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THE Ulll VERSITY OF NEllRflSKI\
Undergraduate Cou r se
rn
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S~llabus
420
PHYSICS
Department
Course .Number
Int r oduc tion to Quant um Mechanic s
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Cours e Ti tJ e
Catalog Description
Thi s cou r s e pr ovide s an introduction to the hi s torica l
dev elopment o f modern p hysics a nd t o t h e Schroedinger f ormu l at i on of quantum mechan i c s . Specific topic s will inc lude
s quare well p o t en t ial s b arri e r s , th e s i mp le h armonic o s cil l at or
potentia l and the h ydrogen atom. .Cha r acteri s tic s of multi electron atoms , includ i n g an gu lar momentum c o u pling s cheme s ,
s pectra, and tran s ition r u l e s wi l l al so be i nc l uded . .
Prerequi sites
Physics 325 or permi ss ion
Submitted by:
Recommended by:
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Depa rtment or Program Cha 1 rperson
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Date
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
(ourJe Justification Porm
Physics
420
Department
1.
Course
Number
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Course
Title
This Course is:
a.
A replacement or revision of an existing
course.
If yes, please indicate below the
course being revised or replaced.
x
Yes
No
Yes
No
Physics 412
b.
2.
An addition to present course offerings
(i.e., an increase in the number of
courses offered by this department.
X
Will ~ new resources (funds or positions) be required now or in
the future by this course? Please explain why or why not.
See attached sheet
3•
Indicate the student audience for whom this course is designed and
the anticipated enrollment.
Junior and senior physics students and possibly upper level chemistry
students.
4.
Yow of tEfno-Yfrl-l' this course be offered?
Once every year.
5.
IE it appears that this course ~ht involve potential duplication
of effort between depart~ents, ~ograms, or colleges, provide
written evidence that all other departmental units which might be
affected have reviewed the proposed course. The appropriate
chairpersons should sign below to indicate concurrence or provide
accompanying explanations of concerns they may wish brought to the
Educational Policy Advisory Committee's attention.
N/A
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Course Justification Form
Physics 420
2.
No new resources will be required. This course is one
of four new one-semester, three credit hour courses which
will replace five three credit hour courses currently
offered; Physics 405,407,412,414 and 455. Physics 420
however, will be taught once each year, rather than every
two years; hence the total teaching workload required for
the new sequence will be exactly the same as for the old.
Course Justification Form
6.
If this course is an addition to the present curriculum, provide a
detailed narrative justification of the need for this I~ours~.
This course along with the other three mentioned in #2 wi~l allow
a consolidation of material formerly taught in five one-semester
sequences. Since it will be a prerequisite for the other three,
it will be taught every year, thus insuring that the students
taking the remaining courses in the sequence all have the same
preparation, which is not currently the case.
7.
If a new graduate course, the dean having budgetary responsibility
for the department should sign here to indicate that resources
currently are available to add the course to the curriculum.
Dean
Syllabus for Physics 420; Introduction to Quantum Mechanics.
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I. For Whom Intended; This course is intended for junior and senior level
physics majors. Other science or engineering majors with the appropriate
background may also find it useful.
II. Prerequisites; Physics 325 or permission of the instructor.
III. Credit Hours; Three
IV. Objectives of the Course; This course is intended to give the student
an understanding of the historical development of modern physics and the
Schroedinger formulation of quantum mechanics. The student will learn to
apply this methodology to simple physical systems such as square wells,
barriers, the simple harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom. The way in
which quantum mechanics determines the physical characteristics of
multi-electron atoms will also be discussed.
V. Course Content; The course will include discussion of the following
topiCS;
A) Historical Development of Modern Physics ..
1) Planck's Law.
2) Photoelectricity.
3) Rutherford's Experiments
4) Bohr Theory.
5) DeBroglie's Hypothesis.
6) The Uncertainty Principle.
B) Development of Quantum Mechanics.
1) Schroedinger's Equation.
2) The Heisenberg Approach to Quantum Mechanics.
3) Interpretation and Philosophical Implications.
C) Applications of Schroedinger's Theory.
I ) Square Wells and Barriers.
2) The Simple Harmonic Oscillator.
3) The Hydrogen Atom.
D) Characteristics of Multi-electron atoms.
1) Spin and Orbital Angular Momentum Coupl1ng.
2) Energy Levels.
3) Spectra and Transition Rules.
Bibliography; Typically the text selected will contain all of the material
to be covered as well as problems to be assigned. Outside reading
aSSignments are rare.
Sample Texts; Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Sol ids Nuclej and
partjcles, Robert Eisberg and Robert Resnick, John Wiley and Sons, 1974.
Foundations of Modern Ph~, Paul A. Tipler, 'worth Publ ishers Inc.,
1980.
VI. Instruct ional t-1ethods and Grading; Instruction wi II be by convent ional
lecture rnethod for three fifty- rninute periods per week or the equivalent.
Problem aSSignments will be rnade periodical1y and used in grading. A
student's grade wi' 1 be determined on the basis of problem aSSignments
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and hour exams. Typically anywhere from two to four hour exams will be
given. Weighting of the hour exams and homework wi 11 be at the discretion
of the instructor; some instructors, for example may count the homework
as equivalent to an hour exam whereas others may wish to weigh it more
heavily.