Quantum mechanics, explained from first principles, for readers who know calculus and nothing more.Many introductions to quantum mechanics promise to need "only calculus" and then assume linear algebra, Fourier analysis, differential equations, and a full course in classical physics. Readers end up filling the gaps from other books or from the internet. This book closes those gaps inside its own covers. Every mathematical tool is taught before it is used, every derivation is written out step by step with a note on why each step is taken, and every problem has a complete worked solution.Quantum Mechanics Foundations builds the subject in 18 chapters:- The toolkit: complex numbers, probability, differential equations, Fourier analysis, linear algebra, and the classical physics of energy, momentum, waves, and the Hamiltonian- The core theory: the experiments that broke classical physics, matter waves, the Schrödinger equation, wave packets and the uncertainty principle, wells, barriers and tunneling, the harmonic oscillator, and Dirac notation- Atoms: angular momentum, the hydrogen atom, spin, identical particles, the Pauli principle, and the periodic table- Beyond the exact solutions: perturbation theory, the variational method, transition rates, and selection rules- The subatomic world: nuclei, radioactive decay, alpha decay as tunneling, fission, fusion in the Sun, and the Standard Model- The frontier: entanglement, Bell's theorem, measurement and decoherence, quantum cryptography, teleportation, and quantum computingInside you will find:- 156 worked examples, each set out as Strategy, Solution, and Check- 336 practice problems at three levels, with full step-by-step solutions in Appendix A- 19 Math Bridges and Physics Bridges that teach a needed tool at the moment you need it- 90 original figures and 449 numbered equations, every number checked by calculation- Applications in chemistry, medicine, astronomy, electronics, biology, and archaeology, from MRI and PET scans to radiocarbon dating and the energy of the Sun- A diagnostic math self-test, Common Misconceptions boxes, chapter summaries, and appendices of constants, formulas, symbols, and a glossaryWritten for undergraduates in physics, chemistry, and engineering, for students preparing for a first quantum course, and for self-learners who want to understand atoms and subatomic particles properly, not just read about them. Read more
