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David H. McIntyre
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Quantum Mechanics: International Edition Paperback – 20 September 2011

by David McIntyre (Author), Corinne A Manogue (Author), Janet Tate (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 62
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This innovative new text presents quantum mechanics in a manner that directly reflects the methods used in modern physics research―making the material more approachable and preparing students more thoroughly for real research. Most texts in this area start with a bit of history and then move directly to wave-particle problems with accompanying heavy mathematical analysis; Quantum Mechanics provides a foundation in experimental phenomena and uses a more approachable, less intimidating, more powerful mathematical matrix model. Beginning with the Stern-Gerlach experiments and the discussion of spin measurements, and using bra-ket notation, the authors introduce an important notational system that is used throughout quantum mechanics. This non-traditional presentation is designed to enhance students’ understanding and strengthen their intuitive grasp of the subject.

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  1. Print length
    592 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pearson
  4. Publication date
    20 September 2011
  5. Dimensions
    18.5 x 3 x 23.3 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    032179852X
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0321798527
  8. See all details
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Product description

About the Author

David H. McIntyre received a B.S. degree in physics from the University of Arizona and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from Stanford University. He has been on the physics faculty at Oregon State University since 1989 and is one of the original developers of the Paradigms in Physics program. His other teaching interests include computational physics, computer interfacing, and optical physics. His laboratory research interests are in laser spectroscopy and optical physics.

Corinne A. Manogue received an A.B. degree in mathematics and physics from Mount Holyoke Collegeand a Ph.D. degree in physics from the University of Texas at Austin. She has been on the physics faculty at Oregon State University since 1988 and is the Director and one of the original developers of the Paradigms in Physics program. She is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and was awarded the Excellence in Undergraduate Physics Teaching Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers in 2008. She is coauthoring a textbook onThe Geometry of Vector Calculus. Her theoretical research interests use the octonions to parameterize higher dimensional theories of particle physics.

Janet Tate received a B.Sc. degree in physics and chemistry from the University of Natal and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physics from Stanford University. She has been on the physics faculty at Oregon State University since 1989 and is one of the original developers of the Paradigms in Physics program. She is particularly interested in helping students to improve their critical thinking skills, especially through experimental work and writing. Her laboratory research interests are in experimental condensed matter physics.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pearson; 1st edition (20 September 2011)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 592 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 032179852X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0321798527
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 18.5 x 3 x 23.3 cm
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 62

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David H. McIntyre

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4.6 out of 5
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Dr Iraj Jafarian
5.0 out of 5 stars Maths is excellent ,,
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2023
Verified Purchase
a well-written book, Good for 1st-year mathematics of the QM
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Sasan V. Grayli
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
Reviewed in Canada on 16 February 2021
Verified Purchase
This is a great introductory course to QM. I am using this course to teach and in my opinion the way this book introduces different concepts of QM is very effective and simple to follow for students. It starts with a experimental examples which provides a physical sense for quantum mechanical events.
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MC
5.0 out of 5 stars The best book there is for self study
Reviewed in the United States on 15 December 2020
Verified Purchase
I am self studying Quantum Mechanics. I own Zettili, Townsend and McIntyre. I have completed the first seven chapters of McIntyre and was going to wait longer to write the review, but I got an email from Amazon asking me to review it and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. McIntyre is hands down the best book of the three. (I will venture to say it is better than Griffiths as well. I have not seen Griffiths popular book, but from the reviews it seems he continues the same pattern he did in his electrodynamics book. Brief heavily mathematical introductions followed by impossible questions. That is very disheartening for self learners. He barely mentions the Dirac notation. Dirac's concepts give you so much more insight into QM.)

McIntyre and Townsend follow a similar pattern. They both start with Stern-Gerlach and develop matrix mechanics and Dirac notation, then move on to waves. Townsend fairly frequently just plops things down on paper that he doesn't give any background on. That may be okay if you have a good professor, but it's not okay for self learning. That just doesn't happen with McIntyre. In the first seven chapters, there have only been a couple of occasions where I wish things were more thoroughly explained. McIntyre really takes the time to develop ideas. Both books are 570 pages long, but McIntyre does not cover more advanced concepts like path integrals and the WKB approximation. The type set in McIntyre puts more information on each page. What that amounts to is McIntyre spending a lot more time explaining the key concepts that you really need to learn at the undergraduate level. There will be plenty of opportunity to learn the advanced concepts in the next level of courses. McIntyre spends time making sure you understand what you really need to know to move on to the next level. His writing style is very easy to read. Almost reads like a novel.

That said, do not attempt this book without proper prep. This is real QM. For some reason, many undergraduate programs say that the only math prerequisite for QM is Ordinary Differential Equations. If you attempt this book with that background you are very under prepared. Proper prep for this book includes the standard calculus courses, Differential Equations and a full course in Linear Algebra. (As I read somewhere on the web, if you have never heard the word Eigen before, you are not ready for QM). After Linear Algebra, you should read any undergraduate math methods book. (You should be familiar with the separation of variables technique of solving partial differential equations and with elementary complex variables). For a physics background, you need Classical Mechanics. A Modern Physics book will be very helpful in understanding QM from a historical perspective and also in giving you the overall picture of QM before delving into the real stuff. (Electrodyamics is used minimally.) Also, it is helpful to know a computer algebra system like Matlab, Mathematica, Maple, etc.

As for Zettili, McIntyre's explanations are just better. Zettili has a Math background chapter which doesn't help very much. He explains that a Projection operator is one where when applied twice results in the same output. And that is all he says about it. There is a reason it is called a projection operator and the geometrical understanding goes a long way in understanding why it is important and why it is critical in change of basis. He does something similar with the Hilbert space definition. No intuitive explanation. I wasn't impressed with the book. McIntyre, on the other hand, doesn't miss an opportunity to develop intuitive understanding.

The exercises in the book are on the easier side. It would be nice if there were some more challenging exercises.

This book is definitely going on the favorites shelf. I hope this review helps. Happy learning!!!

(If my opinion changes after reading the remainder of the book I will update this review.)
18 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book, meh quality
Reviewed in Canada on 10 April 2019
Verified Purchase
you get a very low quality book for the price.
the binding feels home made, the cover is thin and flimsy, the print quality is lower than a home printer, same with the paper itself.
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Fred Burroughs
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent companion to Sakurai
Reviewed in the United States on 8 February 2015
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I dare anybody to find a better undergraduate QM book. Even as a grad student I refer to it often when I want to skip the obtuseness of Sakurai or the breadth of Shankar and just remind myself of the basic concepts, "recipes," and problem-solving methods as well as the physics. I feel that the graduate texts, which focus more on formalism and derivations, can give less of the physics.

I *guarantee* you that if you read this book and make a good effort to understand it and the problems, you will make it through a grad-level QM class just fine. Covers much of the same material as Shankar and sometimes even in the same order, but with more pretty pictures. Also has a companion website with some simulations.
17 people found this helpful
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