Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Small World, Huh? Essential Quantum Physics 7

Chapter 1: Discoveries and Essential Quantum Physics 9

Chapter 2: Entering the Matrix: Welcome to State Vectors 23

Part II: Bound and Undetermined: Handling Particles in Bound States 55

Chapter 3: Getting Stuck in Energy Wells 57

Chapter 4: Back and Forth with Harmonic Oscillators 91

Part III: Turning to Angular Momentum and Spin 125

Chapter 5: Working with Angular Momentum on the Quantum Level 127

Chapter 6: Getting Dizzy with Spin 157

Part IV: Multiple Dimensions: Going 3D with Quantum Physics 167

Chapter 7: Rectangular Coordinates: Solving Problems in Three Dimensions 169

Chapter 8: Solving Problems in Three Dimensions: Spherical Coordinates 189

Chapter 9: Understanding Hydrogen Atoms 205

Chapter 10: Handling Many Identical Particles 231

Part V: Group Dynamics: Introducing Multiple Particles 253

Chapter 11: Giving Systems a Push: Perturbation Theory 255

Chapter 12: Wham-Blam! Scattering Theory 275

Part VI: The Part of Tens 293

Chapter 13: Ten Quantum Physics Tutorials 295

Chapter 14: Ten Quantum Physics Triumphs 299

Glossary 303

Index 309

About the Author

Steven Holzner is an award-winning author of technical and science books (like Physics For Dummies and Differential Equations For Dummies). He graduated from MIT and did his PhD in physics at Cornell University, where he was on the teaching faculty for 10 years. He’s also been on the faculty of MIT. Steve also teaches corporate groups around the country.