ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Particle Physics
Areas: Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
Center Faculty of Physics
Call: First Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable
The main goals of this course are:
1) to comprehend the experimental layout and the physical meaning of the historial experiments that gave birth to Quantum Mechanics.
2) to attain a good understanding of the postulates and basic tools of Quantum Mechanics, mainly Schrodinger's equation, the wave function concept, Feynman propagation, tunneling, the uncertainty principle, angular momentum and electron spin.
3) to resolve analytically the simplest cases of application of those tools in 1D and 3D, among them the spherical harmonics, the step-wise potentials, the non-relativistic hidrogen atom, and the harmonic oscillator.
An additional main objective of the course is to acquire the capacity to apply the above ideas to the resolution of new problems, in different areas of Physics.
Learning results:
The student will be acquainted with the use of Schrödinger equation and the general ideas of Feynman's formulation of Quantum Mechanics. These are basic tools to assess problems in any branch of physics, as well as to perform any research and development activity related to atomic and nuclear matter, radiation, or devices related to them.
I) THE HISTORICAL EXPERIMENTS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS
Radiated power by an accelerated charge
The Bohr formula and Balmer's law
Einstein's interpretation of the photoelectric effect
The Frank-Hertz experiment
Bremsstrahlung and X-ray emission
The Compton effect and Laue's diffraction
The Davisson-Germer experiment
The observation of pair production
The Aspect experiments
Double-slit experiments with Helium
II) QUANTUM MECHANICS
Quantum fluctuations, Bohr radius, and Rydberg energy
The principle of quantized reduced action for particles and waves
Feynman's propagation principle
The time dependent Schrödinger's equation
The wavefunction
Plane waves and Fourier transform
Mean values and uncertainty
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
Observable magnitudes and operators
Eingenstates and measurable values
The stationary states
Non-stationary states and Bohr's formula
Quantum Mechanics in the relativistic domain
Angular momentum in Quantum Mechanics
The angular momentum eigenstates
Radial Schrödinger's equation
The Bohr magneton
The linear polarization states
The Hydrogen atom
The Stern-Gerlach experiment and spin 1/2 of the electron
Pauli's exclusion principle
The particle inside a cuboid
The potential step
The piece-wise potentials
The tunneling effect
The 3D harmonic oscillator
Basic bibliography:
B. Adeva, "Mecánica Cuántica Conceptual", Amazon KDP, 2022, ISBN: 9798425657534
B. Adeva, "Conceptual Quantum Mechanics", Amazon KDP, 2022, ISBN: 9798425492739
David J. Griffiths, "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics", Pearson, 2014.
Complementary bibliography:
David J. Griffiths, "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics", Pearson, 2014.
J. S. Townsend, "Quantum Physics", University Science Books, 2009.
A. Galindo, P. Pascual, "Quantum Mechanics I", Springer-Verlag (1990).
M. Le Bellac, "The Quantum World", World Scientic (2014).
J. J. Sakurai, "Modern Quantum Mechanics", University of Bangalore Press (1997).
L. Landau, E. Lifshitz, V. Berestetskii, L. Pitaevskii, "Mecánica Cuántica No Relativista", Física Teórica de Landau (2005).
BASIC AND GENERAL
CB1 - That students have demonstrated to possess and understand knowledge in an area of study that starts from the base of
secondary school general education, and is elevated to a level that, while supported by advanced textbooks, also includes aspects of
cutting-edge knowledge in their field of study.
CB2 - That students know how to apply the acquired knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated by means of elaboration and defense of arguments, and resolution of problems within their area of study.
CB3 - That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to issue judgments that include a reflection on relevant social, scientific or ethical issues.
CG1 - To possess and understand the most important concepts, methods and results of the different branches of Physics, with a historical perspective of their development.
CG2 - To have the ability to gather and interpret data, information and relevant results, to obtain conclusions and issue reasoned reports on scientific, technological or other issues that require the use of knowledge of Physics.
CG3 - To apply both the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired, as well as the capacity for analysis and abstraction in the definition and approach to problems, and in the search for solutions, both in academic and professional contexts.
TRANSVERSAL
CT1 - To acquire analysis and synthesis capacity.
CT2 - To have the capacity for organization and planning.
CT5 - To develop critical reasoning.
SPECIFIC
CE1 - To have a good understanding of the most important physical theories, locating in their logical and mathematical structure, their experimental support and the physical phenomenon that can be described through them.
CE6 - To understand and master the use of mathematical and numerical methods most commonly used in Physics
CE8 - To be able to manage, search and use bibliography, as well as any source of relevant information and apply it to research and technical development of projects
The general teaching methodology indicated in the Memoria del Título de Grado by USC will be followed. In particular the teaching will be distributed between lecturing classes, interactive classes in reduced groups, and individual tutoring classes, agreed with the students. In the lecturing classes the topics will be exposed in the blackboard, with necessary calculations, facilitating all student's questions. Relevant experimental data or simulations will be projected on the beamer. In the interactive sessions the proposed problems will be resolved with active participation of the students. The tutoring time will be personalized, according to the needs of each student.
The assessment will consist of two parts:
- Continuous monitoring of the progress of each student by presenting his/her work in exercises and regulated problems, deliverable on predetermined dates, or small essays. Regular attendance to class will be an additional criterion of this follow-up. The evaluation of this part can count up to 25% of the grade.
- There will be a final written examination that will consist of several problems of the type and level of those treated in the course, where a small number of pages for personal use will be allowed.
The main component of the final grade will be the exam. Continuous monitoring will also be specifically assessed, which may improve the previous grade as indicated above.
In the event that the student has not participated in the continuous monitoring, or if the result is not satisfactory, the score will be determined by the final exam.
In case of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations for the evaluation of student academic performance and review of grades will apply.
The working time in the classroom in presence of the lecturer (real or online), will be 56 hours, plus 4 hours estimated of tutoring, split as follows:
• 32 hours of expositive lectures, in large groups.
• 24 hours of interactive lectures, in reduced groups.
• 4 hours de tutoring for each student.
The personal working time, autonomous by the student in order to master the subject, is estimated in 90 additional hours.
It is recommended to work specially on the proposed problems, as a self-assessment about the good
understanding of the theoretical part. The numerical evaluation of the results (in the ISU) plays an important role, and all tests performed will include it. Memorizing the relevant formulae, once understood, will help providing a good of comprehension of quantum physics, and facilitate a prompt resolution of problems.
In order to follow this course it is necessary to have some knowledge of the laws of classical physics, waves, and electromagnetism. In mathematics, it is necessary to be acquainted with multiple integration, and to have studied some differential equations, both ordinary and in partial derivatives.
Bernardo Adeva Andany
Coordinador/a- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- Phone
- 881813986
- bernardo.adeva [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Professor
Beatriz Fernandez Dominguez
- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- Phone
- 881813628
- beatriz.fernandez.dominguez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Miguel Fernandez Gomez
- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- miguelfernandez.gomez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Xunta Pre-doctoral Contract
Miguel Lozano Gonzalez
- Department
- Particle Physics
- Area
- Atomic, Molecular and Nuclear Physics
- miguellozano.gonzalez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Xunta Pre-doctoral Contract
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| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Main Hall |
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 0 |
| Tuesday | |||
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Main Hall |
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 0 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Main Hall |
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 0 |
| Thursday | |||
| 10:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Main Hall |
| 16:00-17:00 | Grupo /CLE_02 | Spanish | Classroom 0 |
| 01.10.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 0 |
| 01.10.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 130 |
| 01.10.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 6 |
| 01.10.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 830 |
| 06.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 0 |
| 06.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 6 |
| 06.16.2025 16:00-20:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 830 |