The following table contains the homework assignments for Quantum Mechanics 1 for the fall, 2024 semester. They are taken from Introductory Quantum Mechanics by Richard L. Liboff and from ones written by me. A list of the locally produced problem sets is below. Reading assignments follow the word 'Read' which are taken from Liboff abbreviated by 'L', the Knight introductory text abbreviated by 'K' (3rd edition, link here to an electronic copy). For problems I first list the chapter number in Liboff or a link to one the local assignments followed by the homework problems to be done.
Assignments to be handed in for grading will have that explicitly stated in the assignment below. Unexcused, late, homework submissions will be reduced by one point if not handed in during the appropriate class period. An additional point will be subtracted for each subsequent day late. Late submissions will be excused only at the discretion of the instructor.
You are encouraged to discuss the homework with others,
but any work handed in must be entirely your own to receive full credit.
| Date | Assignment | Date | Assignment | Date | Assignment |
| Aug 26 | Read Liboff Chap 1; Read Knight Sections 37.1-37.2 and 38.1-38.4; Read the syllabus; Problems Chap 1 - 1,4,5,7. | Aug 28 | Read Liboff Chap 2.1-2.6; Read Knight 34.5-34.6; Problems Chap 1 - 19.a-c (Hint),20; Chap 2 - 14,15; Experimental Foundations - 2,6. | Aug 30 | Time-Independent Schroedinger Equation - 1,2; Problems Chap 2 - 23,24,31,48; Get Mathematica installed; Bring laptop to next class. |
| Sep 2 | Chap 3 - 4,5; Time Independent Schroedinger Equation - hand in no. 2 Wednesday, Sep 4; read homework instructions. | Sep 4 | Chap 3 - 10,15; Time Independent Schroedinger Equation - 3,4; Hand in "Traveling Waves" Monday, Sep 9. See instructions for lab reports here. | Sep 6 | Chap 4 - 1,3; Matter Waves 1 - 1. |
| Sep 9 | Chap 4 - 4; Matter Waves 1 - 2.a - 2.c. | Sep 11 | Chap 4 - 11,15; Matter Waves 1 - 2.d. | Sep 13 | Matter Waves 1 - 2.e-f; lab entitled Superposition due on Wed, Sep 18; Nuclear Fusion 1 - 1,2,3,4. |
| Sep 16 | guidance on computational assignments; hand in Superposition lab on Wed, Sep 18; Chap 5 - 1,2,5. | Sep 18 | Chap 3 - 6a,6b,6c,7a,7b; Chap 4 - 6. | Sep 20 | Chap 5 - 3,4,7,8; Matter Waves 2 - 1; Uncertainty due on Wed, Sep 25. |
| Sep 23 | Chap 6 - 1.a.1; Matter Waves 2 - 2,3,4,5. | Sep 25 | Chap 6 - 4, 6a; Test in one week. | Sep 27 | Chap 6 - 7, 8. |
| Sep 30 | Chap 6 - 14. | Oct 2 | Test 1 | Oct 4 | Solving the HO - 1,2,3. |
| Oct 7 | Read Liboff 7.1 - 7.2; Chap 7 - 1; Solving the HO - 4,5, 6. | Oct 9 | Solving the HO - 7,8,9. | Oct 11 | Read Liboff 7.3; Solving the HO - 10,11,12. |
| Oct 14 | Fall Break | Oct 16 | Solar Fusion - 1,2,3; CO lab due on Wed, Oct 23. | Oct 18 | Read about solar fusion here; Solar Fusion - 4,5.a. |
| Oct 21 | Read Barrier Penetration; Solar Fusion - 5.b,5.c; Rectangular Barrier - 1.a,1.b. | Oct 23 | Rectangular Barrier - 1.c,1.d,1.e,1.f,2; CO lab due. | Oct 25 | Read Alpha Decay; Rutherford Scattering; Do Alpha Decay - 1,2,3; Classical Fusion lab due Friday, Nov 1. |
| Oct 28 | Read Liboff Sections 7.6-7.7 and "The Value of the Cross Section"; Rutherford Scattering - 1,2,3 | Oct 30 | Read Alpha Tunneling - sections 1-4; Alpha Decay - 4.a; Chap 7 - 43,45,46. | Nov 1 | Alpha Decay - 5; Fusion Lab due Friday, Nov 1. |
| Nov 4 | Get nuke data for 7 nuclei; calculate T with the WKB approximation; Lab due Mon, Nov 11. | Nov 6 | Read this paper and this one, Angular Momentum; Solving 3D SE 1 - 1,2. | Nov 8 | Solving 3D SE 1 - 3; Lab due Mon, Nov 11. |
| Nov 11 | Solving 3D SE 1 - 4,5. | Nov 13 | Solving 3D SE 1 - 6,7. | Nov 15 | Read Moment of Inertia; Solving 3D SE 2 - 1,2,3. |
| Nov 18 | Solving 3D SE 2 - 4,5. | Nov 20 | Test 2 | Nov 22 | Solving 3D SE 2 - 6,7. |
| Nov 25 | Nov 27 | Thanksgiving | Nov 29 | Thanksgiving | |
| Dec 2 | Dec 4 | Dec 6 |