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Quantum theory for beginners

Joseph P. McEvoy, Oscar Sergio Zárate, Richard Appignanesi

Published Jan 1, 1996• 5 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

This work provides an introduction to quantam theory. It covers the key figures, including Planek, Einstein, Heisenberg and Schrodinger and explains the concepts of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality, non-locality and Schrodinger's Cat.

Related papers

Introducing Quantum Theory

Joseph P. McEvoy, Oscar Sergio Zárate

Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which upset the logical edifice of classical physics. At the sub-atomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing (so-called 'non-locality'), and according to Heisenberg's 'uncertainty principle', there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. This book takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised gainst Bohr's 'Copenhagen Interpretation' - the famous 'dead and alive cat' and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved at the beginning of the 21st century.

•Jul 22, 1992•55 citations

A primer on quantum mechanics and its interpretations

Casey Blood

All the concepts and principles necessary to understand quantum mechanics on an initial level are given in a form suitable for the non-expert. The concepts explained include visualizing the wave function, wave-particle duality, the implications of Schrodinger's cat, probability, the uncertainty principle, collapse of the wave function, and others. However, because of the peculiar, non-intuitive nature of quantum mechanics, one must understand the potential interpretations of its mathematics before one can properly understand these concepts. Thus the paper is organized aorund interpretations, conceptual pictures that explain the peculiar properties of the theory. The only interpretation that currently satisfies all the constraints imposed by experiments and the theory itself makes use of a perceiving Mind which is outside the laws of quantum mechanics.

arXiv:1001.3080•Jan 18, 2010•4 citations

Introducing quantum theory : a graphic guide

J P McEvoy, Oscar Sergio Zárate

Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which contradict the logic of classical physics. At the subatomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing, and according to Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle", there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. "Introducing Quantum Theory" takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised against Bohr's "Copenhagen Interpretation" - the famous "dead and alive cat" and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved.

•Jan 1, 2013•10 citations

Quantum Mechanics for Beginners

Muhammad Suhail Zubairy

Quantum mechanics is a highly successful yet a mysterious theory. Quantum Mechanics for Beginners provides an introduction of this fascinating subject to someone with only a high school background in physics and mathematics. This book, except the last chapter on the Schrödinger equation, is entirely algebra-based. A major strength of this book is that, in addition to the foundation of quantum mechanics, it provides an introduction to the fields of quantum communication and quantum computing. The topics covered include wave–particle duality, the Heisenberg uncertainty relation, Bohr’s principle of complementarity, quantum superposition and entanglement, Schrödinger’s cat, Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen paradox, Bell theorem, quantum no-cloning theorem and quantum copying, quantum eraser and delayed choice, quantum teleportation, quantum key distribution protocols such as BB-84 and B-92, counterfactual communication, quantum money, quantum Fourier transform, quantum computing protocols including Shor and Grover algorithms, quantum dense coding, and quantum tunneling. All these topics and more are explained fully but using only elementary mathematics. Each chapter is followed by a short list of references and some exercises. This book is meant for an advanced high school student and a beginning college student and can be used as a text for a one semester course at the undergraduate level. However it can also be a useful and accessible book for those who are not familiar but want to learn some of the fascinating recent and ongoing developments in areas related to the foundations of quantum mechanics and its applications to quantum communication and quantum computing.

Oxford University Press eBooks•May 7, 2020•15 citations

Basic Principles of Quantum Theory

RW Boyer

Introduces key principles in quantum and quantum field theories for non-specialists: wave-particle duality, complementarity, uncertainty and quantum indeterminism, quantum field theory; ontology vs. epistemology.

Routledge eBooks•Aug 18, 2020•0 citations

A Brief Quantum Mechanics Primer

This chapter should be treated as an appendix. It is included for completeness and covers certain fundamentals of quantum mechanics that will aid the understanding of topics discussed in this textbook. The reader is urged to refer to many of the good introductory textbooks on the subject to learn or revisit the fundamental concepts [1, 2, 3, 4]. First, we briefly discuss three key ingredients of quantum mechanics, i.e., the blackbody radiation spectrum, the concept of the photon and de Broglie wavelength, and the related wave-particle duality concept. Next, we briefly restate the four major postulates of quantum mechanics used in the so-called orthodox or Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics that is in vogue. We continue on to describe a generalized form of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle which is illustrated with a few familiar bound state problems (particle-in-a-box and one-dimensional harmonic oscillator) and a few spin related problems.

CRC Press eBooks•Sep 18, 2015•0 citations
Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which upset the logical edifice of classical physics. At the sub-atomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing (so-called 'non-locality'), and according to Heisenberg's 'uncertainty principle', there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. This book takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised gainst Bohr's 'Copenhagen Interpretation' - the famous 'dead and alive cat' and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved at the beginning of the 21st century.
All the concepts and principles necessary to understand quantum mechanics on an initial level are given in a form suitable for the non-expert. The concepts explained include visualizing the wave function, wave-particle duality, the implications of Schrodinger's cat, probability, the uncertainty principle, collapse of the wave function, and others. However, because of the peculiar, non-intuitive nature of quantum mechanics, one must understand the potential interpretations of its mathematics before one can properly understand these concepts. Thus the paper is organized aorund interpretations, conceptual pictures that explain the peculiar properties of the theory. The only interpretation that currently satisfies all the constraints imposed by experiments and the theory itself makes use of a perceiving Mind which is outside the laws of quantum mechanics.
Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which contradict the logic of classical physics. At the subatomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing, and according to Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle", there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. "Introducing Quantum Theory" takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised against Bohr's "Copenhagen Interpretation" - the famous "dead and alive cat" and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved.
Quantum mechanics is a highly successful yet a mysterious theory. Quantum Mechanics for Beginners provides an introduction of this fascinating subject to someone with only a high school background in physics and mathematics. This book, except the last chapter on the Schrödinger equation, is entirely algebra-based. A major strength of this book is that, in addition to the foundation of quantum mechanics, it provides an introduction to the fields of quantum communication and quantum computing. The topics covered include wave–particle duality, the Heisenberg uncertainty relation, Bohr’s principle of complementarity, quantum superposition and entanglement, Schrödinger’s cat, Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen paradox, Bell theorem, quantum no-cloning theorem and quantum copying, quantum eraser and delayed choice, quantum teleportation, quantum key distribution protocols such as BB-84 and B-92, counterfactual communication, quantum money, quantum Fourier transform, quantum computing protocols including Shor and Grover algorithms, quantum dense coding, and quantum tunneling. All these topics and more are explained fully but using only elementary mathematics. Each chapter is followed by a short list of references and some exercises. This book is meant for an advanced high school student and a beginning college student and can be used as a text for a one semester course at the undergraduate level. However it can also be a useful and accessible book for those who are not familiar but want to learn some of the fascinating recent and ongoing developments in areas related to the foundations of quantum mechanics and its applications to quantum communication and quantum computing.
This chapter should be treated as an appendix. It is included for completeness and covers certain fundamentals of quantum mechanics that will aid the understanding of topics discussed in this textbook. The reader is urged to refer to many of the good introductory textbooks on the subject to learn or revisit the fundamental concepts [1, 2, 3, 4]. First, we briefly discuss three key ingredients of quantum mechanics, i.e., the blackbody radiation spectrum, the concept of the photon and de Broglie wavelength, and the related wave-particle duality concept. Next, we briefly restate the four major postulates of quantum mechanics used in the so-called orthodox or Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics that is in vogue. We continue on to describe a generalized form of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle which is illustrated with a few familiar bound state problems (particle-in-a-box and one-dimensional harmonic oscillator) and a few spin related problems.