Quantum Mechanics Book for First Year Physics Students

[pivoxa15]

Does anyone know an especially good book/textbook on quantum mechanics that is written for an audience with first year physics knowledge?

I will be donig 2nd year QM next year so a book that describes QM well but obviously not a thorough treatment.

Thanks

 

[robphy]

I like French and Taylor's Intro to Quantum Physics text.

 

[harsh]

Check out Eisberg and Resnick. I have heard good things about it, but it might be a bit too much for you.

- harsh

 

[dextercioby]

Try one of the early editions of Schiff's book. The QM intro course for chemists written by Linus Pauling in 1935 is also useful.

U should know some high level mathematics, though...

Daniel.

 

[dimachka]

Try one of the early editions of Schiff's book. The QM intro course for chemists written by Linus Pauling in 1935 is also useful.
U should know some high level mathematics, though...
Daniel.

Fantastic books but i doubt someone with just first year physics knowledge could grasp these books. I would have to vote for "An introduction to quantum physics" by French and Taylor as well, a good intro to the world of quantum mechanics. I used this book first.

 

[jtbell]

I will be donig 2nd year QM next year

Where are you studying, and what book will you be using in that course?

At most colleges and universities in the USA, second-year physics majors don't take a full course in QM, as far as I know. Instead, they take an "introduction to modern physics" course that includes some QM. There are several textbooks at this level, e.g. Beiser or Krane or Taylor/Zafiriatos/Dubson. I think most standalone QM textbooks are ained at the third/fourth year level, and are easier to follow if the student has been through an "intro modern" course already.

 

[Dr Transport]

French and Taylor is a good text. McGervey is also good. Stay away from Griffiths. Schaums outline is really cheap and has a load of problems and solutions.

 

[quantumdude]

The Schaum's outline is almost certainly too advanced for anyone who has only had 1 year of physics.

I would recommend Krane's Modern Physics if you have not yet taken differential equations and linear algebra. If you do have that much math then I would recommend either Eisberg and Resnick's Quantum Physics or Brehm and Mullin's Introduction to the Structure of Matter. Both books are good, but I recommend Eisberg and Resnick more highly because it includes perturbation theory, while Brehm and Mullin does not.

 

[inha]

Stay away from Griffiths.

Why? It seemed to be just fine to me.

 

[quantumdude]

I've heard good things about it too, but it is certainly too advanced for this student.

 

[Ring]

By far the easiest QM text of them all is Michael Morrison's "Understanding Quantum Physics-- A Users Manual."

 

[CarlB]

Be sure and pick up Feynman's inexpensive paperback "QED: The Strange Theory of Matter and Light". Nothing explains quantum mechanics better for a beginning student. No equations, but he explains Feynman diagrams even. It really is a fantastic piece of "physics for poets" that only Feynman could put together.

On the other hand, if you want a reference that will remain on your shelf forever, but is still readable at the very earliest level, get Albert Messiah's two volume set, now packaged in a single paperback.

Carl

 

[Dr Transport]

Why? It seemed to be just fine to me.

I do not like his style of presentation...

 

[pivoxa15]

Thanks for all the suggestions. My prescribed textbook is
R A Serway, C J Moses and C A Moyer, Modern Physics. Saunders
I am working through the QM bit by myself at the moment but would like to complement it with better books on the topic. I would also like to have a broader understanding of the subject other than picking which formula to use but that will only come with practice I guess.