Primer of Quantum Mechanics [Hardcover]

Marvin Chester (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0894647016 | ISBN-13: 978-0894647017 | Publication Date: March 1992

Introductory text examines the classical quantum bead on a track: its state and representations; operator eigenvalues; harmonic oscillator and bound bead in a symmetric force field; and bead in a spherical shell. Also, spin, matrices and structure of quantum mechanics; simplest atom; indistinguishable particles; and stationary-state perturbation theory. 1992 edition.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 314 pages
• Publisher: Krieger Pub Co (March 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0894647016
• ISBN-13: 978-0894647017
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,212,459 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gem of a book!, December 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Primer of Quantum Mechanics (Dover Books on Physics) (Paperback)

What a wonderful gem of a book this is! It is written with grace and eloquence and yes with a bit of passion for the subject as well! It probably cannot be used as a stand alone textbook since it lacks the rigour and depth of standard textbooks. However, it is a perfect adjunct to any QM class. The book uses the Dirac notation from the beginning, much like the books by Townsend, Shankar and Sakurai (a couple of these are graduate level books). As such it will not follow the typical undergraduate's class experience if books such as Griffins are used. As with most books the problems are an integral part of the book and of your education. For the most part these are not untractable and hints and solutions are given for some.
If you are planning on taking QM in the fall then you have enough mathematics to tackle this on your own (perhaps the summer prior to the first QM class). And if one puts the effort much can be gained from this little book. Also, since Dover is the publisher the price is not unreasonable.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Primer of Quantum Mechanics, December 30, 2002

By 

anphys "ancphys" (Macungie, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Primer of Quantum Mechanics (Hardcover)

A good and relatively easy introduction to Dirac notation for quantum mechanics. Very suitable for self study--I have worked through all of it, including all the problems. Most of the problems are an integral part of the text, but there are solutions to many and hints for many of the others. Should be suitable also for an undergraduate text in quantum mechanics. As an example of his method, Chester treats EPR in a general and apparently original manner, i.e. he uses neither the formulation in the EPR paper nor Bohm's--in most treatments the latter is most common (and certainly easiest to apply to experimental tests). I found the chapter on indistinguishable particles particularly helpful. Using simple examples, the author provides a clear introduction to the topic. Somewhat weak in the area of matrix mechanics; using Dirac notation in that section seems forced. There is a number of typographical errors, which are not serious however.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The author has an original way with words, September 1, 2006

By 

David Fairthorne (Thornhill, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Primer of Quantum Mechanics (Dover Books on Physics) (Paperback)

The author has an original way with words that makes for interesting reading. Many paragraph headings make memorable slogans, such as "WHAT YOU MEASURE IS WHAT YOU KNOW".

But in order to understand this book you must come to terms with the author's own terminology; for instance he regularly uses the word "language" to mean a mathematical "basis".

Dirac notation is used liberally, and the Dirac bracket is explained in words in several different ways; but nowhere is it defined in mathematical terms, as the inner product (scalar product) of two vectors. This seems surprising in view of the author's statment that "The entire business of practical quantum mechanics is devoted to obtaining transformation matrices!". The elements of transformation matrices are Dirac brackets, but this book shows how in many cases they can be evaluated without knowing their mathematical definition.

This book has a strongly practical approach, with emphasis on the physical apparatus used to make physical measurements.