechanics. Assuming little in the way of prior knowledge, quantum concepts are carefully and precisely presented, and explored through numerous applications and problems. Some of the more challenging aspects that are essential for a modern appreciation of the subject have been included, but are introduced and developed in the simplest way possible.

Undergraduates taking a first course on quantum mechanics will find this text an invaluable introduction to the field and help prepare them for more advanced courses.

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics:
· Starts from basics, reviewing relevant concepts of classical physics where needed.
· Motivates by considering weird behaviour of quantum particles.
· Presents mathematical arguments in their simplest form.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I can't really recommend this book
This book is okay, but it's not phenomenal.It would benefit from a second edition to correct some of the typos, but given that the author is now deceased, that seems unlikely.If you are buying this book for a class, I recommend supplementing your academic arsenal with an additional text, perhaps "An Introduction to Quantum Physics" by French and Taylor.If you are simply looking for a book on the subject for your own personal use, I highly recommend looking at other texts instead. ... Read more

Product Description

The new edition of a standard reference will be of interest to advanced students wishing to become familiar with the method of Green's functions for obtaining simple and general solutions to basic problems in quantum physics. The main part is devoted to the simplest kind of Green's functions, namely the solutions of linear differential equations with a -function source. It is shown that these familiar Green's functions are a powerful tool for obtaining relatively simple and general solutions of basic problems such as scattering and boundlevel information. The bound-level treatment gives a clear physical understanding of "difficult" questions such as superconductivity, the Kondo effect, and, to a lesser degree, disorder-induced localization. The more advanced subject of many-body Green's functions is presented in the last part of the book. This third edition is 50% longer than the previou and offers end-of-chapter problems and solutions (40% are solved) and additional appendices to helpit is to serve as an effective self-tutorial and self-sufficient reference. Throughout, it demonstrates the powerful and unifying formalism of Green's functions across many applications, including transport properties, carbon nanotubes, and photonics and photonic crystals.

Product Description
What is Quantum Mechanics? A Physics Adventure comprehensively traces the historical development of quantum mechanics, treating a complex subject in a light-hearted, user-friendly manner. It not only introduces the reader to the concepts of quantum mechanics, but also tells the story behind the theories. It is easy to understand for beginners because it was written by people going through the learning process themselves. Yet, even the seasoned scientist will enjoy the controversy and drama as the development of physics unfolds in the book.

Dr. Yoichiro Nambu, 2008 Nobel Prize Winner in Physics, served as a senior adviser to the student authors of What is Quantum Mechanics? A Physics Adventure at the Transnational College of LEX throughout their journey of discovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

A perfect book
This is a great book. It explains very complex subjects in a very easy-to-digest manner. I ve purchased also other books of this serrie, namely, Who is Fourier? and What is DNA?. I havent had time yet to read them, but I will soon.
These kinds of book let people know that science is not necessarily difficult to understand and follow and is accessible for EVERY ONE.
The book is written also in a very vivid way, by a couple of students who try to explain almost everything they mention there. Also the price is very reasonable. So, if you are interessted in the subject of Quantum theory, and you dont know much about it, try this book.

Ciao
Houtan

Excellent Style
A Language School explains Quantum Mechanics ...... really, really well!If you have readpopular books on this topic and are a little frustrated that you never really got to the meat of the issues then this is the book you want. It does a lot of the maths but sympathetically.The other book in the series Who Is Fourier explains the maths you need (really, really well!).

An Adventure into Physics that will not disappoint


This book, one of the first from the "Transnational College of Lex" is a tour de force in its gentle approach to complex topics. It gives an intuitive introduction to the complex, often bizarre and contradictory ideas of quantum physics.

But more importantly, it explains them in simple to understand language and does not try to finesse the mathematics. And here is where the real bonus of the Lex Series comes in: The always complex mathematics is introduced in the same gentle way: Not by taking shortcuts, or faking the reader out, but by producing examples that illustrate what the "often hard to understand" mathematical equations do, and then repeating this process further along as the reader gains facility and comfort with the math.

When the reader completes this book, he does not feel that he has been "conned" into think that he has learned about Quantum Mechanics when in fact he has not -- as is the case with the "so-called" Demystified series of books, that I have also reviewed: With the Lex series, the reader either knows that he has grasped the ideas, or how far away he is from doing so.

I have communicated directly with the writers at Lex, urging them to do a similar book on relativity. So far, and much to my dismay, that is not on their future menu of possibilities. However, I encourage those who have an interest in understanding the difficult concepts in Quantum physics to review this book first. You will not be disappointed.

Easily five stars!

Hello Kitty meets Schrodinger's cat
This is admittedly a strange format for a quantum mechanics book. However, if you do skip over the cartoons you do find a lot of mathematical steps and insights more conventional books do not bother pointing out. Many students learn the mathematical underpinnings of QM as a bunch of symbol manipulating tricks. This book delves into the math and provides the rationale for much of those hitherto mysterious steps.

I give the book four stars as the authors' usage of cartoons is often annoying and juvenile. Those who worked on the books could have used this unusual format to target a mature audience if the cartoon characters did indeed provide insightful commentary - which they often did not.

What is Quqntum Mechanics
This is an amazing book for all, specifically, physics students.Every body would have pleasure of reading this book and could gain enough detail knowledge of Quantum Mechanics, a subject which scared expert and non-expert equally.One of the beauti of this book is that you do not have to have vast knowledge of mathematics to read and understand this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The importance and the beauty of modern quantum field theory resides in the power and variety of its methods and ideas, which find application in domains as different as particle physics, cosmology, condensed matter, statistical mechanics and critical phenomena.This book introduces the reader to the modern developments in a manner which assumes no previous knowledge of quantum field theory.Along with standard topics like Feynman diagrams, the book discusses effective lagrangians, renormalization group equations, the path integral formulation, spontaneous symmetry breaking and non-abelian gauge theories.The inclusion of more advanced topics will also make this a most useful book for graduate students and researchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Exciting approach with dense chapters
I like the approach of this book in the sense that it first treats groups and the transformations that comprise representations of the groups. Then it moves to the construction of various spinor fields.Only once the full equipment of transformations on these fields has been explained, does the book move into Lagrangian field theory.Then, finally, it treats the quantization of the fields.For a first field theory text (which this is for me) I like this approach because it shows the more exciting and exotic material at the very beginning.

Though I like the broad arrangement of the material, individual sections can be a bit obtuse from time to time.They are very dense and frequently seek to explain things in the most general sense, even when the most general sense is not the clearest or most intuitive.

Clean and understandable
This book presents the basics of QFT in a form that is very understandable.The author starts by presenting Lie algebra, which is used to justify spinors.A spinor Lagrangian then creates the Dirac equation.This approach makes the Dirac equation seem as natural as the Maxwell equation.I have previously seen two other books that took the approach of taking Schrodinger's equation and relativity and mashing the two together using Pauli matrices as glue.That never sat well with me and I was glad to see some justification.The clear, consistent, modern notation was a great help - I have seen other books that mix Einstein notation with bold-face 4-vectors using dot products, etc.I also found it helpful to have a concise book to introduce the concepts without getting bogged down in examples with equations spanning the entire page (this book does however have examples at the end of the chapters).

The next chapters introduce quantization, perturbation theory, non-abelian theories, etc.I only got through half the book as it was just some summer reading for me, but paging through the latter half makes me look forward to having the time to finish it.

A Wonderful Book For Quickly Learning The Meat Of QFT
This book is short and to the point.The author has a good sense for the heart of the subject and how to present it in an efficient way.I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to either a.) learn the meat of QFT quickly or b.) wants a good reference which quickly reviews the most important parts of QFT.Since the technical details are important, I would highly recommend using this book in conjunction with a book with more technical details like the one by Peskin and Schroeder. (However, this book does have a lot of good information for its size.)Reading this book will help catalyze your understanding of the details in a more technical book. ... Read more

Product Description

This volume provides a detailed discussion of the mathematical aspects and physical applications of a new geometrical structure of space-time, based on a generalization ("deformation") of the usual Minkowski space, as supposed to be endowed with a metric whose coefficients depend on the energy. This new five-dimensional scheme (Deformed Relativity in Five Dimensions, DR5) represents a true generalization of the usual Kaluza-Klein (KK) formalism.