Quantum Mechanics: A Paradigms Approach

by David McIntyre, Corinne Manogue, Janet Tate

This innovative new text presents quantum mechanics in a manner that directly reflects the methods used in modern physics research―making the material more approachable and preparing students more thoroughly for real research. Most texts in this area start with a bit of history and then move directly to wave-particle problems with accompanying heavy mathematical analysis; Quantum Mechanics provides a foundation in experimental phenomena and uses a more approachable, less intimidating, more powerful mathematical matrix model. Beginning with the Stern-Gerlach experiments and the discussion of spin measurements, and using bra-ket notation, the authors introduce an important notational system that is used throughout quantum mechanics. This non-traditional presentation is designed to enhance students’ understanding and strengthen their intuitive grasp of the subject.

Genres: Physics, Quantum Mechanics, Science, Textbooks

600 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Erickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forgot to close the book (I finished using it in 2019 for teaching as TA). I only needed it for the first 11 chapters. I will count this as this year's contribution because I used it a lot for helping me understand Sakurai's text when I taught the course in Fall 2019 and continued a little bit in January 2020.

If I have to say, for undergraduate level text, I think I have been convinced that this book is the best introduction to quantum mechanics textbook. It's very well-written, and focus on spins rather than wavefunctions without resorting to technical-level texts like Sakurai or Ballentine was great. I am now of the opinion that in order to learn something properly, one does not need to try to act tough by swallowing graduate-level textbooks like Sakurai. In the end, foundations for physics is about doing calculations (and hopefully experiments), and there is nothing to gain for needless suffering if there is simpler way to get it.

To me a real plus was Chapter 11 on hyperfine structure of atoms; it was so well-written with concrete, *specific* examples that I doubt it can be any clearer. Most other books try the general "aesthetic" approach of boasting angular momentum formalism, only to drown first timers with needless mathematics when the atom is easy to understand. I am a big fan of mathematical abstractions, but there are places where needless abstraction is just going to obfuscate.

If anyone asks me a good text for quantum mechanics, I would no longer recommend Zettili (which is good for practice due to plethora of explicit examples), but for conceptual understanding, this is the book. Probably Sakurai won't be that hard after this one; in fact, I found Sakurai too high-level for me until I read this text.

[Shahryar Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book ❣️ Much better than Griffiths' standard text. Builds the theory of QM up from basic experiments on two-spin systems, laying a very good intuitive foundation for the whole subject.

[Renzo Hillmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best introduction to quantum mechanics for the physics undergraduate student, I'm really grateful for discovering this book. It's like Sakurai's made easier. Once you read this book you'll be able to read Sakurai's wonderful book with no major inconvenience. But make no mistake, this book stands in its own as the best introduction to quantum mechanics (Griffiths is far from being the best, but its examples are worth checking). Currently I'm studying quantum field theory but sometimes refer back to McIntyre's QM to review the basics.

[Brooke Wei · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book does not present any concrete mathematical ideas behind any physical theory. Each section is just a shit load of words explaining nothing. Very bad book for undergrad physics majors. How bad is it actually you might ask? Most of my classmates think that the highest dimension a hilbert space can have is 3 because how is it possible that any vector space can have more than 3 orthogonal vectors???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Othello Gomes · Rating 3 out of 5]

What in the actual .... . .. .. . .. . .. .. . . . . . . ..... . .. . .

[Ben Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best and easiest to understand undergraduate quantum mechanics textbook. I still use this book today in my graduate studies for references.

[Gabs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was fun at the start but (very) quickly became nonsense 🥴🫨

[Sandy Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the more comprehensible textbooks I've ever read. I haven't experienced other introductory quantum books, but this is not a bad place to start.