PHYS 486 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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 29, 2023.

If you have any issues logging in to view any of the secured documents below, please try adding "uofi\" (without the quotes) in front of your netid.

The reading assignments are strongly recommended accompanying reading to the lectures. "G" in the reading assignments refers to Griffiths (Introduction to Quantum Mechanics).

Week Date Topic Recommended reading Discussions Homework

1

22 Aug

24 Aug

Introduction (Notes)

Schrodinger equation and wave function (Notes)

G Preface, 
G § 1.1-1.5

no discussion
this week

no homework
this week

2

29 Aug

31 Aug

Schrodinger equation and wave function (Notes)

Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation (Notes)

G § 1.1-1.5

G § 2.1

Discussion 1

Solution

HW1 (Due 9/5/2023, 9pm)

Solution

3

05 Sep

07 Sep

Solving the time-independent Schrodinger equation
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 2.2, 2.6

Discussion 2

Solution

HW2 (Due 9/12/2023, 9pm)

Solution

4

12 Sep

14 Sep

The formalism of quantum mechanics
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 3; Appendix A

Discussion 3

Solution

HW3 (Due 9/19/2023, 9pm)

Solution

5

19 Sep

21 Sep

The formalism of quantum mechanics
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 3; Appendix A
Nielsen & Chuang, § 1.1-2; 2.1
arXiv:1312.1463

Discussion 4

Solution

HW4 (Due 9/26/2023, midnight)

Solution

6

26 Sep

28 Sep

The uncertainty principle (Notes)

Review (Notes)

G § 3; Appendix A

 

Discussion 5

Solution

No homework this week

7

3 Oct

5 Oct

MIDTERM I (Solution sketches)
Material: up to Lecture 9.

The Harmonic oscillator (Notes)

 

G § 2.3

Discussion 6

Solution

HW5 (due 10/10/2023, midnight)

Solution

8

10 Oct

12 Oct

The Harmonic oscillator (Notes)

The Schrodinger Equation in 3D (Notes)

G § 2.3

G § 4.1

Discussion 7

Solution

HW6 (due 10/17/2023, midnight)

Solution

9

17 Oct

19 Oct

Angular Momentum and Radial equation
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 4.3

Discussion 8

Solution

No homework this week

10

24 Oct

26 Oct

Review

MIDTERM II (Solution sketches)
Material: up to Lecture 16 / Homework 6 / Discussion 8

 

No discussion this week

No homework this week

11

31 Oct

02 Nov

Radial Equation and Hydrogen Atom (Notes)

Spin (Notes)

G § 4.1-4.2

G § 4.4

Discussion 9

Solution

HW7 (due 11/07/2023, midnight)

Solution

12

07 Nov

09 Nov

Spin
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 4.4

Discussion 10

Solution

HW8 (due 11/14/2023, midnight)

Solution

13

14 Nov

16 Nov

Identical particles
(Notes 1, 2)

G § 5.1-5.2

Discussion 11

Solution

HW9 (due 11/28/2023, midnight)

Solution

 

FALL BREAK

14

28 Nov

30 Nov

Entanglement (Notes)

No lecture

G § 12

Discussion 12: Q&A and review of materials
Checklist: important skills

No homework this week

15

05 Dec

Entanglement, measurement, quantum vs classical (Notes)
Lecture in Loomis 151

 

 

 

 

08 Dec

FINAL EXAM: Dec 8, 1:30pm
2100 Sidney Lu (our usual class room)