Author: Travis Norsen
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319658670
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 316
Book Description
Authored by an acclaimed teacher of quantum physics and philosophy, this textbook pays special attention to the aspects that many courses sweep under the carpet. Traditional courses in quantum mechanics teach students how to use the quantum formalism to make calculations. But even the best students - indeed, especially the best students - emerge rather confused about what, exactly, the theory says is going on, physically, in microscopic systems. This supplementary textbook is designed to help such students understand that they are not alone in their confusions (luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, and John Stewart Bell having shared them), to sharpen their understanding of the most important difficulties associated with interpreting quantum theory in a realistic manner, and to introduce them to the most promising attempts to formulate the theory in a way that is physically clear and coherent. The text is accessible to students with at least one semester of prior exposure to quantum (or "modern") physics and includes over a hundred engaging end-of-chapter "Projects" that make the book suitable for either a traditional classroom or for self-study.
Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: Travis Norsen
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319658670
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 316
Book Description
Authored by an acclaimed teacher of quantum physics and philosophy, this textbook pays special attention to the aspects that many courses sweep under the carpet. Traditional courses in quantum mechanics teach students how to use the quantum formalism to make calculations. But even the best students - indeed, especially the best students - emerge rather confused about what, exactly, the theory says is going on, physically, in microscopic systems. This supplementary textbook is designed to help such students understand that they are not alone in their confusions (luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, and John Stewart Bell having shared them), to sharpen their understanding of the most important difficulties associated with interpreting quantum theory in a realistic manner, and to introduce them to the most promising attempts to formulate the theory in a way that is physically clear and coherent. The text is accessible to students with at least one semester of prior exposure to quantum (or "modern") physics and includes over a hundred engaging end-of-chapter "Projects" that make the book suitable for either a traditional classroom or for self-study.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319658670
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 316
Book Description
Authored by an acclaimed teacher of quantum physics and philosophy, this textbook pays special attention to the aspects that many courses sweep under the carpet. Traditional courses in quantum mechanics teach students how to use the quantum formalism to make calculations. But even the best students - indeed, especially the best students - emerge rather confused about what, exactly, the theory says is going on, physically, in microscopic systems. This supplementary textbook is designed to help such students understand that they are not alone in their confusions (luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, and John Stewart Bell having shared them), to sharpen their understanding of the most important difficulties associated with interpreting quantum theory in a realistic manner, and to introduce them to the most promising attempts to formulate the theory in a way that is physically clear and coherent. The text is accessible to students with at least one semester of prior exposure to quantum (or "modern") physics and includes over a hundred engaging end-of-chapter "Projects" that make the book suitable for either a traditional classroom or for self-study.
New Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: Alfred Lande
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107593549
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 185
Book Description
Originally published in 1965, the aim of this book was to challenge the dualistic view of physics, that is, the assumption that beams of electrons consist of discrete particles and of waves. Lande argues that this dualistic view is unnecessary, not only on methodological grounds but also from the standpoint of physics. Lande sets out to point out that there are faults in the purely physical arguments, which have led to the dualistic doctrine and shows that by making use of the quantum rule for the exchange of linear momentum, established by W. Duane in 1923, wave-like phenomena can be fully explained on a unitary particle theory of matter. Chapters cover a variety of subjects and range from 'Dualism versus quantum mechanics' to the 'Origin of the quantum rules'. Appendices are included for reference. This book will be of value to students and scholars of the history of physics.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107593549
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 185
Book Description
Originally published in 1965, the aim of this book was to challenge the dualistic view of physics, that is, the assumption that beams of electrons consist of discrete particles and of waves. Lande argues that this dualistic view is unnecessary, not only on methodological grounds but also from the standpoint of physics. Lande sets out to point out that there are faults in the purely physical arguments, which have led to the dualistic doctrine and shows that by making use of the quantum rule for the exchange of linear momentum, established by W. Duane in 1923, wave-like phenomena can be fully explained on a unitary particle theory of matter. Chapters cover a variety of subjects and range from 'Dualism versus quantum mechanics' to the 'Origin of the quantum rules'. Appendices are included for reference. This book will be of value to students and scholars of the history of physics.
The Theoretical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: Belal E. Baaquie
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 146146224X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274
Book Description
The Theoretical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics addresses fundamental issues that are not discussed in most books on quantum mechanics. This book focuses on analyzing the underlying principles of quantum mechanics and explaining the conceptual and theoretical underpinning of quantum mechanics. In particular, the concepts of quantum indeterminacy, quantum measurement and quantum superposition are analyzed to clarify the concepts that are implicit in the formulation of quantum mechanics. The Schrodinger equation is never solved in the book. Rather, the discussion on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics is treated in a rigorous manner based on the mathematics of quantum mechanics. The new concept of the interplay of empirical and trans-empirical constructs in quantum mechanics is introduced to clarify the foundations of quantum mechanics and to explain the counter-intuitive construction of nature in quantum mechanics. The Theoretical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics is aimed at the advanced undergraduate and assumes introductory knowledge of quantum mechanics. Its objective is to provide a solid foundation for the reader to reach a deeper understanding of the principles of quantum mechanics.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 146146224X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274
Book Description
The Theoretical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics addresses fundamental issues that are not discussed in most books on quantum mechanics. This book focuses on analyzing the underlying principles of quantum mechanics and explaining the conceptual and theoretical underpinning of quantum mechanics. In particular, the concepts of quantum indeterminacy, quantum measurement and quantum superposition are analyzed to clarify the concepts that are implicit in the formulation of quantum mechanics. The Schrodinger equation is never solved in the book. Rather, the discussion on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics is treated in a rigorous manner based on the mathematics of quantum mechanics. The new concept of the interplay of empirical and trans-empirical constructs in quantum mechanics is introduced to clarify the foundations of quantum mechanics and to explain the counter-intuitive construction of nature in quantum mechanics. The Theoretical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics is aimed at the advanced undergraduate and assumes introductory knowledge of quantum mechanics. Its objective is to provide a solid foundation for the reader to reach a deeper understanding of the principles of quantum mechanics.
Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: John von Neumann
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691028934
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 462
Book Description
A revolutionary book that for the first time provided a rigorous mathematical framework for quantum mechanics. -- Google books
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 9780691028934
Category : Mathematics
Languages : en
Pages : 462
Book Description
A revolutionary book that for the first time provided a rigorous mathematical framework for quantum mechanics. -- Google books
Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, an Empiricist Approach
Author: W.M. de Muynck
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0306480476
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 700
Book Description
Taking a new perspective provided by a generalization of the mathematical formalism encompassing positive operator-valued measures, this book views old and new problems of the foundations of quantum mechanics. It demonstrates the crucial role of the generalized formalism in fundamental issues and practical applications.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0306480476
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 700
Book Description
Taking a new perspective provided by a generalization of the mathematical formalism encompassing positive operator-valued measures, this book views old and new problems of the foundations of quantum mechanics. It demonstrates the crucial role of the generalized formalism in fundamental issues and practical applications.
The Conceptual Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: Jeffrey A. Barrett
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198844689
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
"The book starts with a description of classical mechanics then discusses the quantum phenomena that require us to give up our commonsense classical intuitions. We consider the physical and conceptual arguments that led to the standard von Neumann-Dirac formulation of quantum mechanics and how the standard theory explains quantum phenomena. This includes a discussion of how the theory's two dynamical laws work with the standard interpretation of states to explain determinate measurement records, quantum statistics, interference effects, entanglement, decoherence, and quantum nonlocality. A careful understanding of how the standard theory works ultimately leads to the quantum measurement problem. We consider how the measurement problem threatens the logical consistency of the standard theory then turn to a discussion of the main proposals for resolving it. This includes collapse formulations of quantum mechanics like Wigner's extension of the standard theory and the GRW approach and no-collapse formulations like pure wave mechanics, the various many-worlds theories, and Bohmian mechanics. In discussing alternative formulations of quantum mechanics we pay particular attention to the explanatory role played by each theory's empirical ontology and associated metaphysical commitments and the conceptual trade-offs between theoretical options"--
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0198844689
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 268
Book Description
"The book starts with a description of classical mechanics then discusses the quantum phenomena that require us to give up our commonsense classical intuitions. We consider the physical and conceptual arguments that led to the standard von Neumann-Dirac formulation of quantum mechanics and how the standard theory explains quantum phenomena. This includes a discussion of how the theory's two dynamical laws work with the standard interpretation of states to explain determinate measurement records, quantum statistics, interference effects, entanglement, decoherence, and quantum nonlocality. A careful understanding of how the standard theory works ultimately leads to the quantum measurement problem. We consider how the measurement problem threatens the logical consistency of the standard theory then turn to a discussion of the main proposals for resolving it. This includes collapse formulations of quantum mechanics like Wigner's extension of the standard theory and the GRW approach and no-collapse formulations like pure wave mechanics, the various many-worlds theories, and Bohmian mechanics. In discussing alternative formulations of quantum mechanics we pay particular attention to the explanatory role played by each theory's empirical ontology and associated metaphysical commitments and the conceptual trade-offs between theoretical options"--
Quantum Mechanics
Author: Donald Gary Swanson
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1584887532
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 350
Book Description
Progressing from the fundamentals of quantum mechanics (QM) to more complicated topics, Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive examination of many applications that pertain to modern physics and engineering. Based on courses taught by the author, this textboo
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1584887532
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 350
Book Description
Progressing from the fundamentals of quantum mechanics (QM) to more complicated topics, Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive examination of many applications that pertain to modern physics and engineering. Based on courses taught by the author, this textboo
Quantum Information Theory and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Author: Christopher G. Timpson
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191662909
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 308
Book Description
Quantum Information Theory and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics is a conceptual analysis of one the most prominent and exciting new areas of physics, providing the first full-length philosophical treatment of quantum information theory and the questions it raises for our understanding of the quantum world. Beginning from a careful, revisionary, analysis of the concepts of information in the everyday and classical information-theory settings, Christopher G. Timpson argues for an ontologically deflationary account of the nature of quantum information. Against what many have supposed, quantum information can be clearly defined (it is not a primitive or vague notion) but it is not part of the material contents of the world. Timpson's account sheds light on the nature of nonlocality and information flow in the presence of entanglement and, in particular, dissolves puzzles surrounding the remarkable process of quantum teleportation. In addition it permits a clear view of what the ontological and methodological lessons provided by quantum information theory are; lessons which bear on the gripping question of what role a concept like information has to play in fundamental physics. Topics discussed include the slogan 'Information is Physical', the prospects for an informational immaterialism (the view that information rather than matter might fundamentally constitute the world), and the status of the Church-Turing hypothesis in light of quantum computation. With a clear grasp of the concept of information in hand, Timpson turns his attention to the pressing question of whether advances in quantum information theory pave the way for the resolution of the traditional conceptual problems of quantum mechanics: the deep problems which loom over measurement, nonlocality and the general nature of quantum ontology. He marks out a number of common pitfalls to be avoided before analysing in detail some concrete proposals, including the radical quantum Bayesian programme of Caves, Fuchs, and Schack. One central moral which is drawn is that, for all the interest that the quantum information-inspired approaches hold, no cheap resolutions to the traditional problems of quantum mechanics are to be had.
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191662909
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 308
Book Description
Quantum Information Theory and the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics is a conceptual analysis of one the most prominent and exciting new areas of physics, providing the first full-length philosophical treatment of quantum information theory and the questions it raises for our understanding of the quantum world. Beginning from a careful, revisionary, analysis of the concepts of information in the everyday and classical information-theory settings, Christopher G. Timpson argues for an ontologically deflationary account of the nature of quantum information. Against what many have supposed, quantum information can be clearly defined (it is not a primitive or vague notion) but it is not part of the material contents of the world. Timpson's account sheds light on the nature of nonlocality and information flow in the presence of entanglement and, in particular, dissolves puzzles surrounding the remarkable process of quantum teleportation. In addition it permits a clear view of what the ontological and methodological lessons provided by quantum information theory are; lessons which bear on the gripping question of what role a concept like information has to play in fundamental physics. Topics discussed include the slogan 'Information is Physical', the prospects for an informational immaterialism (the view that information rather than matter might fundamentally constitute the world), and the status of the Church-Turing hypothesis in light of quantum computation. With a clear grasp of the concept of information in hand, Timpson turns his attention to the pressing question of whether advances in quantum information theory pave the way for the resolution of the traditional conceptual problems of quantum mechanics: the deep problems which loom over measurement, nonlocality and the general nature of quantum ontology. He marks out a number of common pitfalls to be avoided before analysing in detail some concrete proposals, including the radical quantum Bayesian programme of Caves, Fuchs, and Schack. One central moral which is drawn is that, for all the interest that the quantum information-inspired approaches hold, no cheap resolutions to the traditional problems of quantum mechanics are to be had.
Quantum Mechanics: Foundations and Applications
Author: Arno Böhm
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9783540781172
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 688
Book Description
This edition differs from the second chiefly in the addition of about 100 pages devoted to the quantum (or geometric, or Berry) phase, a subject that did not exist when this book was written. The changes in the remainder of the book consist of corrections of a small number of misprints. While it may seem that adding two chapters on the quantum phase is overemphasizing a currently fashionable subject, they actually complete the development of quantum theory as given in this book. We start with simple models, synthesizing them into complicated "molecules." With the new chap ters. we end with complicated "molecules," dividing them into simpler parts. This process of dividing a complex system into parts quite naturally gives rise to a gauge theory, of which the geometric phase is a manifestation - with consequences not only in theory, but observable in experiments. For this rea son, the geometric phase is not a mere fashion, but a discovery that will retain its importance forever and must be discussed in textbooks on quantum mechanics. to acknowledge help and advice from Mark Loewe with the I would like writing and also of the new part of the book. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to J. Anandan, M. Berry, and c.A. Mead, who have read parts or all of the new material and have provided valuable advice.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9783540781172
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 688
Book Description
This edition differs from the second chiefly in the addition of about 100 pages devoted to the quantum (or geometric, or Berry) phase, a subject that did not exist when this book was written. The changes in the remainder of the book consist of corrections of a small number of misprints. While it may seem that adding two chapters on the quantum phase is overemphasizing a currently fashionable subject, they actually complete the development of quantum theory as given in this book. We start with simple models, synthesizing them into complicated "molecules." With the new chap ters. we end with complicated "molecules," dividing them into simpler parts. This process of dividing a complex system into parts quite naturally gives rise to a gauge theory, of which the geometric phase is a manifestation - with consequences not only in theory, but observable in experiments. For this rea son, the geometric phase is not a mere fashion, but a discovery that will retain its importance forever and must be discussed in textbooks on quantum mechanics. to acknowledge help and advice from Mark Loewe with the I would like writing and also of the new part of the book. In addition, I would like to express my gratitude to J. Anandan, M. Berry, and c.A. Mead, who have read parts or all of the new material and have provided valuable advice.
Foundations of Quantum Physics
Author: Charles E. Burkhardt
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387776524
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 530
Book Description
This book is meant to be a text for a ?rst course in quantum physics. It is assumed that the student has had courses in Modern Physics and in mathematics through differential equations. The book is otherwise self-contained and does not rely on outside resources such as the internet to supplement the material. SI units are used throughoutexcept for those topics for which atomic units are especially convenient. It is our belief that for a physics major a quantum physics textbook should be more than a one- or two-semester acquaintance. Consequently, this book contains material that, while germane to the subject, the instructor might choose to omit because of time limitations. There are topics and examples included that are not normally covered in introductory textbooks. These topics are not necessarily too advanced, they are simply not usually covered. We have not, however, presumed to tell the instructor which topics must be included and which may be omitted. It is our intention that omitted subjects are available for future reference in a book that is already familiar to its owner. In short, it is our hope that the student will use the book as a reference after having completed the course. We have included at the end of most chapters a “Retrospective” of the chapter. Thisis notmeanttobemerelya summary,but,rather,anoverviewoftheimportance ofthe material andits placein the contextofpreviousandforthcomingchapters.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387776524
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 530
Book Description
This book is meant to be a text for a ?rst course in quantum physics. It is assumed that the student has had courses in Modern Physics and in mathematics through differential equations. The book is otherwise self-contained and does not rely on outside resources such as the internet to supplement the material. SI units are used throughoutexcept for those topics for which atomic units are especially convenient. It is our belief that for a physics major a quantum physics textbook should be more than a one- or two-semester acquaintance. Consequently, this book contains material that, while germane to the subject, the instructor might choose to omit because of time limitations. There are topics and examples included that are not normally covered in introductory textbooks. These topics are not necessarily too advanced, they are simply not usually covered. We have not, however, presumed to tell the instructor which topics must be included and which may be omitted. It is our intention that omitted subjects are available for future reference in a book that is already familiar to its owner. In short, it is our hope that the student will use the book as a reference after having completed the course. We have included at the end of most chapters a “Retrospective” of the chapter. Thisis notmeanttobemerelya summary,but,rather,anoverviewoftheimportance ofthe material andits placein the contextofpreviousandforthcomingchapters.