Introduction

Abstract

As a science or engineering major, you are about to embark on what may be the most important course of your undergraduate career. Quantum mechanics is the foundation on which our current picture of the structure of matter is built. For students, an introductory course in quantum mechanics can be difficult and frustrating. When you studied Newtonian physics, it was easy to envision experiments involving the motion of particles moving under the influence of forces. Electromagnetism and optics were a bit more abstract once the concept of fields was introduced, but you are familiar with many optical effects such as colors of thin films, the rainbow, and diffraction from single or double slits. In quantum mechanics, it is more difficult conceptually to understand what is going on since you have very little day to day experience with the wave nature of matter. However, you can exploit your knowledge of both classical mechanics and optics to get a better feel for quantum mechanics.