- #1
tim_lou
- 682
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I'm currently an undergraduate majoring in physics. I will be taking intro. quantum mechanics next year, however, I wanted to take the graduate level one.
Before bashing me as one of those people who just want to skip around classes, hear me out.
I am in a REU program right now, and the project involves helium transition. So i thought, heck, I might as well study quantum on my own to understand what is going on. And if I am going to study, I might as well study the whole thing, and if I am going to study the whole thing, I might as well take the grad. level course next year.
I've thought about it for a long time and I decided to go for it.
I'm using Griffiths Intro. to Quantum Mechanics right now. I have started reading and doing problems couple weeks ago. I spent at least solid 6 hours on this subject every week (I don't count my hours, of course, but everyday, I would spend a reasonable among of time reviewing some material and go over a couple pages and then do some problems). my progress is about 1 chapter per 1.5 week (thought the one on hydrogen atom took much longer)
my math background is:
everything up to differential equation
introductory linear algebra
some proof course
my physics background is:
thermal
classical mechanics
modern physics
and introductory courses.
the undergraduate level quantum is an one semester 400 level course, the book we use is by Griffiths.
the graduate level quantum is a two semesters 500 level course (no prereq. for a grad. student) , the book we use is by Shanker.
I would like to know the typical subjects an undergraduate level quantum course covers.
ie. which chapters of the Griffiths book are essential? which ones are optional? which ones are not covered at all (except in the rarest case)?
and also, what is the general prereq. for a grad level quantum mechanics course (the first one). ie. What should a student know in order to succeed in a grad level quantum mechanics course?
plus,
looking at my progress (I'm on hydrogen atom and angular momentum right now), how likely am I going to finish the whole thing at the end of summer? (next semester starts at the beginning of September).
I just want an honest and realistic opinion,
thanks for reading this long post.
Before bashing me as one of those people who just want to skip around classes, hear me out.
I am in a REU program right now, and the project involves helium transition. So i thought, heck, I might as well study quantum on my own to understand what is going on. And if I am going to study, I might as well study the whole thing, and if I am going to study the whole thing, I might as well take the grad. level course next year.
I've thought about it for a long time and I decided to go for it.
I'm using Griffiths Intro. to Quantum Mechanics right now. I have started reading and doing problems couple weeks ago. I spent at least solid 6 hours on this subject every week (I don't count my hours, of course, but everyday, I would spend a reasonable among of time reviewing some material and go over a couple pages and then do some problems). my progress is about 1 chapter per 1.5 week (thought the one on hydrogen atom took much longer)
my math background is:
everything up to differential equation
introductory linear algebra
some proof course
my physics background is:
thermal
classical mechanics
modern physics
and introductory courses.
the undergraduate level quantum is an one semester 400 level course, the book we use is by Griffiths.
the graduate level quantum is a two semesters 500 level course (no prereq. for a grad. student) , the book we use is by Shanker.
I would like to know the typical subjects an undergraduate level quantum course covers.
ie. which chapters of the Griffiths book are essential? which ones are optional? which ones are not covered at all (except in the rarest case)?
and also, what is the general prereq. for a grad level quantum mechanics course (the first one). ie. What should a student know in order to succeed in a grad level quantum mechanics course?
plus,
looking at my progress (I'm on hydrogen atom and angular momentum right now), how likely am I going to finish the whole thing at the end of summer? (next semester starts at the beginning of September).
I just want an honest and realistic opinion,
thanks for reading this long post.
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