A Quantum Mechanics Primer with Solved Exercises (UNITEXT for Physics)

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to quantum mechanics, supported by numerous solved exercises. Aiming to be both exhaustive and educational, it minimises overly formal aspects by presenting the wave mechanical approach to quantum mechanics. The book simplifies and rigorously covers a large set of fundamental topics such as potential wells and barriers, wave packets, harmonic oscillators, and the hydrogen atom. It also addresses spin and, in simple terms, the conceptual difficulties of quantum physics and Bell’s inequalities. The discussion extends to relativistic quantum mechanics. Each chapter includes exercises designed to test comprehension and facilitate optimal assimilation of the material, and are followed by detailed solutions. Intended for both personal study and course support, this book is valuable for anyone curious about the subject. However, it is specifically targeted at undergraduate and master’s students in physics, chemistry, and mathematics, as well as engineering students.

Daniel Baye was Full Professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) until he retired in 2010. He taught various courses in quantum physics and nuclear physics for the second to the fifth year of engineering studies at the Ecole Polytechnique of ULB. He wrote several lecture notes, some of which inspired the proposed book. He also prepared and tested with his students a large number of exercises in those fields. Earlier in his career, he was also involved in teaching linear algebra and numerical computation. He wrote more than 230 articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He has been very active in several international collaborations, mostly with Japan. He supervised 17 doctoral theses and continues helping Ph.D. students. His main domain of interest is nuclear physics and the theory of reactions. He developed several microscopic models of nuclei, that is, involving all nucleons.

Marianne Dufour is Assistant Professor at the University of Strasbourg, France. She obtained her doctorate in theoretical physics in 1986 and completed her habilitation in theoretical nuclear physics in 2003. Her research mainly focuses on the quantum many-body problem in nuclear physics or atomic physics. She also worked on realistic interactions useful in shell model calculations. She has given many physics lessons, having taught more than 7000h at all levels of the university’s educational system. Of note, she also had several important responsibilities at the University of Strasbourg. For example, for many years she managed physics in the so-called MPA training of excellence, which covers the first two years of physics and mathematics modules.

Benjamin Fuks is Professor at Sorbonne Université, Paris,France and Member of the Laboratory of Theoretical and High Energy Physics (LPTHE). He is involved in teaching at the bachelor and master levels, exploring regularly the usage of novel active learning methods. His research activities address the phenomenology of theories beyond the standard model of particle physics (prospective studies at present and future colliders, reinterpretation of existing experimental results), precision calculations for new physics processes (next-to-leading-order corrections in the theory of the strong interactions, resummation of the associated radiative corrections), and the development of simulation tools dedicated to collider physics (Monte-Carlo event generators and satellite programs).

Alan S. Cornell is Professor at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His primary research interests lie in the phenomenology of theories beyond the standard model of particle physics. This includes studies on extra-dimensional models and the behaviour of couplings at higher energy scales, which are pivotal in understanding fundamental forces and particles at a deeper level. Alan S. Cornell has also made advancements in the study of quasinormal modes in various black hole backgrounds, where his work in this area involves developing novel numerical approaches to investigate these perturbations, with an aim at enhancing our comprehension of black hole dynamics and gravitational waves. In addition to these researches, he is deeply committed to physics education, and has conducted research into undergraduate pedagogy and postgraduate supervision practices, aiming to improve their quality and effectiveness.