# Quantum Starting books for Quantum Mechanics

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1. Nov 13, 2016

### Avimanyu Ray

Hello I'm an undergrad. Can anyone suggest me books, articles, lectures for studying quantum mechanics as a fresh starter? I tried r. Shankar but it only mathematical to me, couldnt get the physical significance. On the other hand, Griffith got way deep in concepts without sufficient examples and practice.
So how can I develop my aptitude and logic in quantum world?

2. Nov 13, 2016

### houlahound

Feynman lectures, volume 3, but I suggest you read them all and in order.

3. Nov 14, 2016

### Demystifier

4. Nov 14, 2016

### haushofer

I really like Ghirardi's "Sneaking a look at God's cards".

5. Nov 14, 2016

### smodak

To learn QM properly though, you need to do the required math.

6. Dec 8, 2016

### snatchingthepi

I think Zettili's book is the best I've come across. It has something like 600 solved/unsolved problems throughout and is well written. Just stay away from Griffiths QM book. It's awful in my opinion.

7. Dec 9, 2016

### houlahound

Yet many knowledge and experienced researchers and educators here highly recommend Griffith book.

8. Dec 9, 2016

### vanhees71

Well given the many questions of confused students reading Griffiths's QM book, I have my doubts. However, I've not looked very carefully at the book myself.

9. Dec 9, 2016

### snatchingthepi

I think most people use Griffiths book because it is "simple" and "conversational" and doesn't put too much work into prerequisites. I found this a bloody disaster and my confusion was immediately cleared-up when I switched to Zettili.

10. Dec 9, 2016

### vanhees71

Einstein once wisely sait: "You should explain things as simple as possible but not simpler." ...

11. Dec 9, 2016

### PeroK

I had a quick look at Zettili. Very interesting.

"Energy and time, for instance, form a pair of complementary variables. Their simultaneous
measurement must obey the time–energy uncertainty relation:
$$\Delta E \Delta t \ge \frac{\hbar}{2}$$
This relation states that if we make two measurements of the energy of a system and if these
measurements are separated by a time interval $\Delta t$ the measured energies will differ by an
amount $\Delta E$ which can in no way be smaller than $\frac{\hbar}{\Delta t}$."

Griffiths has too much to say on the time-energy relation to quote it all, but regarding the HUP he says:

"The position-momentum uncertainty principle is often written in the form:
$$\Delta x \Delta p \ge \frac{\hbar}{2}$$
$\Delta x$ (the uncertainty in $x$) is loose notation (and sloppy language) for the standard deviation of the results of repeated experiments on identically prepared systems."

I prefer Griffiths' precision, even though his book has a reputation for being simplistic. Unlike Zettili, when he dodges an issue, he always lets you know.

12. Dec 9, 2016

### vanhees71

In this example Zetttili (whose book I don't know at all) is worse than Griffiths, because it's not sloppy but plain wrong since time is not an observable in QT. Then better read Pauli, Dirac, or another serious book on the subject. I recommend to start with Sakurai and then Weinberg.

13. Dec 9, 2016

### Dr Transport

Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2017
14. Dec 9, 2016

### smodak

If we are talking about textbook at that level then my recommendation is https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma... Fusion of Science and Community&txt=McIntyreor https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...e Fusion of Science and Community&txt=Sakuraior https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma... Fusion of Science and Community&txt=TownSend- each uses spins first approach which in my opinion much easier and modern way to learn Quantum Mechanics. I personally like McIntyre the best.

If I were you I would learn linear algebra first and then read Shttps://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Mechanics-Theoretical-Minimum-ebook/dp/B00FD36G1Qto get a decent overall picture and then read https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma... Fusion of Science and Community&txt=McIntyre.

Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2017
15. Dec 9, 2016

### houlahound

What's up with Amazon, you used to get sample pages to browse. Has this function been disabled.

I am more likely to buy a book if I can sample it.

16. Dec 12, 2016

### Aufbauwerk 2045

I'm not saying ignore the most recent textbooks on QM, but I like Introduction to Quantum Mechanics With Applications to Chemistry by Linus Pauling and E. Bright Wilson Jr.

To balance that with something short and easy, I recommend starting out with Thirty Years That Shook Physics by Gamow. He has a talent for explaining things in simple terms. See for example his explanation of the blackbody radiation problem and his "butter" analogy for energy quanta.