Abstract
The basic ideas of Quantum mechanics are presented in a somewhat simplified form, hopefully understandable to some extent by general readers.
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Notes
- 1.
It is habitual and more convenient to use ħ = h/(2π), where h is the constant originally introduced by Planck.
- 2.
The minus sign in this formula corresponds to the choice of E = 0 for the situation where both the electron and the proton are at rest and infinitely separated in space. The energy of the pair becomes lower (i.e. negative) when they form a Hydrogen atom.
- 3.
This was a subject of a lively discussion in the early days of Quantum Mechanics. The absolutely novel idea that the notion of “probability” applies not only to ensembles of measurements, but also to an individual measurement was accepted with great difficulty, expressed by the famous Einstein’s skeptical sentence “God does not play dice”. Nevertheless, apparently, this is exactly what happens.
- 4.
Note that the Planck constant, like the angular momentum M, has the dimension of coordinate × momentum.
- 5.
In my opinion, this reveals an insufficient understanding of Quantum Mechanics.
- 6.
We recall that exp(ix) = cos x +isin x, where i is the imaginary unit.
- 7.
The Future Quantum Engineer is a mythical figure from the quantum computing epos, that is supposed to implement the existing theoretical ideas in some distant and undefined future.
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Dyakonov, M.I. (2020). Basics of Quantum Mechanics. In: Will We Ever Have a Quantum Computer?. SpringerBriefs in Physics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42019-2_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42019-2_3
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Online ISBN: 978-3-030-42019-2
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