Quantum Mechanics: An Accessible Introduction - Softcover

Robert Scherrer's text provides a uniquely accessible and thorough introduction to quantum mechanics for undergraduates. It is designed from the ground up to address the changing needs of today's students taking this important and challenging course. Scherrer carefully develops a solid foundation by recapping on the required math and other basic concepts before developing all the major more advanced topics. The introductory chapters introduce the experimental evidence that historically motivated the development of quantum mechanics and explain why this topic is so central to today's science and technology. Every section starts with an intuitive explanation of quantum phenomenon, which provides a clear physical motivation for the discussion that follows. Unique Math Interlude chapters throughout the book ensure that the student has all the required mathematical skills required to master quantum mechanics. In-text worked examples provide more detailed derivations and solutions than any other book.

Robert Scherrer is Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, where he arrived in 2003 following 15 years as a professor of physics at Ohio State University. He received is A.B. in physics from Princeton University, spent two years at Cambridge University on a Marshall Scholarship, and then received his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Chicago. While a professor at Ohio State, Scherrer received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching. His teaching philosophy follows the advice of Hippocrates: "First, do no harm." He believes that most physics students come to study physics because they find it interesting, and it is the teacher's job to maintain that interest while navigating the sometimes-difficult subject matter. Scherrer's own research is in the area of theoretical cosmology, including the physics of the early universe, dark matter and dark energy, and the large-scale structure of the universe. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife and five children.