Schedule

The table below shows the topics we will cover in the course. Exact lecture dates for the topics may still shift, though.
Last updated: Aug 22, 2025.

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The reading assignments are strongly recommended accompanying reading to the lectures. They refer to chapters in Griffiths, Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Ed.

Lecture notes (the content of what I showed in the lecture) are available for download after each lecture (up to a day or two delay). They are only provided as a help in looking back what was covered.

Week Date Lecture Topics Reading Homework Discussion
1 8/26 Introduction
(Lecture content) 		Preface; 1.1-1.5 - -
8/28 Postulates of QM; Lightning tour of relevant Linear Algebra.
(Lecture content) 		Appendix A.1-3; 1.1-1.5; 3.6
2 9/2 Schrodinger equation and wave function
(Lecture content) 		1.1-1.5 HW 1 (due 9/9)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 1
(Solutions)
9/4 Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation: infinite square well
(Lecture content)		 2.1, 2.2
3 9/9 Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation: infinite square well; free particle.
(Lecture content) 		2.2, 2.4 HW 2 (due 9/16)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 2
(Solutions)
9/11 Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation: Free particle; finite well.
(Lecture content) 		2.4, 2.6
4 9/16 Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation: finite well.
(Lecture content) 		2.6 HW 3 (due 9/23)
(Solutions)

Computational Homework 1 (due 10/14) 		Disc. 3
(Solutions)
9/18 Formalism: Vectors and Operators
(Lecture content) 		3; Appendix A
5 9/23 Formalism: Operators, basis transformations.
(Lecture content) 		3; Appendix A HW 4 (practice exam for bonus; due 9/30)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 4
(Solutions)
9/25 The Uncertainty principle; the two-level system (qubit)
(Lecture content) 		3; Appendix A; Paper: QM from qubits
6 9/30 Review HW 5 (due 10/7)
(Solutions) 		Code session for computational homework.
10/2, 3-5pm, Loomis 136.
No attendance taken.
10/2 MIDTERM 1
(Solution sketch)
7 10/7 Uncdrtainty principle wrap-up; the harmonic oscillator
(Lecture content) 		2.3 HW 6 (due 10/14)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 5
(Solutions)
10/9 The harmonic oscillator, cont'd.
(Lecture content) 		2.3
8 10/14 Quantum vs. classical harmonic oscillator
(Lecture content) 		2.3 HW 7 (due 10/21)
(Solutions)

Computational Homework 2 (due 11/18) 		Disc. 6
(Solutions)
10/16 QM in 3D, angular momentum
(Lecture content) 		4.1
9 10/21 Angular momentum
(Lecture content) 		4.1 HW 8 (due 10/28)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 7
(Solutions)
10/23 Angular equation and spherical harmonics
(Lecture content) 		4.1,4.3
10 10/28 The radial equation
(Lecture content) 		4.1,4.3 HW 9 (Practice Exam for bonus; due 11/4)
(Solutions) 		Disc. 8
(Solutions)
10/30 Radial equation and Hydrogen atom
(Notes) 		4.2
11 11/4 Review HW 10 (due 11/11)
(Solutions) 		-
11/6 MIDTERM 2
(Solution sketch)
12 11/11 Spin
(Lecture content) 		4.4 HW 11 (due 11/18)
(Solutions)
BONUS COMPUTATIONAL EXERCISE (due 12/11)
Disc. 9
(Solutions)
11/13 Spin
(Lecture content) 		4.4
13 11/18 Identical particles
(Notes) 		5.1 HW 12 (due 12/2)
Solutions) 		Disc. 10
(Solutions)
11/21 Identical particles (We had technical issues in the room, so no digital copy :(
see Griffiths, 5.1.2. for content) 		5.1
FALL BREAK
14 12/2 NO LECTURE HW 13 (due 12/9)
Disc. 11
12/4 NO LECTURE
15 12/9 Entanglement, Bell's inequality, and quantum teleportation - -
FINAL: 12/12, 1:30pm - 4:30pm, 3031 Campus Instructional Facility