Order to Read Quantum Mechanics Books.

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The discussion centers on the recommended order of textbooks for studying quantum mechanics, progressing from elementary to advanced levels. The suggested sequence begins with Liboff or Griffiths for introductory material, followed by Sakurai's "Modern Quantum Mechanics" and concluding with Dirac's "Principles of Quantum Mechanics." Some participants advocate for using Leslie Ballentine's text as an alternative to Shankar's book, which is considered less accessible. The conversation highlights the importance of having multiple references due to varying emphases on topics across different texts. Additionally, it is noted that Sakurai's advanced text leans more towards quantum field theory than traditional quantum mechanics. Suggestions for supplementary materials include Bransden, Merzbacher, and Zetilli's "Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications." The value of familiarity with Hamiltonian mechanics and revisiting chapters in advanced texts like Sakurai is also emphasized. Overall, the consensus is to tailor the study approach based on available resources and personal learning preferences.
n10Newton
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Please Suggest what will be the order as Elementry to Intermediate to Advanced.
Is this Correct Choice Griffith's"Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" to Shanker."Principles of Quantum Mechanics" to Sakurai."Modern Quantum Mechanics".And After Completing All "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by PAM Dirac.
 
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I would replace Shankar's book with Leslie Ballentine's text as a parallel to Sakurai's.
 
Well The book may be good but not available in my country.
 
If those 4 are your only available texts, then yes, the order you have chosen is the right one.
 
These also available.
1.Quantum Mechanics by B. H. Bransden, C. J. Joachain
2.Introductory Quantum Mechanics by Richard Liboff
3.Quantum Mechanics by Eugen Merzbacher
4.Quantum Mechanics by Aruldhas G
5.Advanced Quantum Mechanics by Sakurai.

My country has all Imprints of Pearson(Addison-Wesely), Prentice Hall, McGraw Hill & Wiley. Remaining all Imported Edition so Price is vey High.
 
Then you can choose either Bransden or Liboff for the introductory text instead of Griffiths and Merzbacher as a supplimentary reading to Sakurai's MODERN (not Advanced) Quantum Mechanics and remove Shankar's text altogether.

The <Advanced Quantum Mechanics> text by Sakurai' is actually more QFT than QM, it's from the 1960's and uses an old fashioned relativistic notation (but has valuable insights nonetheless). You can use real and newer QFT texts instead of it.
 
Thanks. I was thinking Griffith the Ultimate basic. but as elementry I choose Liboff now. so order will be Liboff to Griffith to Sakurai. to Dirac.
 
You could throw in Modern Physics by Serway/Moses/Moyer before Griffith as a sophomore-level text.
 
  • #10
One of the reasons that there are quite a lot of textbooks on QM is that not everyone put the same emphasis on the same topics. I think it's a good idea to use several references.
For me it was a combination of Cohen-Tanoudji, Schwable, Messiah,Atkinson's. Also look for exercise with solutions textbooks.
 
  • #11
When I started to learn quantum mechanics for research purposes last spring I think I started with a combination of Griffiths and a modern physics textbook I used for class (I used Tipler but I would not recommend it at all), then Shankar, then Sakurai. It helps to read chapters in Sakurai more than once though (for example read the first three chapters then go back and read them again while going on to the next chapter). It also helps to be familiar with Hamiltonian mechanics/formalism.
 
  • #12
Well, Modern Physics before Quantum Mechanics is very helpful but I already studied Modern Physics from Krane and some in Introductory Text "University Physics" so I directly started the Quantum.
 

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