Elementary Quantum Mechanics

by David S. Saxon

Based on lectures for an undergraduate UCLA course in quantum mechanics, this volume focuses on the formulas of quantum mechanics rather than applications. Widely used in both upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses, it offers a broad self-contained survey rather than in-depth treatments.Topics include the dual nature of matter and radiation, state functions and their interpretation, linear momentum, the motion of a free particle, Schrödinger's equation, approximation methods, angular momentum, and many other subjects. In the interests of keeping the mathematics as simple as possible, most of the book is confined to considerations of one-dimensional systems. A selection of 150 problems, many of which require prolonged study, amplify the text's teachings and an appendix contains solutions to 50 representative problems. This edition also includes a new Introduction by Joseph A. Rudnick and Robert Finkelstein.

Genres: Physics

450 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1968

Reviews

[Brett Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This text has been with us since 1968 and still in classrooms for a reason—because it’s a fine treatment of a queer subject. The author, David S. Saxon (1920 – 2005) from Minnesota was professor of physics in much nicer weather at UCLA after a storied career at MIT’s famous Rad Lab during and after WWII (Rad for radiation/radar). He also survived Trump’s crooked mafia lawyer Roy Cohn and his pal Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare. While Cohn and McCarthy went to hell, Saxon got tenure, became a member of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and president of the University of California system.

This is also the text I used all those years ago when blazing a streak across the college physics sky I hit suddenly the black hole of quantum that quenched that burn from my trajectory. How all of physics could make intuitive sense, even Relativity, only to find quantum defy that in my last semester left me dazed. Having years later made friends with quantum and now part of personal pursuits (hence my return to the text), it’s hard to say if it was me, the instructor, Saxon, or some combination. I believe the first listed, however, in rereading the text I see in my marginalia the same questions I have now regarding Saxon’s “assumed” starting functions and “evidently” such and such as true. “Where did that come from? What makes you say that?” I wrote. I also have a new comparison: David J. Griffiths’ 2017 Intro to Quantum 2nd Ed. While Saxon’s text still holds a sentimental place for me all those years ago when I was young and the world was new, if I had a son or daughter exposed to this subject they would read Griffiths. Little I’ve seen can compare to the intuitive excitement of Griffiths’ treatment. For that reason I would rate Saxon’s work as solid, at times exceptional (see his interference of wavefunctions to explain the double slit experiment), but with a bow to the new guy on the block: Griffiths.

[David Dube · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Holmes told Mr. Watson it was, well you know....