This course is: Fun! –The ideas are presented in a way that makes a LOT more sense than a usual QM course –Focus on understanding one exemplar experiment in detail – you will understand it well –The simulation is pretty neat and allows you to relate the math to ‘real’ measurements Hard! –New notation and language –New math (hopefully not bad thanks to a great preface) –Ideas that take some getting used to! Suggestions: –Make a vocabulary list – each bolded term in the text is a good place to start –Make a list of symbols and what they mean –Write the postulates in your own words with examples and explanations –Draw diagrams for any situation which is at first unclear to you –Do/repeat calculations to get practice

Goals: Understand the 6 postulates of quantum mechanics (QM) and the nature of QM Proficiently use matrix mechanics in the context of QM You will be able to solve 4 fundamental types of problems – each done in detail within a specific context, then generalized to any system: –Sequential Stern-Gerlach measurements Analyze generic QM problems using matrix mechanics –Use time evolution to understand spin precession Analyze generic time dependent QM problems using matrix mechanics

What is a postulate? To assume or claim as true, existent, or necessary (from Merriam- Webster) Tell us how to treat a QM system Successful and tested ideas Can not be proven Accepted as accurate but would need to be re-evaluated if new results contradicted them 6 main postulates Right now they have limited meaning Given so you know where we are headed and connect to preface math Postulates of QM

6 main postulates (and examples) 1.states are defined by kets: |+>, |-> 2.Operators are matrices: H, S… 3.We measure eigenvalues: +/- h/2 4.Probability is found by: | | 2 5.States “reduce” (collapse) |psi> goes to |+> 6.Schrodinger equation gives time evolution, for instance, Larmor precession