Here’s How You Can Teach Yourself Quantum Physics
What it takes to learn the most complicated scientific discipline
Quantum mechanics is absurd. The more you try to understand it, the more confusing it becomes. That usually happens when you do not know the right method to learn it, or you do not have the right resources. The fact is, the more you study it, the more absurd and hence the more exciting it becomes. Particles at the smallest scale do not behave in a conventional manner. Things happen in the quantum world which otherwise would sound stupid and impossible in the world of large-scale structures, and I believe, that is the most interesting part.
“In the world of the very small, where particle and wave aspects of reality are equally significant, things do not behave in any way that we can understand from our experience of the everyday world…all pictures are false, and there is no physical analogy we can make to understand what goes on inside atoms. Atoms behave like atoms, nothing else.”
― John Gribbin
There must be many people out there who do not come from a physics background but still want to learn this infamous topic. In this article, I shall share some amazing resources that are freely available on the internet, the resources you can get your hands on, and start grasping the concepts of this so-called complicated scientific discipline. I shall also share some tips as to how to study it, based on my own experiences. But first, let’s talk about the resources. Please be noted that I do not endorse or promote these websites or channels. They have been effective as reference resources and so I am recommending them. Also, studying quantum mechanics requires some foundational knowledge on the concepts of classical (Newtonian) physics, and certain mathematical concepts have to be clear like multivariable calculus, analytical geometry, vector analysis, etc.
Best videos on Quantum mechanics
Leonard Susskind is a great science explainer. The bad boy of physics has his own unique style of teaching. His Stanford lectures on quantum mechanics can be a great place to start with provided you know the basics of classical physics. The lectures were recorded in February 2008 and consisted of a total of 10 lectures covering numerous topics of the discipline.
Lecture 5 of MIT OpenCourseWare by Barton Zwiebach on the topic of operator analysis and Schrodinger’s equation is another master lecture that is freely available for your reference. Prof. Zwiebach does a fine job explaining the topic with much ease and clarity.
Once you learn about the operator formalism in quantum mechanics and the fundamentals of Schrodinger's equations, you should get your head around free particle and particle in 1-Dimensional box. Here’s where you can learn it- an MIT lecture by Professor Robert Field:
Quantum physics resource list is incomplete without the presence of Professor Ramamurti Shankar, a professor of theoretical physics at Yale University and a prolific author of several physics books of grad and undergrad level. In this particular lecture, Prof. Shankar talks about wave functions, particle in a box, in a ring, and most importantly, particle interactions.
Some Best Books on Quantum Mechanics
Books play a great role if you are learning anything and your choice of books affects your pace of understanding.
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Helgoland: Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution
The Theoretical Minimum
How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog
Principles of Quantum Mechanics
Quantum Mechanics, Volume 3: Fermions, Bosons, Photons, Correlations, and Entanglement
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