Overview
Extensively uses computer graphics and pictures to visualize the subject of quantum mechanics
Contains more than a hundred problems designed to help students extract the physics from the figures
Complements any standard textbook on quantum mechanics, providing insights into the dynamical structure of quantum theory
Presents all computer graphics in full color, and contains additional physics topics such as hybridization, bound states and scattering
Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras
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Table of contents (18 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Keywords
About this book
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.
Reviews
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)Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Dr. Hans Dieter Dahmen is Professor Emeritus of Theoretical Physics at the University of Siegen, Germany.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: The Picture Book of Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Siegmund Brandt, Hans Dieter Dahmen
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3951-6
Publisher: Springer New York, NY
eBook Packages: Physics and Astronomy, Physics and Astronomy (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2012
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4614-3950-9Published: 19 July 2012
Softcover ISBN: 978-1-4939-3695-3Published: 19 July 2012
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4614-3951-6Published: 18 July 2012
Edition Number: 4
Number of Pages: XVI, 472
Topics: Quantum Physics, Numerical and Computational Physics, Simulation, Quantum Information Technology, Spintronics