Quantum Mechanics—A Survey

Abstract

The phenomenon of wave propagation in electromagnetic media has been presented from a macroscopic viewpoint; this neglects the atomic nature or the structure of matter. The relationship between classical mechanics and quantum mechanics, vis-à-vis Hamilton—Jacobi theory, was also presented from this viewpoint. The electromagnetic nature of wave propagation in continuous media has, as its counterpart, the electromagnetic force which is one of the four forces that are involved in understanding the nature of the atom. Therefore a proper understanding of the nature of electromagnetic involves getting some insight into the physics of matter from an atomic viewpoint using the modern methods of quantum mechanics. We shall also show that the microcosmos is intimately related to the macrocosmos, meaning that quantum mechanics is related to astronomical or cosmological events. This ties up events involving picosecond (one trillionth of a second) time intervals and distances of 10⁻¹² cm (diameter of an atom) occurring in particle physics with billions of years (age of the universe) and distances measured in light years.