Customer Reviews:
A meticulous account by a man who was there.......2007-09-26
This wonderful book lays out the thought process by which Dirac's formulation of quantum mechanics, with its much-handwaved-about "bra" and "ket" notation, came to be. Dirac makes minimal assumptions about the reader's prior education (appropriate, since the first edition was published in an age when a thorough scientific education comprised Homer, Virgil, Euclid, and Newton), so there are none of those annoying allusions of the form, "from which, of course, the insights of [famous name X] allow us to conclude that ..." In fact, there are extremely few footnotes of any kind, and they are not needed, as this work is neatly self-contained.
Dirac is marvelously careful in calling attention to the guesses he makes along the way, so the careful reader can see what Dirac's premises are as well as what can be logically derived from them.
Simply the Best.......2007-09-05
Quite simply, this is the most important book written on the foundations of physics in the last 100 years. I read this when I was 18 & it persuaded me to pursue a career in theoretical physics. It is still one of the few books in physics that I return to after 40 years.
Life is too short, so just read the 'Masters' - Dirac is the greatest master of physics in the 20th Century.
Impressive.......2006-05-04
As anothers reviewers state don't expect to learn QM from this book -actually I think Cohen-Tannoudji is one of the best for this purpose-, but if you know already some quantum mechanics you'll find a very clear and elegant introduction of the dirac formalism of QM. I like it very much.
Don't miss reading Dirac.......2005-06-23
The first edition of this book (including bras, kets and all that) was published when the author was 28. Ponder that a bit, you hot-shots who would scrimp on the stars you give this book.
I agree with an earlier reviewer that the first chapter alone justifies buying the book. I've long kept this book on my shelf to remind myself about how beautifully expository prose can be written, and how far I have to go to equal it.
BTW, in my experience it's possible to learn a lot from it about QM even as a first book on the subject, if you know some linear algebra.
A very readable classic.......2004-11-06
When Quantum Mechanics was being developed, during the 1920s, Dirac wrote some early papers on the subject. But they were messy, abounding with all sorts of complicated integrals! Reading them, it was easy to miss the forest for the trees.
That made this book, when it came out in 1930, all the more powerful. As Dirac said in his introduction, he tried to keep physics to the forefront, and began with an entirely physical chapter. Later editions were a further improvement in that respect: this one is the fourth, and I like it very much. I think it's a good way to start learning the subject. For anyone who has made it through a college course on linear algebra, the first few chapters will be very easy. You'll enjoy superposing states, and calculating amplitudes and probabilities.
That said, in no way is the whole book elementary! Quite the contrary. It covers all the main topics: harmonic oscillators, the hydrogen atom, perturbation theory including the anomalous Zeeman effect, scattering problems, emission and absorption of photons, relativistic quantum mechanics, and quantum electrodynamics, including creation and annihilation operators. Still, he's always reminding us of the underlying physics, and explaining, for example, that even quantum electrodynamics is not a complete description of nature, but breaks down at high enough energies.
Even though this edition of the book is from the 1950s, it's aging very well.
Book Description
Reviews from the First Edition:
"An excellent text … The postulates of quantum mechanics and the mathematical underpinnings are discussed in a clear, succinct manner." (American Scientist)
"No matter how gently one introduces students to the concept of Dirac’s bras and kets, many are turned off. Shankar attacks the problem head-on in the first chapter, and in a very informal style suggests that there is nothing to be frightened of." (Physics Bulletin)
Reviews of the Second Edition:
"This massive text of 700 and odd pages has indeed an excellent get-up, is very verbal and expressive, and has extensively worked out calculational details---all just right for a first course. The style is conversational, more like a corridor talk or lecture notes, though arranged as a text. … It would be particularly useful to beginning students and those in allied areas like quantum chemistry." (Mathematical Reviews)
R. Shankar has introduced major additions and updated key presentations in this second edition of Principles of Quantum Mechanics. New features of this innovative text include an entirely rewritten mathematical introduction, a discussion of Time-reversal invariance, and extensive coverage of a variety of path integrals and their applications. Additional highlights include:
- Clear, accessible treatment of underlying mathematics
- A review of Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian mechanics
- Student understanding of quantum theory is enhanced by separate treatment of mathematical theorems and physical postulates
- Unsurpassed coverage of path integrals and their relevance in contemporary physics
The requisite text for advanced undergraduate- and graduate-level students, Principles of Quantum Mechanics, Second Edition is fully referenced and is supported by many exercises and solutions. The book’s self-contained chapters also make it suitable for independent study as well as for courses in applied disciplines.
Customer Reviews:
Does the job... but could be better.......2007-10-06
This book covers all the important material, and is not unintelligible, but anyone who really wants to learn quantum mechanics would benefit from using Griffiths Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition) .
Good Author, Poor typist.......2007-09-26
I have been through the first few chapters of the book. Although the material presented is very accessible and the questions are doable and related to the section they conclude. I am extremely surprised how poor is the typesetting used in producing the book. The identification used to mark important points is simply by italicizing them. This was barely useful for a book that uses a small size font. It gets even worse when you try to look for an exercise as you have to spend some time skimming line after line through the whole section till you find the exercise! It might take a few minutes!
Not great for first time QM students.......2007-09-26
I am taking a class that reviews QM but unfortunately I never took QM as an undergrad. So this book isn't very good if you are trying to get a comprehensive overview of QM. It seemed to have a lot of derivations and information though so if you are looking for a more in depth course this will probably help.
All is not well with QM?.......2007-08-08
I think the book is well organized. However, I am not accustomed to the specific vector symbology used in Chapter 1. The notation I am know comes from EM Theory (i.e. Maxwells Eqns, Matrix Theory, etc.). Are all QM vector notations like this?
Great for engineers who need to self-study this material.......2007-07-25
This is a great book for engineering students who want to learn quantum mechanics. The book is really very clear and self-contained, starting with a chapter on the mathematics that you need to understand the topics in the rest of the book. That chapter on math starts with the concepts of vectors and matrices and proceeds on to show how the concepts can be generalized to infinite dimensions. There are lots of examples throughout the book (even labeled step 1, step 2, etc.) and solved problems so that you can check your understanding of the subject matter at appropriate junctions. The book then moves on to review classical mechanics before finally introducing QM on page 115. Current students of physics may find this book slow moving, but all of the engineers I've talked to that have used this book think it is a great introduction to the field. Particularly helpful is the fact that this book introduces "ket" notation from the beginning. For engineers who have seen the same notation employed in statistics and information theory, the lack of an explanation of the notation is a source of great confusion and this early explanation is very helpful. The "Schaum's Outline of Quantum Mechanics" makes a nice supplement to this book.
Customer Reviews:
Bad from title to end.......2007-03-03
The only thing mysterious here is how this great scientist has managed to muddle up his own theory in this book to the point where its unintelligible. It takes him a chapter to state that the electron does not have a velocity or a path in the classical sense. And why give this book such a blatant appealing title to lure beginners to pay money for this trash. No examples or end-of-chapter problems either. Read Lev Landau instead.
A Good Hard Read.......2005-06-18
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It uses technical language (which can at times can become difficult), to express the physical context surrounding the development of Quantum mechanics, and deal with the matter at hand (pardon the pun). Quantum theory has a reputation as being difficult, confronting and unbelievable. However this book expresses logically and in detail, the physical principles of the Quantum theory, by the great Werner Heisenberg himself.
A great book if your thought needs provoking...
Heisenberg's motivation.......2004-01-22
Not really for beginners in spite of appearances, this book sketches Heisenberg's path in discovering the canonical commutation rules of quantum mechanics. After trying unsuccessfully for years to quantize the helium atom via the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization rules (which attempt Einstein had already explained in 1917 to be hopeless, because the classical 3-body problem is nonintegrable), Heisenberg was finally motivated by the example of relativity (where absolute time had to be abandoned) to give up the assumption that the position and momentum of a point particle are simultaneously predictable. To follow Heisenberg's reasoning the reader must first understand action-angle variables in classical mechanics. With Einstein's 1917 paper in hindsight, the three body problem representing the helium atom energy spectrum was finally approximated semi-clasically around 1990 based on a path-integral approximation to a chaotic Hamiltonian system.
Great book, but beginners beware.......2003-02-04
This book is excellent--BUT you must have a very keen appreciation of what is happening with the mathematics in order to understand its intensity. If you are just beginning your study of quantum mechanics, I would not recommend this to you unless you just wanted to blur your vision. First, get your tools sharpened with introductory level books and then, maybe, try to tackle this. Its pretty rough, but if you get there it is well worth it.
A classic in quantum mechanics.......2001-12-20
This book is the standard introduction to - well, to the physical principles underlying the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics. While it is dated in terms of that mathematical formalism, it has never been superseded in its analyses. Every serious student of quantum physics will encounter it, sooner or later, in the original or in paraphrases in newer monographs on quantum theory.
Customer Reviews:
Mach's Principle Conference.......2007-02-11
I'm hopeful that we will be hearing more about Mach's Principle in the future. Modern Physics may provide the theoretical underpinings that eluded Mach and his contemporaries. It was fascinating to learn just how sketchy Mach's contribution's were- and that the development of a theory of inertia were instead made by Mach's colleges. My only regrets were that the work of Dennis Sciama and Roger Penrose were not included. This book illuminates a topic in physics that is controversial, problematic, and very interesting.
Informative and Entertaining.......2001-12-16
If you are interested in Mach's Principle, you will like this book . Experts discuss what Mach really intended when he formulated his principle. The book provides english translations of some classic articles on Mach's Principle, and it discusses some of the lastest research and thinking on the topic. I recommend it very highly.
Book Description
Geared toward upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in applied mathematics, this text develops the subject in a systematic and logical manner from a minimal set of axioms. Special physical problems, with suggestions for solutions, appear in the numerous sets of exercises. 1967 edition.
Average customer rating:
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Quantum-Classical Correspondence: Dynamical Quantization and the Classical Limit (The Frontiers Collection)
A.O. Bolivar
Manufacturer: Springer
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ASIN: 3540201467 |
Book Description
At what level of physical existence does "quantum behavior" begin? How does it develop from classical mechanics? This book addresses these questions and thereby sheds light on fundamental conceptual problems of quantum mechanics.
Quantum-Classical Correspondence elucidates the problem by developing a procedure for quantizing stochastic systems (e.g. Brownian systems) described by Fokker-Planck equations. The logical consistency of the scheme is then verified by taking the classical limit of the equations of motion and corresponding physical quantities. Perhaps equally important, conceptual problems concerning the relationship between classical and quantum physics are identified and discussed. Physical scientists will find this an accessible entrée to an intriguing and thorny issue at the core of modern physics.
Customer Reviews:
clear narrative of concepts.......2006-12-25
Leach explains how to do serious molecular modelling. Naturally, this has to be done by computer simulations. The text is a blend of the physical principles and equations needed, and how to implement as code. For example, there is the Lennard-Jones potential for intermolecular attraction. But modelling using this often also involves a cutoff. The problem with the latter is that it can create discontinuities in both the potential and the force [which is the derivate of the former]. You can shown how to suitably modify matters to avoid these complications.
Another familiar potential is the Morse potential, used to model bond stretching. Empirical but very useful, and in general quite adequate for most simulations.
The text even has an example of modelling a high temperature superconductor. Partly to enhance the relevance of the narrative for practical applications.
Comprehensive and self-contained.......2005-07-01
In this book, Andrew Leach has done a great job in putting in almost every important concept, sundry as well as significant, from the field of computational chemistry and molecular modeling. From basic but very useful concepts like atom types, Z matrices, and force field parametrization, to advanced topics like Ewald Sums and Low Mode Monte Carlo conformational searching, Leach gives due importance to everything. The discussions on quantum mechanics in the first few chapters are moderate on the mathematics without shying away from it, and provide just the right amount of detail. Later chapters cover the whole gamut of computational techniques, from Molecular Dynamics and Molecular Mechanics, to Moelcular Similarity and QSAR. Examples that are relevant in chemistry and biology are scattered throughout the book and illustrate every key idea. There are many good books for Computational Chemistry and Molecular Modeling, and some are good for a few topics, others for other ones. However, if one wants to get a grip on ALL important topics in the area, I think this is the most comprehensive reference that one can look up.
An excellent overview.......2004-06-04
Good:
This book gives an excellent overview of molecular simulation techniques starting with quantum mechanics ab initio type calculations and going up through molecular dynamics and polymer simulation. It gives a good step up from your standard physical chemistry text (such as Atkins or Chang) to being able to read the literature on modern molecular modelling techniques.
Bad:
The treatment of many methods is somewhat superficial.
The book was first written in 1996 and updated in 2000 - it is starting to get a bit out of date.
Overall I would recommend this as a solid introduction and reference.
The bible.......2003-02-12
If you could choose only one book about molecular modelling - this should be it. Everything is covered, more or less thourough, from ab initio to molecular docking, algorithms, force fields, molecular dynamics, etc. It is well written, but also works well if you want to look up single key words. The book can be read by novices to molecular modelling as well as it is useful for experts. I can highly recommend it.
Review by a molecular tyro.......2002-11-20
I'd like to recommend this book from the perspective of someone who is new to the field. I have only an informal background in chemistry and biology and an undergraduate physics degree that's 20 years old. Mr. Leach works through a broad range of material, from numeric solutions to the quantum equations for a molecule to algorithms for searching through the conformational space. His descriptions have to be concise in order to fit the enormous volume of material he has to cover, yet I found that I had no trouble following along. He often takes a historical approach. I found this effective. I would find myself wandering down blind alleys when examining the early solutions, then read the later art and have a greater appreciation for the problem than if the ultimate answer were presented first. I have been able to use much of the book as a practical guide in my work.
Frankly, I'm amazed that someone with a professional life can find the time to put together a book of this scope.
Average customer rating:
- Excellent textbook
- Fantastic explanation of theory with math
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Principles of Quantum Mechanics: As Applied to Chemistry and Chemical Physics
Donald D. Fitts
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Book Description
Quantum behavior encompasses a large fraction of modern science and technology, including the laws of chemistry and the properties of crystals, semiconductors, and superfluids. This graduate-level text presents the basic principles of quantum mechanics using modern mathematical techniques and theoretical concepts, such as hermitian operators, Hilbert space, Dirac notation, and ladder operators. The first two chapters serve as an introduction to quantum theory with a discussion of wave motion and Schrödinger's wave mechanics. Coverage then details the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics. Throughout, basic theory is clearly illustrated and applied to the harmonic oscillator, angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, the variation method, perturbation theory, and nuclear motion. This volume is the ideal textbook for beginning graduate students in chemistry, chemical physics, molecular physics and materials science.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent textbook.......2002-08-02
Despite its title, this book contains few applications to chemistry. What distinguishes it from most QM texts is the absence of physics-specific applications like solid state, and the careful, step-by-step process by which the author derives results. I'd recommend it to anyone (chemist, physicist, whatever) who wants to know nonrelativistic quantum theory. It's also a handy reference for a few subjects that have wide use outside QM, like group velocity and spherical harmonics. The style is a bit dry, and I doubt that I'll ever read it cover to cover, but as a textbook it's hard to beat.
Fantastic explanation of theory with math.......2001-10-24
This is exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to put a face to some of the more complex theories and physics that I've been studying on my own about the fundamentals of some string and quantum mechanics theories. He starts from the beginning and goes nice and fast, however its nice small steps he takes, you can read it at any pace but its a LOT packed into it. I'm just glad he was able to finish it without going crazy :) Thanks for taking the time to split up the math and put it all together into one source. This makes it much easier to apply some theory with this kind of background. The math is easily layed out and forshadowed. the formulas and values are explained as they are used and each propogation is shown and explained. It assumes knowledge of physics but explains anyway. I'm not a graduate student, but I can understand it anway, great work.
Book Description
Quantum computation and information is a new, rapidly developing interdisciplinary field. Therefore, it is not easy to understand its fundamental concepts and central results without facing numerous technical details. This book provides the reader a useful and not-too-heavy guide. It offers a simple and self-contained introduction; no previous knowledge of quantum mechanics or classical computation is required.
Volume 1 may be used as a textbook for a one-semester introductory course in quantum information and computation, both for upper-level undergraduate students and for graduate students. It contains a large number of solved exercises, which are an essential complement to the text, as they will help the student to become familiar with the subject. The book may also be useful as general education for readers who want to know the fundamental principles of quantum information and computation and who have the basic background acquired from their undergraduate course in physics, mathematics, or computer science.
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Lectures on Quantum Mechanics
Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory
Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
General Theory of Relativity
Quantum Theory
