Table of Contents
Preface
1 What is Quantum Mechanics?
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Spooky Action at a Distance
1.3 The Double Slit Experiment
1.4 Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
1.5 Schrödinger's Cat
1.6 Interpreting Quantum Mechanics
1.7 Quantum Horizons
1.8 What Makes Quantum Mechanics Hard?
1.9 Summary
2 Planck's Act of Desperation
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Classical Physics
2.3 Blackbody Radiation
2.4 Planck's Inspired Guesswork
2.5 Counting Standing Waves
2.6 The Ultraviolet Catastrophe
2.7 The Boltzmann Distribution
2.8 An Act of Desperation
2.9 Summary
3 Einstein's Unreasonable Reality
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Quantum Filters
3.3 Single Photons
3.4 The Inverse Quantum Zeno Effect
3.5 The Short Version
3.6 Counting Photon Pairs: Bell's Inequality
3.7 The Hidden Variable Hypothesis
3.8 Summary
4 Waves of Light and Matter
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Matter Waves
4.3 Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
4.4 Diffraction
4.5 Diffraction and Uncertainty
4.6 Heisenberg's Microscope
4.7 Atomic Models
4.8 Bohr's Model
4.9 Quantised Matter Waves
4.10 Summary
5 The Double Slit Experiment
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Interference in Light and Water
5.3 Flying Clocks and Oscillators
5.4 The Travelling Wave
5.5 Real Interference
5.6 Complex Interference
5.7 What is Seen in Light and Water
5.8 Which Slit For Which Photon?
5.9 Wheeler's Delayed Choice Experiment
5.10 Summary
6 Schrödinger's Wave Equation
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Quantum Guitar Strings
6.3 The Classical Wave Equation
6.4 Stationary Classical Waves
6.5 Schrödinger's Wave Equation
6.6 Wavefunctions in a Box
6.7 Wavefunctions in a Hydrogen Atom
6.8 Summary
7 Quantum Interpretations
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The Copenhagen Interpretation
7.3 Objective Collapse Theories
7.4 Bohmian Mechanics
7.5 The Many-Worlds Interpretation
7.6 The Von Neumann-Wigner Interpretation
7.7 Summary
8 A History of Quantum Mechanics
Further Reading
Appendices
A Glossary
B Mathematical Symbols
C The Boltzmann Distribution
D Complex Numbers
E Fourier Optics and Heisenberg
F Pioneers of Quantum Mechanics
G Key Equations
References
Index