Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Physics
Physics 8.04 Thu Oct 12 16:30:31 EDT 1995
Lecturer:
Professor Tomas Arias, Rm. 12-110, x3-6831 (muchomas@mit.edu).
Lecture: TR 2-3:30, 6-120
Recitation Instructors:
Professor D. Pritchard, 26-237, x3-6812 (carol@atomic.mit.edu).
Sec. # 1: TR 1:00, 8-302
Sec. # 2: TR 10:00, 8-302
Professor A. Kerman, 6-305, x3-7072.
Sec. # 3: MW 3:00, 2-135
Sec. # 4: MW 2:00, 2-139
Teaching Assistants:
Kun Chen, 6-405A, x3-7033 (kunchen@mit.edu). Office Hours: T4-5, R4-5
Asad Naqvi, Rm. 4-338, x3-4854 (asad@mit.edu). Office Hours: R11-12, F10-11
Course Secretary:
Gabi Glatkauskas, Rm. 4-352, x3-4855.
Textbooks:
French and Taylor An Introduction to Quantum Physics (W.W.
Norton).
Feynman, Leighton and Sands, Feynman Lectures in Physics, Vol.
III (Addison Wesley).
References: (on reserve)
Eisberg and Resnick, Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Nuclei,
and Particles, 2nd Edition (Wiley).
Gasiorowicz, Quantum Physics (Wiley).
Getting the most from the lectures:
Students generally get more out of a lecture if they have a sense of
the material to be covered and some questions already formed in their
minds. Understanding that students are pressed for time during the
term, selected short readings will be assigned at the top of each new
problem set. It is highly recommended that this reading be done, even
if cursorily, before attending the corresponding lecture. More
in depth readings will be assigned for those students with more time
and to indicate where assistance may be found for the problem sets.
Problem Sets:
Beyond the short readings and the lectures, the third element of the
learning process is working the weekly problem sets. The purpose of
the problem sets is primarily to encourage learning and not so much
for grading purposes. Accordingly, students should feel free and are
encouraged to discuss and ask conceptual advice on the problem sets
from the teaching staff or from each other. However, after the
discussion process, students are to sit down and write up the
solutions by themselves. Partial credit will be given to
problem set solutions, provided the steps in the solution process are
legible and clearly spelled out.
Problem sets will be handed out after the Thursday lecture each week
and are due eight days later at 5:00 PM sharp on Friday of the
next week. They are to be turned in to the appropriate problem set
cubby in room 4-344. The one exception to the Thursday rule will
occur after the first quiz. A problem set will be handed out in
lecture on Tuesday March 14, due ten days later at 5:00pm on
Friday, March 24 in 4-344. Late problem sets will not be
accepted and will receive a grade of zero, unless a special
arrangement for extenuating circumstances has been made with Prof.
Arias prior to the due date.
Exams:
There will be two (2) one and one-half hour quizzes scheduled during
lecture time and a three hour final exam. The quizzes will be
closed-book and will take place on Thursday March 9, the day before
add date, and April 25, the Tuesday before drop date. There will also
be a final exam scheduled during the final exam period, May 22-May 26.
Grades:
The relative weighting of exams and problem sets will be as follows:
Problem Sets 20%
Quiz I (March 9) 20%
Quiz II (April 25) 20%
Final Exam 40 %
Good luck!!!
This semester you will study the intellectual underpinnings of one of the keystones of modern science, Quantum Theory. We wish you all a productive, enjoyable and stimulating semester.