Undergraduate Course: Symmetries of Quantum Mechanics (PHYS10083)
Course Outline
| School | School of Physics and Astronomy |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Building on the material presented in the Quantum Mechanics course, this course aims to introduce the basic mathematical tools of Quantum Mechanics with a special emphasis on the connection between physical phenomena and mathematical modelling. The Hilbert space of physical states is reviewed as a particular case of a linear vector space. General properties of representation theory are discussed for the case of finite groups and are applied to quantum mechanical systems. Representations of the continuous groups U(1), SO(3), and SU(2) are presented and discussed in relation with invariance under translations and rotations. The general theory of angular momentum is introduced and applied to cases of physical interest. Quantum mechanical results are compared to their classical counterparts for a number of physical systems. |
| Course description |
Not entered
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 22,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 22,
Summative Assessment Hours 6,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
48 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
80 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Written Exam 80% Coursework 20% |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that a student will be able to:
1. master the mathematical tools that are used for the description of elementary quantum systems;
2. model simple physical systems according to the postulates of quantum mechanics;
3. understand the importance of symmetry principles in classical and quantum systems;
4. use group theory to solve physical problems;
5. understand the general theory of angular momentum and its connection to the group of spatial rotations;
6. apply the above concepts to the study of new (unseen) problems.
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Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Roman Zwicky
Tel: (0131 6)50 5243
Email: |
Course secretary | Mrs Bonnie Macmillan
Tel: (0131 6)50 5905
Email: |
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