Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Course information:

• Instructor: Philip Argyres (email: philip.argyres@uc.edu).
• Class times: MWF 12:20-1:15 p.m. Braunstein 316.
• Class structure:  Short (30-minute) lectures will also be prerecorded and made available via Zoom.  I will email links to the pre-recorded lectures and the class sessions.  The pre-recorded lectures are to be watched before the live class meetings.  The live classes will consist of questions, discussions, and problem solving.
  
• Office hours: Online by email appointment---generally between 9am-4pm, M-F.
  
• Text: A modern approach to quantum mechanics by J.S.Townsend, 2nd ed. (University Science Books, 2012). If you have a problem locating a copy of this text, please email me.
• Learning outcomes: Students will be able to describe the axioms of quantum mechanics and to apply them to a variety of physical systems, including non-relativistic three-dimensional bound state and scattering problems.
• Content: This course aims to introduce you to "quantum mechanics" which is the conceptual and mathematical framework and foundation for most of modern physics. This course should be your second course in quantum mechanics (after a semester introduction in, e.g., a second year "modern physics" course), but will probably be the first one which explains its fundamental structure and logic. We will emphasize both developing a conceptual understanding of, as well as a practical calculational facility for dealing with quantum mechanical problems. This will be a challenging, upper-division physics course which likely will cover its material at a higher level of conceptual and mathematical sophistication than you may have encountered in a physics class so far.
• Readings: About a dozen reading assignments per semester (to be detailed in the schedule shown below). Reading the text in advance is essential. I will assume that you have already read the assigned material for each class meeting, and will focus in class on discussion, questions, and problem solving. Come to class prepared with questions from the reading!
• Problem sets: About a eight problem sets per semester (linked in the schedule below). Completed problem sets are to be emailed to me by midnight of the due date. Solutions will be made available online the next day, so no late homeworks will be accepted. Problem sets should be written up individually; see the paragraph below about the course (and university) policies on academic misconduct (ie, cheating or enabling cheating).
• Note on how to submit problem set solutions: Type/scan/photograph your problem set solution and save and it as a single clearly legible pdf file of reasonable size (eg, less than 1MB/page), then email it to me. That way I will be able to write comments on it and return it to you.
• Note on collaborating: I strongly encourage collaboration, an essential skill in science and engineering. Find partners and work together: you will learn a lot, and it will save you time. But limit yourself to verbal help: do not take written information from others and do not take written notes when you talk to others. Think things through independently after you get help. If you do well on homework and poorly on exams, you are probably getting too much help.
• Exams: three timed "in class" written exams per semester (details in the schedule below). Exams are open book.
• Grades: Problem sets will count for about half of your grade. Each problem in a problem set is worth one point unless otherwise indicated. In general, no credit will be given for a correct answer, unless accompanied by a complete and correct derivation. Exams will count for the remaining half of the course grade. All exams are of equal weight. In the unusual case of an (at most, single) excused absence from an exam, I'll use an average of your other exams. I will assign course grades according to the percentage of the course material mastered as follows: A+ = 95% - 100% (stellar), A = 90% - 95% (excellent), A- = 85% - 90% (very good), B's = 70% - 85% (good), C's = 60% - 70% (fair), D's = 50% - 60% (poor), F = 0% - 50% (fail).