The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol. III: The New Millennium Edition: Quantum Mechanics (Feynman Lectures on Physics (Paperback)) (Volume 3)

“The whole thing was basically an experiment,” Richard Feynman said late in his career, looking back on the origins of his lectures. The experiment turned out to be hugely successful, spawning publications that have remained definitive and introductory to physics for decades. Ranging from the basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as general relativity and quantum mechanics, Feynman’s lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. Timeless and collectible, the lectures are essential reading, not just for students of physics but for anyone seeking an introduction to the field from the inimitable Feynman. Chapter 1. Quantum Behavior Atomic mechanics An experiment with bullets An experiment with waves An experiment with electrons The interference of electron waves Watching the electrons First principles of quantum mechanics The uncertainty principle Chapter 2. The Relation of Wave and Particle Viewpoints Probability wave amplitudes Measurement of position and momentum Crystal diffraction The size of an atom Energy levels Philosophical implications Chapter 3. Probability Amplitudes The laws for combining amplitudes The two-slit interference pattern Scattering from a crystal Identical particles Chapter 4. Identical Particles Bose particles and Fermi particles States with two Bose particles States with n Bose particles Emission and absorption of photons The blackbody spectrum Liquid helium The exclusion principle Chapter 5. Spin One Filtering atoms with a Stern-Gerlach apparatus Experiments with filtered atoms Stern-Gerlach filters in series Base states Interfering amplitudes The machinery of quantum mechanics Transforming to a different base Other situations Chapter 6. Spin One-Half Transforming amplitudes Transforming to a rotated coordinate system Rotations about the z-axis Rotations of 180 and 90 about y Rotations about x Arbitrary rotations Chapter 7. The Dependence of Amplitudes on Time Atoms at rest; stationary states Uniform motion Potential energy; energy conservation Forces; the classical limit The ``precession'' of a spin one-half particle Chapter 8. The Hamiltonian Matrix Amplitudes and vectors Resolving state vectors What are the base states of the world? How states change with time The Hamiltonian matrix The ammonia molecule Chapter 9. The Ammonia Maser The states of an ammonia molecule The molecule in a static electric field Transitions in a time-dependent field Transitions at resonance Transitions off resonance The absorption of light Chapter 10. Other Two-State Systems The hydrogen molecular ion Nuclear forces The hydrogen molecule The benzene molecule Dyes The Hamiltonian of a spin one-half particle in a magnetic field The spinning electron in a magnetic field Chapter 11. More Two-State Systems The Pauli spin matrices The spin matrices as operators The solution of the two-state equations The polarization states of the photon The neutral K-meson Generalization to N-state systems Chapter 12. The Hyperfine Splitting in Hydrogen Base states for a system with two spin one-half particles The Hamiltonian for the ground state of hydrogen The energy levels The Zeeman splitting The states in a magnetic field The projection matrix for spin one Chapter 13. Propagation in a Crystal Lattice States for an electron in a one-dimensional lattice States of definite energy Time-dependent states An electron in a three-dimensional lattice Other states in a lattice Scattering from imperfections in the lattice Trapping by a lattice imperfection Scattering amplitudes and bound states Chapter 14. Semiconductors Electrons and holes in semiconductors Impure semiconductors The Hall effect Semiconductor junctions Rectification at a semiconductor junction The transistor Chapter 15. The Independent Particle Approximation Spin waves Two spin waves Independent particles The benzene molecule More organic chemistry Other uses of the approximation Chapter 16. The Dependence of Amplitudes on Position Amplitudes on a line The wave function States of definite momentum Normalization of the states in x The Schrödinger equation Quantized energy levels Chapter 17. Symmetry and Conservation Laws Symmetry Symmetry and conservation The conservation laws Polarized light The disintegration of the 0 Summary of the rotation matrices Chapter 18. Angular Momentum Electric dipole radiation Light scattering The annihilation of positronium Rotation matrix for any spin Measuring a nuclear spin Composition of angular momentum Added Note 1: Derivation of the rotation matrix Added Note 2: Conservation of parity in photon emission Chapter 19. The Hydrogen Atom and The Periodic Table Schrödinger's equation for the hydrogen atom Spherically symmetric solutions States with an angular dependence The general solution for hydrogen The hydrogen wave functions The periodic table Chapter 20. Operators Operations and operators Average energies The average energy of an atom The position operator The momentum operator Angular momentum The change of averages with time Chapter 21. The Schrödinger Equation in a Classical Context: A Seminar on Superconductivity Schrödinger's equation in a magnetic field The equation of continuity for probabilities Two kinds of momentum The meaning of the wave function Superconductivity The Meissner effect Flux quantization The dynamics of superconductivity The Josephson junction Feynman's Epilogue Appendix Chapter 34. The Magnetism of Matter Diamagnetism and paramagnetism Magnetic moments and angular momentum The precession of atomic magnets Diamagnetism Larmor's theorem Classical physics gives neither diamagnetism nor paramagnetism Angular momentum in quantum mechanics The magnetic energy of atoms Chapter 35. Paramagnetism and Magnetic Resonance Quantized magnetic states The Stern-Gerlach experiment The Rabi molecular-beam method The paramagnetism of bulk materials Cooling by adiabatic demagnetization Nuclear magnetic resonance Index Name Index List of Symbols The legendary introduction to physics from the subject's greatest teacher. "The whole thing was basically an experiment," Richard Feynman said late in his career, looking back on the origins of his lectures. The experiment turned out to be hugely successful, spawning a book that has remained a definitive introduction to physics for decades. Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as general relativity and quantum mechanics, Feynman's lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. Now, we are reintroducing the printed books to the trade, fully corrected, for the first time ever, and in collaboration with Caltech. Timeless and collectible, the lectures are essential reading, not just for students of physics but for anyone seeking an introduction to the field from the inimitable Feynman Ranging from the most basic principles of Newtonian physics through such formidable theories as general relativity and quantum mechanics, Feynman's lectures stand as a monument of clear exposition and deep insight. This volume presents some of his lectures on physics.