Quantum and Modern Physics

Catalog description

Quantum mechanics has some strange implications that many people have heard of, but few people understand. The goal of this course is to introduce students to the foundational postulates of quantum mechanics and learn how concepts like quantum tunneling, entanglement, the uncertainty principle, the quantization of energy/momentum/spin are mathematical consequences of those postulates. We will investigate the foundational quantum systems such as the hydrogen atom, particle in a box, particle in free-space, and the quantum harmonic oscillator, examine the implications quantum mechanics has for atomic, molecular, and solid-state physics, and explore technological applications such as MRI machines, scanning tunneling microscopes, and quantum computers. The topics may vary from offering to offering, dependent on student interest.