Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition)

Book Description

This book first teaches learners how to do quantum mechanics, and then provides them with a more insightful discussion of what it means. Fundamental principles are covered, quantum theory presented, and special techniques developed for attacking realistic problems. The book's two-part coverage organizes topics under basic theory, and assembles an arsenal of approximation schemes with illustrative applications. For physicists and engineers.

Customer Reviews:

Emphasis on problems.......2007-09-04

How does Griffiths manage to cram such a comprehensive exploration of non-relativistic QM into such a small textbook? Nearly half of the material is explained only through doing the chapter problems. If you are a self-learner or looking for a reference, take a look at other texts such as Liboff before this one. If you are using this as part of an undergraduate class, get ready for some serious problem sets.

Fantastic First Book.......2007-07-27

The best introduction to quantum mechanics around, without doubt. Griffiths knows how to drive home the key concepts. Insufficient for a graduate student, but a highly desirable supplement to Shankar/Cohen-Tannoudji because Griffiths reminds you what is and what is not important concisely. There is no question that this book is brilliantly written. The smartest people are those who understand how to say things concisely and to the point, not pretentious people who hide behind equations and jargon because they cannot communicate ideas. Griffiths is obviously a very smart man.

This is written as a graduate physicist.

People who say that this book is insufficiently rigorous tend to be (but not necessarily) intellectual snobs who want to impress themselves and others by saying "Oh, Griffiths is too low level for me, I'm so great..." This is an INTRODUCTION, and that's what it serves to do...science was created by men based on intuition and logical clues, not by the gods of math (and I'd argue most of what is key in math came from mathematical clues and intuition before the proofs and notation...before derivatives and integrals were well defined, people were using them to solve physical problems).

Lots of subjects.......2007-05-15

A good book with lots of subjects but you need to listen to the instructor carefully and some theorems are just coming from somewhere that you dont understand...

Good choice as a first step.......2007-05-07

This is really a nice book to get a feeling about Quantum Mechanics. In just 450 pages, it covers most of the subject. Of course, with so few pages, you can't expect to see everything in depth.
The biggest quality Griffiths has, both in Introduction to Quantum Mechanics and Introduction to Electrodynamics, is developing a kind of physical intuition about the subject. The biggest flaw is a lack of mathematical rigour. Conserning this book, for example, I missed an axiomatic structure-like treatment of the theory. I would really recommend Cohen's book to anyone who wish to learn more.

Doesn't stand on its own........2007-04-28

I find example problems the most useful part of a science text book, and the ones in this book were very unhelpful. They did not prepare me at all for the problems in the book. It is not very clearly written and interspersed with jokes that do not make it easier to read. They're fairly extraneous. It's not detailed enough to be clear. I dont get a very good idea of the material from reading. Find a longer book.

An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Frontiers in Physics)

Average customer rating:

Perfect.
Wow, does this suck . . . get a different book!
This book is a very very very bad book which you never buy.
Don't make the same fault I did!
It is sad that we don't have a better book out there...

An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Frontiers in Physics)
Michael E. Peskin , and Dan V. Schroeder
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0201503972

Customer Reviews:

Perfect........2007-08-10

I received the book as it should be: knew. And it cames before the estimated time.

Wow, does this suck . . . get a different book!.......2007-06-13

Ok--I just need to help lower the overall rating for this book. I think the people who love it are professors and students who already are familiar with QFT--because it glosses over everything, does pertinent examples, etc. But that's just it, it GLOSSES over everything. Note that nearly all the higher reviews say things like: "oh, you wouldn't want to start with this book." or "Everyone knows that you're going to need more books than this one to understand it . . ." I couldn't even figure out how to create a Feynmann diagram from this book, let alone what one MEANT. FYI, my favorite QFT book so far is Weinberg's Quantum Theory of Fields.

This book is a very very very bad book which you never buy........2007-01-20

Absolutely no logic.
Perfectly nonclear.
No subject.
Mathematically poor.(very poor.)
Nonneccessary words.
No depth.
Not for self-study.
Just arrangement.
No physical insight.
No process.
No thinking.

This is indeed not a book.
This is a stuff for a vanity.
I wonder whether Peskin and Schroeder are genuine physicists.

Don't make the same fault I did!.......2006-12-16

Hi there!

The important information first: I'm a graduate student, mainly interested in theoretical physics. At the moment, I'm trying to get a deeper understanding of QFT.

Peskin's QFT book is NOT the one you should buy if you want to UNDERSTAND renormalization.

I learned the basics of QFT (\phi^4 and QED up to a first contact with renormalization - "trivial" subtraction of infinities) in a lecture and I finally felt like: "What does renormalization mean? What is it good for? Is there a deeper truth in it?" Well, the answer to the last question is definitely yes. It's about the Beta function. This function tells you how the coupling constants of a QFT behave at different momenta. E.g., we can learn from it why perturbation theory works for QED at low energies and for QCD at high energies (I think, this is amazing).

What I just said I learned from Huang's book. Peskin "deals" with it in chapters 10 to 12. In the middle of chapter 12 I finally said to myself: "Hey, don't feel stupid. This book is just completely incomprehensible here."

In my opinion, if you want to see behind renormalization (and therefore behind any QFT(!!)), don't buy Peskin's book. Any other book is better regarding this issue.

It is sad that we don't have a better book out there..........2006-05-28

The main problem of this book: what exactly is it supposed to be?

If it is an introduction, then the opening chapters are written at a level too sophisticated that an average first-time student can't handle.

If it aims to be a "bible" of the subject, then the later chapters are far too technical, loaded with only Feynman diagram calculations for standard model. Not being a phenomenologist, I personally have very little interest in all the technical detail, and apparently several other reviewers share my view here.

Now let me gives some examples to support my claim.

First, C, P and T symmetries are introduced very early on (right after Dirac spinor), and in a very formal way. Yes, they logically belong there, but in an "introduction" of the subject you don't throw out an isolated topic like this which you don't make use of in the following few hundred pages.

The part on cannonical quantization is written at a very fast pace. A complex scalar field is probably the first model you can construct with charged particles. And guess what kind of treatment it receives in this book? Not a single word in the main text. The problem 2 of that chapter essentially asks you to work out the content of this model with few hints given. If you have troble working it out, which is not uncommon for a first-timer, then you won't see the logic behind the decomposition of a complex Dirac field either. This is done in the following chapter, with no explaination.

Like the charged scalar field example, some important pieces of knowledge are hidden only in the exercises. So if you treat these high-power opening chapters as your bible-type reference, you will often end up in the frustrating situation that the book tells you to work out by yourself what you are seeking in the first place.

Now get to the later parts of the book. As I mentioned above, the second half of the book is almost conceptually too simple, overloaded with technical details.

This downfall begins around the renormalization group. On the back of this book, this Prof. Micheal Dine is qouted: "it is the only field theory text with a thoroughly modern, Wilsonian treatment of renormalization". The connection between the Wilsonian idea and dimensional regularization/renormalization scale is shaky at best. You read the text, and are left puzzled at the magic: how does a cut-off scale become some (much lower) arbitrary momentum scale? No explaination. The Wilsonian theory is completely isolated and have little connection with the rest of the renormalization section.

Furthermore, the book does not do a very good job on Lie algebra and non-abilien Lie groups. I mean, come on, if this is an "introduction" type of book, make it more readable. If this is a "bible" type of book, make it more comprehensive.

Having voiced all my bad opinions, I have to admit that the book has its merit. Bottom line is, this is a book written by phenomenologists for phenomenologists. If you view it from such an angle, it is not too badly written after all, and does cover most of the important topics a phnomenologist would want to know. But you may want to start from a more accessible text such as Ryder.

If you are a theorist, but not a phenomenologist, then, well, let's say the ability of getting through the first part perfectly is the minimum requirement for your research.

If you are an experimentalist, don't bother.

Appearance and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Physics

Average customer rating:

Excellent in its intended capacity as introduction...
very good up to page 140 then thumbs down

Appearance and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Physics
Peter Kosso
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195115155

Book Description

Appearance and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Physics addresses quantum mechanics and relativity and their philosophical implications, focusing on whether these theories of modern physics can help us know nature as it really is, or only as it appears to us. The author clearly explains the foundational concepts and principles of both quantum mechanics and relativity and then uses them to argue that we can know more than mere appearances, and that we can know to some extent the way things really are. He argues that modern physics gives us reason to believe that we can know some things about the objective, real world, but he also acknowledges that we cannot know everything, which results in a position he calls "realistic realism." This book is not a survey of possible philosophical interpretations of modern physics, nor does it leap from a caricature of the physics to some wildly alarming metaphysics. Instead, it is careful with the physics and true to the evidence in arriving at its own realistic conclusions. It presents the physics without mathematics, and makes extensive use of diagrams and analogies to explain important ideas. Engaging and accessible, Appearance and Reality serves as an ideal introduction for anyone interested in the intersection of philosophy and physics, including students in philosophy of physics and philosophy of science courses.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent in its intended capacity as introduction..........2000-03-14

I would imagine that the factor pivotal to appreciation of this book is the reader's stage of understanding of the issues discussed within this book.

Particulaly impressive was the conciseness and clearness of the explanations of both relativity and quantum mechanics, two subjects that I would imagine can be notoriously difficult to deal with when ill explained. Aside from aformentioned technicalities regarding quantum physics, perhaps the author could may have spent more time considering the epistemological issue of the very validity of, in particurlar relativity, the 'foundations of modern physics discussed'. They seemed briefly considered, yet tossed aside it seems due to the author's attitude that the apparent current non-existence of what may eventually supercede the areas of physics in question. So, basically, the book was themed upon evaluating reality using the best tools we have at this moment to evaluate what constitutes it.

None the less, as an indication of the perspective physics can provide as to the very nature of reality and existence, this book can be invaluable.

very good up to page 140 then thumbs down.......1999-07-14

Good overview of the special and general theory of relativity as well as quantum mechanics. No equations are used and the author is able to demonstrate these ideas very well.

However the author bias becomes very clear as he explains Bell's theorem . The author points out that no local hidden variable theory can explain the results presented by quantum mechanics. He seems to miss the point that quantum mechanics is NONLOCAL with or without hidden variables . He clearly is in the copenhagen camp but stresses that popular publications on the subject are incorrect in concluding that everything is indeterminate, after all, things such as mass,charge etc. are determinate.

The author seems to accept "in stride" the nonlocality in the copenhagen interpetation and then uses nonlocality as the biggest argument against the deBroglie-Bohm pilot wave interpetation stating that it is a "blatant" violation of the special theory of relativity. Apparently the instant collapse of the second wave function when the first is measured in EPR is more realistic in his view. He then corrects himself and states that it is really not a violation of the special theory "empirically".

These kind of inconsistencies and contradictions are rampant after page 140. In the end the best critisism the author could level at the Bohm interpetation is that it is "epistimological anti realism"

Book Description

This book provides an introduction to quantum theory primarily for students of mathematics. Although the approach is mainly traditional the discussion exploits ideas of linear algebra, and points out some of the mathematical subtleties of the theory. Amongst the less traditional topics are Bell's inequalities, coherent and squeezed states, and introductions to group representation theory. Later chapters discuss relativistic wave equations and elementary particle symmetries from a group theoretical standpoint rather than the customary Lie algebraic approach. This book is intended for the later years of an undergraduate course or for graduates. It assumes a knowledge of basic linear algebra and elementary group theory, though for convenience these are also summarized in an appendix.

Customer Reviews:

Great book, but not an introduction........2000-04-21

This book is very readable if you have some knoledge about quantum mechanics. It shows how to calculate things using the theory but does not explain the physical part in much detail.

It makes a good companion to the Feynman book where you have the physics greatly explained but little mathematical detail.

Book Description

Introduction to Continuum Mechanics is a recently updated and revised text
which is perfect for either introductory courses in an undergraduate engineering
curriculum or for a beginning graduate course.

Continuum Mechanics studies the response of materials to different loading
conditions. The concept of tensors is introduced through the idea of linear
transformation in a self-contained chapter, and the interrelation of direct notation, indicial notation, and matrix operations is clearly presented. A wide range of idealized materials are considered through simple static and dynamic problems, and the book contains an abundance of illustrative examples of problems, many with solutions.

Serves as either a introductory undergraduate course or a beginning graduate course textbook.
Includes many problems with illustrations and answers.

Customer Reviews:

Good book.......2007-07-14

From what I've read so far (the first 80 pages), this book is nice. The notation is relatively unambiguous, and many examples are included to make concepts clear. This book fills you in from the beginning rather than assuming you already have some background knowledge.

Disservice to students and insult to experts.......2003-03-23

It's understandable and forgivable when the first or even second-edition of a technical book has some errors. However, when a book has reached its third edition, one should expect a relatively error-free and comprehensive reference. This book is an insult to the scientific method and to the tenets of decent technical writing. Considering only the part of this text that would be covered in a first course in continuum mechanics, even a cursory inspection reveals major theory errors as well as lazy typesetting, grammar, and editing issues that simply aren't acceptable for books in this price range. For instance...

* The index is only five pages long! It's missing absolutely essential entries like: coordinates, e-delta identity, invariants, gradient, velocity, velocity gradient, Stoke's theorem, and thermodynamics. The index is also missing several other terms (such as pseudo stress vector) that students would need to look up because they appear in the exercises.

* The reference list is anemic -- a rich and well-developed field like continuum mechanics deserves more than just 19 supplemental resources. Omission of Mase and Mase is unfortunate because those authors have greatly contributed to continuum mechanics texts for beginners.

Naturally, any introductory book on a complicated topic will, at times, provide the reader with some key equations without providing a proof. However, whenever a proof is omitted, the reader should AT LEAST be told where the proof can be found. For example, this textbook cites the conditions of compatibility for finite deformation without stating any reference book or journal article where the advanced reader (who, by this point, has learned to doubt the typesetting skills of these authors) can go to double check the equations.

* Discussion of the physical meanings of various strain measures is inexcusably fouled up. In the paragraph above eq 3.24.4, the cross-reference to eq. 3.25.2 should instead point to 3.24.2. Two equations below eq 3.26.8, the denominator is missing a factor of 2 and wrongly uses S instead of s). One equation above eq 3.26.9a, there should NOT be a 1 in the first term on the right hand side. Incidentally, the fact that these authors give equation numbers only for the equations that THEY themselves cross-reference is frustrating. OTHER PEOPLE might want to point to equations in this book -- having to say "the equation two lines below the authors' numbered equation" is awkward.

* In the section on transformation laws, eq. iii should NOT have a prime on b.

* The solution to exercise 7.8 (b) is missing a factor of 3 (probably other solutions are wrong too).

* The authors understanding of rotation and their proof of the polar decomposition theorem are seriously flawed. Their formula for the rotation expressed in terms of an angle and axis (in exercise 2B29) is wrong - it doesn't even give R=I when the rotation angle is zero. They claim in numerous locations (e.g., end of section 2B10) that improper orthogonal tensors are reflections (this is a common error - any proper rotation followed by a reflection will be an improper orthogonal tensor that is NOT a reflection). The authors clearly do not understand that symmetry and positive definiteness are requirements that must be IMPOSED in the polar decomposition - neither property is a consequence. They don't explain that a symmetric positive definite tensor has an INFINITE number of square roots, of which eight are symmetric, and only one is also positive definite. They prove that R is orthogonal, but fail to prove the theorem's assertion that it is PROPER orthogonal. Earlier in the text, the authors state that they will use the notation U for any deformation gradient that is symmetric; subsequent text clearly shows that they are presuming that a symmetric deformation gradient a stretch, which is false. To be a stretch, U must be additionally positive definite (a deformation gradient diagonal with components 1, -1, -1 is symmetric, but certainly not a stretch, and this example has negative eigenvalues, invalidating the authors claim immediately following their eq 3.20.2c)

* At the beginning of section 2B18, the authors state that a real symmetric tensor has "at least" three real eigenvalues. At least?? Are there more? They should have said "exactly three" (for a 3D space, of course).

* In the section on the rate of deformation tensor, the authors fail to prove that this tensor is not really a true rate. Here is a fact that lots of people know, but don't really understand and certainly don't know how to prove. Modern books in continuum mechanics need to discuss it.

* The authors present conservation of mass in the kinematics section, which is not correct. Kinematics is the mathematics of motion. Conservation of mass is a physical principle of Newtonian physics.

* Above eq 5.3.2: Cross reference to Problem 5.1 should be to Problem 5.2

* Eq. 3.28.6: Authors fail to give the proper name of this important relationship (Nanson's relation).

* Exercise 2B40: uses the word "principle" where "principal" is needed.

* After Eq. 3.30.7: Subject verb agreement ("The components... is called)"

* In example 3.1.2: Straightforward is ONE word, not two.

* Exercise 4.12: period and comma in a row ("For any stress state T., we define...")

* Eq 4.10.8a: Misplaced tilde in typesetting, and indistinguishable tilde in subsequent text. Same problem preceding eq 3.4.3.

* Eq 4.10.6b: "jm" needs to be a SUBSCRIPT.

* Exercise 3.31: typesetting is so juvenile that the authors used a superscripted lower case "o" to denote degrees instead of using the professional choice: the degree symbol. Professional typesetting conventions (e.g., italics for variables) are inconsistently enforced throughout this book.

* Exercises 2D4 and 2D5: missing plurals on "coordinates"

* Example 2B3.1: "Given that" should be replaced by "Given"

Granted, the comments in the above list transition from egregious errors to minor oversights, but the scientific community should DEMAND technical and editing perfection from a book on a classic subject that is in its third edition. Either that, or the purchase price should be set at a value that is consistent with this book's sloppy execution.

Note: this review covers ISBN 0750628944 paperback version.

Excellent Book.......1999-02-02

This is the best text that I have found for introducing continnuum mechanics and tensor notation to students. I have used this text in both Continuum Mechanics and Elasticity courses. Very clear explanations and examples to make the student proficient in conntinuum mechanics. I would love to see it expanded to include metric tensors and Christoffel symbols.

Excellent Book!.......1998-12-21

I have used this book in Dr. Lai's into to elasticity class at Columbia University. It is chock full of well written text and many example problems that are worth looking at! I finally understand what eigenvalues and eigenvectors are good for!

Excellant text, but far too expensive!!.......1997-01-21

This continuum mechanics text is the best I've read. Comprehensible and thorough - much more so than others I've read. Only one problem - $120 is about $35 too high! This text could rate a 10, if it cost $85.

Introduction to Wave Scattering, Localization and Mesoscopic Phenomena (Springer Series in Materials Science)

Average customer rating:

Daunting at first perusal, but well worth reading

Introduction to Wave Scattering, Localization and Mesoscopic Phenomena (Springer Series in Materials Science)
P. Sheng
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540291555

Book Description

Waves represent a classic topic of study in physics, mathematics, and engineering. Many modern technologies are based on our understanding of waves and their interaction with matter. In the past thirty years there have been some revolutionary developments in the study of waves. The present volume is the only available source which details these developments in a systematic manner, with the aim of reaching a broad audience of non-experts. It is an important resource book for those interested in understanding the physics underlying nanotechnology and mesoscopic phenomena, as well as for bridging the gap between the textbooks and research frontiers in any wave related topic. A special feature of this volume is the treatment of classical and quantum mechanical waves within a unified framework, thus facilitating an understanding of similarities and differences between the two.

Customer Reviews:

Daunting at first perusal, but well worth reading.......2003-03-13

I'm working my way through this book right now. Obviously this book will only appeal to specialists interested in mesoscopic systems or multiple scattering of light and sound. I'm interested in light.

The best features of the book are:

1) The author is an expert
2) He shows you real research problems and points out the things that are not yet known. Many textbooks merely summarize what is already known.
3) There are 36 problems, all of them worth doing. All of them have solutions. Because of the advanced level, the problems are usually not of the kind that have a simple answer to get right or wrong. Rather, the problems are usually detailed derivations that he walks you through. You could try to solve them on your own, but since this is the only place where he really gets down to the nitty-gritty, you probably won't even know where to start (I don't). I look at them more as tutorials.

Anyway, this is well worth buying if you can find it.

Average customer rating:

Kind of a disappointment

Philosophy: By Socrates, Quantum Chemistry: By Linus Pauling

Oldie but goodie

Simple with everything

Richly historical account of molecular quantum mechanics

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics with Applications to Chemistry
Linus Pauling , and E. Bright Wilson
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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General Chemistry

Modern Quantum Chemistry: Introduction to Advanced Electronic Structure Theory

Group Theory and Chemistry

Thermodynamics

The Nature of the Chemical Bond and the Structure of Molecules and Crystals; An Introduction to Modern Structural Chemistry. (George Fisher Baker Non-Resident Lec)

ASIN: 0486648710

Book Description

This widely adopted undergraduate-level text applies quantum mechanics to a broad range of chemical and physical problems, covering such subjects as wave functions for the hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, the Pauli exclusion principle and the structure of simple and complex molecules. With numerous tables and figures.

Customer Reviews:

Kind of a disappointment.......2007-05-20

This was the fourth qm book I read. I was expecting it to help me make the transition from quantum mechanics to quantum chemistry, but it didn't quiet succeed in doing so. As for QM there exist better books than this (eg Sakurai) and for QChem, I found Szabo's book to be much more better (with less of fundamentals and directly going towards applications)

Regards
Purushottam

Philosophy: By Socrates, Quantum Chemistry: By Linus Pauling.......2004-06-29

How would an "Introduction to Philosophy" by Socrates or a "Basics of the Piano" by Mozart sound like? This is something similar. Linus Pauling, the unprecedented pioneer of the application of Quantum Mechanics to Chemistry, had written this book in the 1930s as perhaps the first introduction to QM for Chemists, supported by his colleague, E Bright Wilson, a brilliant chemist in his own right. A generation of Chemists grew up learning from this book, and its content is as relevant and articulate today as it was then. Hundreds of Quantum Chemistry books, some of which are excellent, have been written in the times since it was first published. But this book still retains an incomparable flavour that brings out the fundamental nature of QM and Chemical Bonding. I have to admit that I found this book slightly difficult, because Pauling and Wilson, although being extremely lucid, never compromise on the Math. But gradually I learnt that this is the kind of book which belongs in the same category of, say, Ernest Eliel's stereochemistry book. That means that every moment you spent on it will be worth it, even if it takes you a very long time to go through it. This is one of those books where every word is carefully thought and then stated, making the journey difficult at places, but always rewarding. And why not. It is hard to imagine anyone else writing with so much confidence on the topic. So it is important not to gloss over this book quickly and then discard it as being dry, but persist in reading it and get insight out of it. The book opens with a discussion of Lagrangian mechanics and discusses some simple examples of its applications. It then moves on to the basic principles of QM, and comes to the Hydrogen molecule, which was the pinnacle of succcess for the Physicists. I think that this book has the best discussion of the H molecule ever written. I have seen other excellent Quantum Chemistry books giving a reference to this work whenever they discuss the H molecule. Moreover, I believe that a thorough understanding of the H molecule is of paramount importance for understanding any further application of QM to Chemistry. Discussion of this molecule opens the door to understanding orbitals, spherical harmonics, angular momentum and all the important concepts in theoretical Chemistry. So the book will score top points for this alone. Later on there are excellent discussions of the Variational Method, Perturbation theory and finally the various important approximations like Hartree-Fock theory and the structure of molecules. The appendices deal with detailed discussions of derivation and some mathematical topics. All in all, a clear and extremely lucid presentation, well worth every moment you can spend on it, by one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Oldie but goodie.......2003-09-12

This is a great, simple presentation of the Schroedinger viewpoint. There is no Dirac representation and no matrix mechanics. However, there is much to be liked about this book and it is a pleasure to read. Those who are baffled completely by quantum mechanics will find this an enlightening introduction and a simple understandable place to start. This is another one of those lesser known gems.

Simple with everything.......2002-12-19

If you are an undergraduate and you want everything you need, this is the book. The lack of matrix mechanics makes this book unsuitable for serious graduate students, though. I think it would actually be best for 1st or 2nd year serious undergraduate chemists who are well acquainted with differential equations.

Richly historical account of molecular quantum mechanics.......2002-06-12

In many ways, this is still my favourite quantum mechanics text. Why? Because the text is completely grounded in the quantum mechanics of atoms and molecules.

Historically, Linus Pauling spent his post-doc working throughout Europe where he absorbed the, then, new theory of quantum mechanics. However, the physicists that he learnt q.m. from only analysed the physics of, relatively simple, atomic systems. It would require someone with an immense breadth of knowledge in chemistry to make quantum mechanics come alive for molecules. This was Linus Pauling. Pauling first applied q.m. to such diverse topics as: the chemical bond, resonance energy, electronegativity, crystal structure of molecules and hydrogen bonds.

And it shows. The uniqueness of this q.m. textbook is that it gives immensely detailed references to the different ways the early physicists/chemists attacked the q.m. of bonds in molecules. Many different ansatz's and approximations to pertubation problems are given. And Pauling should know, for he was right in the thick of it. The historical value of these references alone is worth the price of this book. It's a real shame that most modern books leave these out, because a discussion of these approximations methods give a lot of insight to q.m. in molecules.

In contrast, I find modern textbooks on physical chemistry to be often lacking in deep physical insight. However, textbooks written by physicists run into all sorts of esoteric directions like quantum entanglement and the uncertainty principle and as a previous reviewer noted, Pauling's books says nothing about scattering and hardly anything on spin. This is probably because chemists aren't interested in what happens to particles in beams or Stern-Gerlach experiments. They are more interested in ionisation energy, enthalpies and bond energies.

Book Description

Most previous texts on quantum optics have been written primarily for the graduate student market at PhD level and above. Quantum optics: an introduction aims to introduce a wide range of topics at a lower level suitable for advanced undergraduate and Masters level students in physics. The text is divided into four main parts, covering modern topics in both pure and applied quantum optics: I. Introduction and background material. II. Photons. III. Atom-photon interactions. IV. Quantum information processing. The emphasis of the subject development is on intuitive physical understanding rather than mathematical arguments, although many derivations are included where appropriate. The text includes numerous illustrations, with a particular emphasis on the experimental observations of quantum optical phenomena. Each chapter includes worked examples, together with 10-15 exercises with solutions. Six appendices are included to supplement the main subject material.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Introduction to Quantum Optics.......2007-05-10

I developed an interest in quantum optics in my last year of undergraduate school but I became discouraged with it since every book that I picked up on the subject was esoteric and too involved for an introduction. It seemed as if NONE of the quantum optics textbooks available were appropriate as an introduction. But then I found this book.

Although not as mathematically intensive as I was hoping for it to be, it explains the physics very well. And although it doesn't compensate for many years of post-graduate study, I was able to better understand research papers in quantum optics due to this book.

The book follows a rather traditional approach to developing quantum optics...first starting off with a discussion of important results in electromagnetism, classical optics, and quantum mechanics...then progressing to the theory of photons (discussing photon statistics, coherent states, and second quantization (with regard to photon number states)). Furthermore, it discusses the essential "backbone" of quantum optics (light-matter interactions) and then applications of quantum optics (quantum computing, quantum entanglement, etc.).

I broke the rules and skipped ahead to the applications section and I must say that everything seems to make sense because of Fox's ability to convey difficult ideas in a simple, easy-to-understand manner.

For anybody just starting to take an interest in quantum optics (like I was at one point), I would strongly suggest this book. It's not as mathematically sophisticated as Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" (which is another must-have for quantum optics), but it's an excellent introduction.

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Terrific choice for engineers interested in quantum computing
Great book

An Introduction to Quantum Computing
Phillip Kaye , Raymond Laflamme , and Michele Mosca
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 019857049X

Book Description

This concise, accessible text provides a thorough introduction to quantum computing - an exciting emergent field at the interface of the computer, engineering, mathematical and physical sciences. Aimed at advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in these disciplines, the text is technically detailed and is clearly illustrated throughout with diagrams and exercises. Some prior knowledge of linear algebra is assumed, including vector spaces and inner products. However, prior familiarity with topics such as quantum mechanics and computational complexity is not required.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific choice for engineers interested in quantum computing.......2007-07-14

This book is geared for the reader who has an undergraduate education in a technical field and who has a solid background in linear algebra, including vector spaces and inner products. Prior familiarity with topics such as eigendecomposition and more advanced mathematical topics is not required. The book reviews all of the necessary additional material. There are some places in the book where group theory is referred to, but these sections of the book are self-contained so that the reader can skip them if needed. It is a very accessible introduction to a complex subject that is fairly detailed and complete. Exercises are integrated into the body of the text. Each exercise is designed to illustrate a particular concept, fill in the details of a calculation or proof, or to show how concepts in the book can be generalized or extended. The following is a brief overview of the book:

1. Introduction and Background - Presents some fundamental notions of computation theory and quantum physics that will form the basis of what follows.

2. Linear Algebra and the Dirac Notation - Familiarizes the reader with the algebraic notation used in quantum mechanics, reminds the reader of some basic facts about complex vector spaces, and introduces some notions that may not have been covered in an elementary linear algebra course.

3. Qubits and the Framework of quantum Mechanics - Introduces the framework of quantum mechanics as it pertains to the types of systems that are considered in the book. Here the author also introduces the notion of a quantum bit or "qubit", which is a fundamental concept in quantum computing.

4. A Quantum Model of Computation - The circuit model of classical computation can be generalized to a model of quantum circuits. In such a model you have logical qubits carried along "wires" and quantum gates that act on the qubits. For convenience, the discussion is limited to unitary quantum gates.

5. Superdense Coding and Quantum Teleportation - Looks at our first protocols for quantum information. Examines two communication protocols that can be implemented using the tools which can be implemented using the tools developed in previous chapters. These protocols are known as superdense coding and quantum teleportation. Both of these are inherently quantum - there are no classical protocols that behave in the same way as these.

6. Introductory Quantum Algorithms - Describes some of the early quantum algorithms that are simple and illustrate the main ingredients behind the more useful and powerful quantum algorithms described in subsequent chapters. Since quantum algorithms share some features with classical probabilistic algorithms, the chapter starts with a comparison of the two algorithmic paradigms.

7. Algorithms with Superpolynomial Speed-Up - Examines one of two main classes of algorithms: quantum algorithms that solve problems with a complexity that is superpolynomially less than the complexity of the best-known classical algorithm for the same problem. That is, the complexity of the best-known classical algorithm cannot be bounded above by any poynomial in the complexity of the quantum algorithm. The chapter starts off by studying the problem of quantum phase estimation, which leads naturally to the Quantum Fourier Transform (QFT).

8. Algorithms Based on Amplitude Amplification - Discusses a broadly applicable quantum algorithm - quantum search - that provides a polynomial speed-up over the best-known classical algorithms for a wide class of important problems.

9. Quantum Computational Complexity Theory and Lower Bounds - Quantum computers seem to be more powerful than classical computers for certain problems. However, there are limits on the power of quantum computers. Since a classical computer can simulate a quantum one, a quantum computer can only compute the same set of functions that a classical computer can. This chapter examines this and some related issues.

10. Quantum Error Correction - Quantum computers are more susceptible to errors than classical digital computers because quantum mechanical systems are more delicate and more difficult to control. If large-scale quantum computers are to be possible, a theory of quantum error correction is needed. This is the issue discussed in this chapter.

Overall, I found this book well suited to self-study, particularly for someone with an engineering background. Highly recommended.

Great book.......2007-06-09

For a beginner like me, I think this is a great book. I used to spend lots of time on N+C book but still got confused.

This introduction to Quantum computing book has lots of illustrations explaining how things are done step by step inside those complicated algorithms. If you study on your own with this book, there should be no problem. Then you can go back to review N+C's book and things would be much more clear.

The Quantum Dice: An Introduction to Stochastic Electrodynamics (Fundamental Theories of Physics)

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The Quantum Dice: An Introduction to Stochastic Electrodynamics (Fundamental Theories of Physics)
Luis de la Peña , and A.M. Cetto
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792338189

Book Description

In spite of the impressive predictive power and strong mathematical structure of quantum mechanics, the theory has always suffered from important conceptual problems. Some of these have never been solved. Motivated by this state of affairs, a number of physicists have worked together for over thirty years to develop stochastic electrodynamics, a physical theory aimed at finding a conceptually satisfactory, realistic explanation of quantum phenomena.
This is the first book to present a comprehensive review of stochastic electrodynamics, from its origins to present-day developments. After a general introduction for the non-specialist, a critical discussion is presented of the main results of the theory as well as of the major problems encountered. A chapter on stochastic optics and some interesting consequences for local realism and the Bell inequalities is included. In the final chapters the authors propose and develop a new version of the theory that brings it in closer correspondence with quantum mechanics and sheds some light on the wave aspects of matter and the linkage with quantum electrodynamics.
Audience: The volume will be of interest to scholars and postgraduate students of theoretical and mathematical physics, foundations and philosophy of physics, and teachers of theoretical physics and quantum mechanics, electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics (stochastic processes).

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