A Mathematical Journey To Quantum Mechanics

This book provides an itinerary to quantum mechanics taking into account the basic mathematics to formulate it. Specifically, it features the main experiments and postulates of quantum mechanics pointing out their mathematical prominent aspects showing how physical concepts and mathematical tools are deeply intertwined. The material covers topics such as analytic mechanics in Newtonian, Lagrangian, and Hamiltonian formulations, theory of light as formulated in special relativity, and then why quantum mechanics is necessary to explain experiments like the double-split, atomic spectra, and photoelectric effect. The Schrödinger equation and its solutions are developed in detail. It is pointed out that, starting from the concept of the harmonic oscillator, it is possible to develop advanced quantum mechanics. Furthermore, the mathematics behind the Heisenberg uncertainty principle is constructed towards advanced quantum mechanical principles. Relativistic quantum mechanics is finally considered.The book is devoted to undergraduate students from University courses of Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Engineering. It consists of 50 self-contained lectures, and any statement and theorem are demonstrated in detail. It is the companion book of "A Mathematical Journey to Relativity", by the same Authors, published by Springer in 2020.

Presents a comprehensive treatment of quantum mechanics from a mathematics perspective. Including traditional topics, like classical mechanics, mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics, quantization, and the Schrodinger equation, this book gives a mathematical treatment of systems of identical particles with spin.

The book gives a streamlined introduction to quantum mechanics and describes the basic mathematical structures underpinning it. From the reviews: "This book is an introduction to the mathematics of quantum mechanics....The strength of the book is where it shows how the mathematical treatment of quantum mechanics brings insights to physics....It will be useful to the experienced reader as a guide to the impressive recent advances in mathematical quantum mechanics." --SIAM REVIEW

"This book provides the reader with an explanation of the origin and establishment of quantum mechanics, with the mathematics in a digestible form, together with a descriptive survey of later developments up to the present day. The mathematical treatment closely follows the original treatment, but in modern terms, using uniform symbolism as much as possible and with simplifications (e.g. the use of one dimension instead of three) to avoid unnecessarily complicated-looking mathematics." "Containing an extensive bibliography and useful appendices as well as references to original works, reviews, and biographies, the reader is well-equipped to delve further into the subject. In addition to its importance for those studying physics, it is also valuable for those studying the history of science."--Jacket.

Mathematics is the language of physics, and over time physicists have developed their own dialect. The main purpose of this book is to bridge this language barrier, and introduce the readers to the beauty of mathematical physics. It shows how to combine the strengths of both approaches: physicists often arrive at interesting conjectures based on good intuition, which can serve as the starting point of interesting mathematics. Conversely, mathematicians can more easily see commonalities between very different fields (such as quantum mechanics and electromagnetism), and employ more advanced tools.Rather than focusing on a particular topic, the book showcases conceptual and mathematical commonalities across different physical theories. It translates physical problems to concrete mathematical questions, shows how to answer them and explains how to interpret the answers physically. For example, if two Hamiltonians are close, why are their dynamics similar?The book alternates between mathematics- and physics-centric chapters, and includes plenty of concrete examples from physics as well as 76 exercises with solutions. It exploits that readers from either end are familiar with some of the material already. The mathematics-centric chapters provide the necessary background to make physical concepts mathematically precise and establish basic facts. And each physics-centric chapter introduces physical theories in a way that is more friendly to mathematicians.As the book progresses, advanced material is sprinkled in to showcase how mathematics and physics augment one another. Some of these examples are based on recent publications and include material which has not been covered in other textbooks. This is to keep it interesting for the readers.

Since the 17th century, physical theories have been expressed in the language of mathematical equations. This introduction to quantum theory uses that language to enable the reader to comprehend the notoriously non-intuitive ideas of quantum physics. The mathematical knowledge needed for using this book comes from standard undergraduate mathematics courses and is described in detail in the section Prerequisites. This text is especially aimed at advanced undergraduate and graduate students of mathematics, computer science, engineering and chemistry among other disciplines, provided they have the math background even though lacking preparation in physics. In fact, no previous formal study of physics is assumed.

This book presents the basics of mathematics that are needed for learning the physics of today. It describes briefly the theories of groups and operators, finite- and infinite-dimensional algebras, concepts of symmetry and supersymmetry, and then delineates their relations to theories of relativity and black holes, classical and quantum physics, electroweak fields and Yang-Mills. It concludes with a chapter on (the complex theory of) strings and superstrings and their link to black holes — an idea that fascinates both the physicist and the mathematician. Contents:Complex Functions, Riemann Surfaces and Two-Dimensional Conformal Field Theory (an Introduction)Elements of Group Theory and Group RepresentationsA Primer on OperatorsBasics of Algebras and Related ConceptsInfinite-Dimensional AlgebrasThe Role of Symmetry in Physics and MathematicsAll That's Super — An IntroductionGravitation, Relativity and Black HolesBasics of Quantum TheoryTheory of Yang–Mills and the Yang–Mills–Higgs MechanismStrings and Superstrings (Elementary Aspects) Readership: Upper level undergraduates, graduate students, lecturers and researchers in theoretical physics, mathematical physics, quantum physics and astrophysics as well as Yang-Mills and superstring theory.