Franz Mandl - Quantum Mechanics

THE MANCHESTER PHYSICS SERIES

General Editors: D.J. SANDIFORD; F. MANDL; A.C. PHILLIPS

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester

Copyright 1992 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate,

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mandl, F. (Franz), (date)

Quantum mechanics / F. Mandl

p. cm.(The Manchester physics series)

Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.

ISBN 0-471-92971-9 (cloth)ISBN 0-471-93155-1 (paper)

1. Quantum theory. I. Title. II. Series

QC174.12.M35 1992

530.12dc20

91-24255

CIP

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN-10: 0 471 93155 1 (pbk)

ISBN-10: 0 471 92971 9 (cloth)

ISBN-13: 978 0471 93155 3 (pbk)

ISBN-13: 978 0471 92971 0 (cloth)

Editors Preface to the Manchester Physics Series

The Manchester Physics Series is a series of textbooks at first degree level. It grew out of our experience at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Manchester University, widely shared elsewhere, that many textbooks contain much more material than can be accommodated in a typical undergraduate course; and that this material is only rarely so arranged as to allow the definition of a short self-contained course. In planning these books we have had two objectives. One was to produce short books: so that lecturers should find them attractive for undergraduate courses; so that students should not be frightened off by their encyclopaedic size or price. To achieve this, we have been very selective in the choice of topics, with the emphasis on the basic physics together with some instructive, stimulating and useful applications. Our second objective was to produce books which allow courses of different lengths and difficulty to be selected, with emphasis on different applications. To achieve such flexibility we have encouraged authors to use flow diagrams showing the logical connections between different chapters and to put some topics in starred sections. These cover more advanced and alternative material which is not required for the understanding of latter parts of each volume.

Although these books were conceived as a series, each of them is self-contained and can be used independently of the others. Several of them are suitable for wider use in other sciences. Each Authors Preface gives details about the level, prerequisites, etc., of that volume.

The Manchester Physics Series has been very successful with total sales of more than a quarter of a million copies. We are extremely grateful to the many students and colleagues, at Manchester and elsewhere, for helpful criticisms and stimulating comments. Our particular thanks go to the authors for all the work they have done, for the many new ideas they have contributed, and for discussing patiently, and often accepting, the suggestions of the editors.

Finally we would like to thank our publishers, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, for their enthusiastic and continued commitment to the Manchester Physics Series.

D.J. Sandiford
F. Mandl
A.C. Phillips
February 1997

selected, with emphasis on different applications. To achieve such flexibility we have encouraged authors to use flow diagrams showing the logical connections between different chapters and to put some topics in starred sections. These cover more advanced and alternative material which is not required for the understanding of later parts of each volume. Although these books were conceived as a series, each of them is self-contained and can be used independently of the others. Several of them are suitable for wider use in other sciences. Each authors preface gives details about the level, prerequisites, etc., of his volume.

We are extremely grateful to the many students and colleagues, at Manchester and elsewhere, whose helpful criticisms and stimulating comments have led to many improvements. Our particular thanks go to the authors for all the work they have done, for the many new ideas they have contributed, and for discussing patiently, and often accepting, our many suggestions and requests. We would also like to thank the publishers, John Wiley & Sons, who have been most helpful.

F. MANDL
R. J. ELLISON
D. J.SANDIFORD

January, 1987

Authors Preface

In writing an undergraduate textbook on quantum mechanics, it is necessary to select severely from this huge subject. Over the years, I have lectured on quantum mechanics at all levels, from introductory undergraduate to advanced postgraduate. Perhaps surprisingly, many of these courses shared a common approach. It is this approach I am presenting here. I am concentrating on general principles and methods. My aim is to display the structure of quantum mechanics clearly. Students who have worked through this book should be able to follow quantum-mechanical arguments in books and (not too advanced) papers, and to cope with simple cases themselves. For this purpose, I employ ideas and methods of wide applicability without taking them to their full generality. For example, symmetry arguments are more prominent and angular momentum is treated from a more general viewpoint than is usual at this level.