Course Summary
Explore the strange and fascinating world of quantum physics in this introductory course. Learn the basics of wave-particle duality, the Schrödinger equation, and more.Key Learning Points
- Understand the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics
- Learn about wave-particle duality and quantum superposition
- Explore the Schrödinger equation and its applications
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the basic principles of quantum mechanics
- Apply the Schrödinger equation to simple problems
- Gain insight into the strange behavior of quantum particles
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra
- Familiarity with classical mechanics
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online self-paced course
- Video lectures
- Assignments and quizzes
Similar Courses
- The Quantum World
- Quantum Mechanics for Everyone
- Quantum Cryptography
Related Education Paths
- Master of Science in Quantum Information Science at the University of Waterloo
- Certificate in Quantum Information Science at the University of Maryland
- PhD in Quantum Physics at Harvard University
Notable People in This Field
- Michio Kaku
- Brian Greene
- Lisa Randall
Related Books
Description
An introduction to quantum physics with emphasis on topics at the frontiers of research, and developing understanding through exercise.
Outline
- Week 1 - Welcome, Lecture 1 and 2 - Conceptual Grounds
- Welcome and overview
- Part I: Comments on studying QM
- Part II: Pioneering Experiments
- Part III: Pioneering Experiments (cont'd)
- **Part IV: "Deriving" the Schrödinger Eq.
- ***Part V: Spreading of quantum wavepackets
- Part I: Meaning of the wavefunction
- ***Part II: Continuity Equation
- **Part III: Observables; Operators; Expectation Values
- **Part IV: Time Independent Schrödinger Eq.
- **Part V: Superposition; Dirac Notation; Representations
- Homework 1
- Week 2 - Lecture 3 and 4 - Path Integral
- Part I: Introduction
- **Part II: Propagator
- ***Part III: Derivation (difficult material, optional)
- ***Part IV: Derivation (cont'd) (difficult material, optional)
- **Part I: Classical Limit
- *Part II: Quantum corrections to diffusion
- **Part III: Quantum corrections to diffusion; Localization (cont'd)
- Homework 2
- Homework 2 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 3 - Lecture 5 and 6 - Quantum Wells to Cooper Pairs
- *Part I: Electron in a Box
- **Part II: Finite Potential Well
- **Part III: Bound state in a 1D shallow potential
- ***Part IV: Bound states in a delta potential (any dimension)
- Part I: The phenomenon of superconductivity
- *Part II: Quantum Statistics
- ***Part III: Two-particle Schrödinger equation
- **Part IV: The Cooper problem
- Homework 3
- Homework 3 Optional: time propagation of a wavepacket
- Homework 3 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 4 - Lecture 7 and 8 - Quantum Oscillators
- *Part I: Quantizing the classical oscillator
- **Part II: Creation/annihilation operators
- **Part III: Generating the energy spectrum
- **Part IV: Harmonic oscillator wave-functions
- Part I: Collective modes; Goldstone theorem
- **Part II: Classical phonons in an oscillator chain
- ***Part III: Quantum oscillator chain
- ***Part IV: Deriving phonon spectrum; Bogoliubov transform (difficult material; optional)
- Homework 4
- Homework 4 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 5 - Lecture 9 and 10 - The (Simplest) Atom
- Part I: Introduction to optical spectra
- Part II: Cracking the hydrogen code
- Part III: Classical hydrogen atom: angular momentum
- Part IV: Classical hydrogen atom: Runge-Lenz vector
- Part I: The Bohr model of the atom
- Part II: Applications of the Bohr Model
- Part III: Simple constructive techniques
- Part IV: Gaussians and the variational theorem
- Homework 5
- Homework 5 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 6 - Lecture 11 and 12 - The Bouncing Ball
- Part I: Variational Estimates and Applications
- Part II: Hydrogen atom: variational and virial theorems
- Part III: Use of Special Functions
- Part IV: The Bouncing Ball
- Part I: Basic Properties of Angular Momentum Operators
- Part II: Basic Commutation Relations
- Part III: Angular Momentum as an Effective Potential
- Part IV: Angular Momentum and Runge-Lenz Vector
- Homework 6
- Homework 6 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 7 - Lecture 13 and 14 - Rotation and Spin
- Part I: Rotation and Dipole Moments of Molecules
- Part II: Atomic and Molecular Polarizabilities: Perturbation Theory
- Part III: Atomic and Molecular Polarizabilities: Perturbation Theory (cont'd)
- Part IV: Polarizability of the Hydrogen Atom
- Part V: The Spectra of Hydrogen Isotopes
- Part I: Introduction to gauge potentials - magnetic fields
- Part II: Impossibility of magnetism in classical mechanics
- Part III: The Dirac Equation - Basics
- Part IV: The Dirac Equation - Spin
- Part V: Spin and Antimatter in Material Systems
- Homework 7
- Homework 7 Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Week 8 - Lecture 15 and 16 - Quantum Gas and Time Dependence
- Part I: Bose-Einstein condensation in theory
- Part II. Bose-Einstein condensation in experiment
- Part III. Degenerate Fermi-Dirac gases
- Part IV. Current research in quantum gases
- *Part I: Time-dependent Schrödinger Eq.; general remarks
- **Part II: Sudden perturbations; quantum quenches
- ***Part III: Geometric Berry phase (difficult, advanced material - optional)
- Final Exam
- Final Exam Part 1 (Timed) (1 Attempt Only)
- Final Exam Part 2 (Timed) (1 Attempt Only)
- Bonus Questions (Ungraded)
- Bonus Lectures
- **Part I: Zeeman Effect
- **Part II: Stern-Gerlach Experiment
- Part III: Spin Dynamics and LS Coupling
- **Part IV: Spin Exchange and Magnetism
- **Part V: Non-equilibrium Spin Injection
Summary of User Reviews
Read reviews and ratings for Quantum Physics from Coursera. Students praise the course for its engaging lectures and comprehensive coverage of quantum physics. Many find the course challenging but rewarding.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Engaging lecturesPros from User Reviews
- Comprehensive coverage of quantum physics
- Challenging material that encourages critical thinking
- Highly engaging lectures that make complex topics understandable
Cons from User Reviews
- Some videos are difficult to follow
- Assignments can be time-consuming
- Not suitable for beginners with no background in physics
Charles W. Clark
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