First, I briefly review the different conceptions of time held by three rival interpretations of quantum theory: the collapse of the wave-packet, the pilot-wave interpretation, and the Everett interpretation (Section 2). Then I turn to a much less controversial task: to expound the recent understanding of the time-energy uncertainty principle, and indeed of uncertainty principles in general, that has been established by such authors as Busch, Hilgevoord and Uffink. Although this may at first seem a narrow topic, I point out connections to other conceptual topics about time in quantum theory: for example, the question under what circumstances there is a time operator (Section 4.3).
This chapter reviews the core concepts of quantum mechanics and the scope of its applications. Topics include particle dynamics in various potentials, quantum tunneling phenomena, and optical properties such as reflection, refraction, and transmission. Perturbation theory and scattering theory are briefly explored. Additionally, the application of Lagrangian formalism to quantum mechanics is introduced. This formalism provides a pathway to incorporate relativity in quantum mechanics in later chapters. A discussion of the limitations of quantum mechanics lays the foundation for quantum field theory.