Strafespar said:
Hey, I'm a junior in high school and am thinking about investing in some introductory books on QM. I've delt a bit with the concepts, but I really think I have to understand some of the math to really comprehend things like spin, symmetries, etc. I havn't officially taken any calculus course or completed a physics course. I guess my real question would be where I should start. I am really enthusiastic about the particle level, and don't necessarily want to bore myself with Newton's laws of motions. Which section of history should I undertake? Should I try to fully understand pre-relativity first then go in order "chronologically". Or go straight to QM and learn the other necessary prior stuff as I go along as it appears. You may think I am just crazy and need to go straight to Aristotle, but I would rather not as I am not really interested in those "macro" situations.
It seems you want to understand QM conceptually - to the point , now this is where a university course helps , and is the only feasible way to do so. I asked a similar question once on this forum regarding QM and my interest over it.
To really undertand QM in depth just as the pioneer of this branch of physics wished to I recommend 'Lectures on Physics'
By sir Feynman , however let me do highlight for you one point.. you will struggle with quantum mechanics if you don't wish to grasp fundamental ideas of physics predating QM and which do seem to be true in classical view. Be it a degree or understanding QM , classical matter is just as crucial , abstract views can be dealt later when your understanding progresses.
The book-set consists of 3 volumes, volume one is majorly classical ideas./ study of classical matter.. first and second year of degree work , second volume consists of electrodynamics and introduction of vector fields and differentials,maxwell equation , etc . Third volume is where you actually get to study Schrodinger equation,etc
From my personal experience Q.M is not something which people have fully grasped perhaps they may never , there will always be something bringing out the uncertainty of why something is appearing to be that way.
Take thing's slow and steady.. read online articles on wave particle duality, that's a much better start point and you may not appear so lost.
Whatever you do stay ambitious , we are lucky in that we live in an age where sharing knowledge/ information is dealt in a matter of few clicks.
Good luck !
P.S: I am a first year undergraduate and apparently I won't start Q.M until second year.Just my two cents.
