Recomendation for a beginner

teodorakis · Oct 15, 2013

Hi, i am a newly interested self learner of QM. For now, i have the lectures of Feynman and i made a research about the beginning phase in PF and the feynman lectures and griffiths book are mentioned in few threads. First of all let me inform you about my math level. I am an engineer with masters degree, i took classes of calculus 1,2 differential eq. linear algebra, complex number maths, but i didn't use them for a while. I begin to follow the theoretical minimum of susskind's and for now mathematically it's straightforward, but before things are getting massy i want to revise my math knowledge, i don't want to skip any point, so shall i start from the basics of calculus and diff eqs. and so on or shall i directly begin with one of the introduction to QM books. If so, could you recommend any book?
Thank you.

craigi · Oct 15, 2013

teodorakis said: ↑

Hi, i am a newly interested self learner of QM. For now, i have the lectures of Feynman and i made a research about the beginning phase in PF and the feynman lectures and griffiths book are mentioned in few threads. First of all let me inform you about my math level. I am an engineer with masters degree, i took classes of calculus 1,2 differential eq. linear algebra, complex number maths, but i didn't use them for a while. I begin to follow the theoretical minimum of susskind's and for now mathematically it's straightforward, but before things are getting massy i want to revise my math knowledge, i don't want to skip any point, so shall i start from the basics of calculus and diff eqs. and so on or shall i directly begin with one of the introduction to QM books. If so, could you recommend any book?
Thank you.

I think it's worth starting with a popular non-technical book, if for no other reason than to get a good overview of the history and phenomena that QM was designed to explain.

This is well written up to date, which is useful since many topics in QM are still active areas of research:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-Guide-For-The-Perplexed/dp/1780223951

Refreshing your maths knowledge might not help a whole lot. I'd suggest trying to find out which are the current popular undergraduate teaching textbooks and check the maths that you're going to need to learn. I could try to find them for you, but I'd just be searching for recommendations, which throws up this https://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Mechanics-2-vol-set/dp/0471569526, for instance. Quantum Mechanics has a habit of teaching the required maths, as it goes along, providing that you have the necessary grounding is calculus and linear algebra, which I'd say that you, almost certainly, already do.

Jeronimus · Oct 15, 2013

I am certainly not in the position to judge the quality of the standford online courses, but i kinda liked what i have seen so far.

http://www.youtube.com/user/StanfordUniversity/videos?flow=list&view=1

one of their playlist...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Eeuqh9QfNI&list=SPA27CEA1B8B27EB67

this is about quantum entanglement. The math used is quite easy linear algebra mainly. It gets complicated to the end when every concept stacks upon each other, but it is doable if you put some effort into it.

Maybe you like it..

Crake · Oct 16, 2013

Micromass used to recommend this book for a QM course:

- Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications by Zettili

I don't own the book, so I don't know if it's any good. It may have a math introduction, which is what you're looking for, correct?

To revise your math knowledge, I would recommend "Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences - By Mary L. Boas".

ZapperZ · Oct 16, 2013

teodorakis said: ↑

Hi, i am a newly interested self learner of QM. For now, i have the lectures of Feynman and i made a research about the beginning phase in PF and the feynman lectures and griffiths book are mentioned in few threads. First of all let me inform you about my math level. I am an engineer with masters degree, i took classes of calculus 1,2 differential eq. linear algebra, complex number maths, but i didn't use them for a while. I begin to follow the theoretical minimum of susskind's and for now mathematically it's straightforward, but before things are getting massy i want to revise my math knowledge, i don't want to skip any point, so shall i start from the basics of calculus and diff eqs. and so on or shall i directly begin with one of the introduction to QM books. If so, could you recommend any book?
Thank you.

I'd say keep the Feynman book for later. Start with that Griffiths text and see how far you can go. If you get stuck with the mathematics, then that will be a good time to look for a good source to brush up on that math. The Mary Boas text that was recommended is a good book to have.

With those, you should have everything you need to start learning QM at the undergraduate level. Just dive right in.

Zz.

jesse73 · Oct 16, 2013

If you are good with linear algebra start with the heisenberg picture. I wish someone would of told me that.

Dundeephysics · Oct 16, 2013

I would recommend you watch some lecture sequences on youtube by a good lecturer to know more about the subject.
I also found Griffiths book "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" is useful and explains the basics of quantum mechanics in easy steps for my undergraduate course.

You could signup for the course on the following link in quantum mechanics. Its free to join the class, and if you do well in it you could even get a certificate of accomplishement, but the course might need some maths skills.
https://www.coursera.org/course/eqp