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PHYS 485 General Information
Physics 485 provides an introduction to quantum physics including suitable for
majors in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, and
related Sciences.
When:
Lectures on Mondays and Wednesdays 2:00 - 3:20 pm.
Midterms: Monday, Oct-14th and Wed, Nov-20th
Final: TBA
Where:
Lectures and exams take place in: 136 Loomis Laboratory of Physics
PHYS 485 Contact Information
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Office hours:
Professor Matthias Grosse Perdekamp
469 Loomis Laboratory
(217) 333-6544
[email protected]
Tuesday 5:00-6:00pm
Grader:
Office:
Phone:
Email:
Tsung-Han Yeh
Loomis-MRL Interpass 390F
no office phone
[email protected]
Office hours:
Tuesday 4:00-5:00pm
For course related e-mail: if you would like a prompt reply make sure to
place “PHYS 485 “ into your subject line
Course web-page:
PHYS 485 Grading Policy
Course grades will be determined by the following percentages:
Problem sets
Midterm I
Midterm II
Final exam
45%
15%
15%
25%
Final grade boundaries will be chosen such that NA++NA+NA- ~ 40% of NAll
and similar for B letter grades .
PHYS 485 Homework
10 problem, one per week. Problem sets will account for 45% of the final grade.
Problem sets will be distributed by e-mail Wednesdays by the end of the day
and are due one week later, Wednesday in class.
Late submission: 485 homework box, 2nd floor.
Late deductions: 20% Wednesday 2.05pm to Thursday 6pm
40% after Thursday 6pm to Friday 6pm
100% after Friday 6pm
Solutions will be posted on the course web-page on Monday morning and
homework will be returned during the Monday lectures.
First homework: Wednesday Sep. 4th due Wednesday Sep. 11th.
Problem sets aim to enhance your learning of the material. I encourage you to
consult with other students in the class on the problem sets, but remember that
you will be on your own in the exams.
TA and lecturer office hours are scheduled Tuesday afternoon.
PHYS 485 Exams
Midterms:
There will be two midterm examination, given in class.
Each midterm will account for 15% of your final grade.
Midterm I
Midterm II
(Monday, October-14, in class)
(Wednesday, November-20, in class)
Final Exam:
There will be a three-hour final exam, which will account for 25% of your final grade.
The final exam will cover all course material.
All exams are closed book. However, it is permitted to use a one page summary
of your own notes during the midterms and three pages for the final. Calculators
will be necessary.
About half of the exam problems will be taken from study lists of problems for
each exam and the homework.
Recommended Reading
Textbook:

Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles , 2nd Edition,
Robert Eisberg and Robert Resnick (1985).
Other books you might want to consult:

Quantum Physics, 3rd Edition,
Stephen Gasiorowicz (2003).

The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol.III,
R. Feynman, R. Leighton, M. Sands (1964).

As Reference for selected topics: Quantum Mechanics,
C. Choen-Tannoudji, B. Diu, F. Laloe (1992).
PHYS 485 Makeup Time & Day
Poll: What is the best time to schedule a Makeup Class if necessary?
[I will try to avoid this but it might become necessary ~ 2 times,
to acommodate travel to my experiment at BNL]
Tuesday, Thursday,
Friday
2-3.20pm
3-4.20pm
4-5.20pm
5-6.20pm
6-7.20pm
7-8.20pm
8-9.20pm
Please raise your hand for times that will not work for you!
Quantum Mechanics
Scope: Quantitative description of phenomena observed in atoms,
molecules, nuclei, elementary particles and condensed matter
(in the non-relativistic limit).
The goals of this course are to
(a) review the basic concepts of quantum mechanics
(b) study it’s applications for a broad range of different
areas: atoms, molecules, condensed matter and nuclei.
Why Quantum Mechanics ?
In the late 19th and early 20th century physics experiments increasingly
gain access to microscopic observables:
However, attempts to describe atomic particles as
point masses governed by the laws of classical
mechanics and field theory (E&M) fail for an increasing
set of experimental observations.
Examples:
Thermal radiation : “ultraviolet catastrophe” for black body radiators
( Wednesday!)
Atomic spectra
: discrete optical emission lines!
Intrinsic orbital
angular momentum: spin phenomena, eg. Stern Gerlach experiment can not
be explained in the framework of classic physics
Superconductivity : again, no classical explanation
A Current Example on How Well
Classical Physics Works!
Classical EM allows perfect description of currents and
voltages in case of an events that leads to the loss of
superconductivity in the g-2 magnet:
Fit of classical transformer
eqns. to highly precise data !
World largest superconducting solenoid
upon arrival at Fermi-Lab in July 2013
Why Quantum Mechanics ?
In the late 19th and early 20th century physics experiments increasingly
gain access to microscopic observables:
However, attempts to describe atomic particles as
point masses governed by the laws of classical
mechanics and field theory (E&M) fail for an increasing
set of experimental observations.
Examples:
Thermal radiation : “ultraviolet catastrophe” for black body radiators
( Wednesday!)
Atomic spectra
: discrete optical emission lines!
Intrinsic orbital
angular momentum: spin phenomena, eg. Stern Gerlach experiment can not
be explained in the framework of classic physics
Superconductivity : again, no classical explanation
The Stern Gerlach Experiment
The magnetic moment  of the Ag atom
μS
is proportion al to the spin of the outermost
(5s) electron spin S .
The force on the silver atoms is
Bz
z
In classic physics the Ag magmentic moments
Fz   z
in the oven can be oriented in any direction
resulting in a continous distributi on of  z .
The Stern Gerlach Experiment
Interesting reading: Physics Today article online
Phys. Today 56(12), 53 (2003); doi: 10.1063/1.1650229
View online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1650229
Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics I
Classical mechanics
Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics II
Electrodynamics
Features of classical particles and waves:
 deterministic equations
 well defined quantities
 measurements can (in principle) be
precise and non-invasive
Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics III
Quantum mechanics
Classic Physics vs Quantum Mechanics IV
Features of systems governed by quantum physics
 wave-particle duality
 interference
 uncertainty principle (fundamental limit on measurements)
 quantization of energy levels (atomic structure)
 entanglement (Schroedinger’s cat paradox, Einstein, Podolsky
Rosen, EPR, paradox)
 quantum statistics (Pauli exclusion principle, Bose condensation)
 condensed matter (superconductivity)
Interpretation/philosophical issues
interaction of measurements on system evolution
causality, determinism
Historical benchmarks in the
development of Quantum Mechanics
Historical benchmarks in the
development of Quantum Mechanics