Undergraduate Course: Symmetries of Quantum Mechanics (PHYS10083)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
| Home subject area | Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Building on the material presented in the Quantum Mechanics course, this course aims to introduce the basic mathematical tools of Quantum Mechanics with a special emphasis on the connection between physical phenomena and mathematical modelling. The Hilbert space of physical states is reviewed as a particular case of a linear vector space. General properties of representation theory are discussed for the case of finite groups and are applied to quantum mechanical systems. Representations of the continuous groups U(1), SO(3), and SU(2) are presented and discussed in relation with invariance under translations and rotations. The general theory of angular momentum is introduced and applied to cases of physical interest. Quantum mechanical results are compared to their classical counterparts for a number of physical systems. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 10:00 - 10:50 | | | King's Buildings | Tutorial | | 1-11 | 11:10 - 12:00 | | | | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Monday, 10:00 - 10:50, Zone: King's Buildings. Rm 6206 - JCMB |
| Additional information |
Workshop/tutorial sessions, as arranged. |
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that a student will be able to:
1. master the mathematical tools that are used for the description of elementary quantum systems;
2. model simple physical systems according to the postulates of quantum mechanics;
3. understand the importance of symmetry principles in classical and quantum systems;
4. use group theory to solve physical problems;
5. understand the general theory of angular momentum and its connection to the group of spatial rotations;
6. apply the above concepts to the study of new (unseen) problems.
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Assessment Information
| Coursework 100% |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | SymQM |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Luigi Del Debbio
Tel: (0131 6)50 5212
Email: luigi.del.debbio@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Laura Gonzalez-Rienda
Tel: (0131 6)51 7067
Email: l.gonzalez@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:41 am
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