What Are the Best Online Resources for a First-Year Quantum Mechanics Student?

[Domnu]

Hi, I'm an incoming undergraduate freshman. Does anybody know of any good online quantum mechanics resources which generally cover the first year of quantum mechanics at an undergraduate level? My knowledge of physics is as follows:

- Extensive classical mechanics (including some Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism)
- E/M (at the level of Physics C... so that would include Maxwell's equations, etc.)
- Very basic quantum mechanics (construction of Schroedinger's Equation, bra-ket notation, solutions to the infinite and finite square well potentials, basic operators... momentum [not angular, just linear], kinetic energy, potential energy)

My knowledge of math is as follows:

- Basic Linear algebra (at the level of a first year undergraduate course)
- Single and Multivariable calculus (at the level of a first year undergraduate course)
- Differential equations (at the level of a first year undergraduate course)

I'm taking QM this upcoming Fall, so I was just wondering what I should be expecting... and I don't really want to buy a book yet, because I was just planning to use the book my university wishes us to buy (which they haven't released yet...). If I could learn a lot of QM over the summer, it would really help.

 

[malawi_glenn]

Have a look at our tutorial session.

here are some links:
http://lanl.arxiv.org/abs/physics/0004072
http://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/qm/lectures/lectures.html

Good luck and have a nice reading

 

[charng]

Hi there, congratulations on starting your undergraduate journey in physics! Quantum mechanics is a fascinating and challenging subject, but with your strong background in classical mechanics and mathematics, I have no doubt that you will excel in it.

As for online resources, I highly recommend checking out MIT's OpenCourseWare (OCW) for their introductory quantum mechanics course (https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-04-quantum-physics-i-spring-2013/). This course covers the first year of quantum mechanics at an undergraduate level and includes lecture videos, problem sets, and exams. It is also taught by Professor Allan Adams, who is known for his engaging and clear teaching style.

In addition, the University of Colorado Boulder has a fantastic series of interactive simulations that can help you visualize and understand quantum mechanical concepts (https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/physics/quantum-mechanics). These simulations are free to use and cover topics such as wave-particle duality, the uncertainty principle, and quantum tunneling.

Lastly, I would recommend checking out the "Quantum Mechanics for Everyone" series by Professor David Tong from the University of Cambridge (https://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/user/tong/qft.html). This series is aimed at a general audience, but it covers the basics of quantum mechanics in a very intuitive and accessible way.

I hope these resources will be helpful to you in preparing for your QM course this fall. Good luck and have fun exploring the quantum world!