Classical Mechanics/Quantum Mechanics 2; honours

Klassieke mechanica/quantummechanica 2; honours

3 EC

Semester 2, period 5

5092KM2H3Y

Owner Bachelor Natuur- en Sterrenkunde (joint degree)
Coordinator dr. S. Jabbari Farouji
Part of Bachelor Physics and Astronomy (Joint Degree), year 2

Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

In this honours course, we will discuss a number of topics that will deepen our understanding of classical mechanics and its relation to quantum mechanics. A first central theme that will be discussed in more detail is the role of symmetry in physics, and the way it is described in quantum mechanics. We will focus on the links between the basic concepts of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics and illustrate them in a variety of examples involving discrete and continuous symmetries. The course will be concluded with detailed topics / essays and a presentation. The topics covered in the course include:

Study materials

Literature

  • Chapter 6 of Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (Third Edition), by David J.~Griffiths and Darrell F.~Schroeter (Cambridge University Press, 2018) for the last two lectures related to the symmetry concepts in QM.

Syllabus

  • 1-An introduction to symmetry

    2-Symmetry Concepts in Lagrangian mechanics

    3- Symmetry Concepts in  Hamiltonian mechanics 

    4- From discrete mechanical systems to continuum classical field theory

    5-Noether's theorem in classical field theory

    6-ymmetry Concepts in in Quantum Mechanics

Other

  • Lecture notes and relevant literature will be provided weekly on Canvas.

Objectives

  • To understand the symmetry concepts and their role in physics.
  • To deepen our understanding of the link between the basic concepts of classical mechanics and quantum mechanics and illustrate them in examples.

Teaching methods

  • Lecture
  • Seminar
  • Self-study
  • Presentation/symposium

wordt via canvas bekend gemaakt

Learning activities

Activiteit

Aantal uur

Zelfstudie

26

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (TER-B):

  • Each student is expected to participate actively in each component of the programme that he/she signed up for. A student that does not attend the first two seminars of a course, will be administratively removed from the seminar group. A request for reregistration for the seminars can be applied to the programme coordinator.
  • If a student cannot attend an obligatory component of a programme's component due to circumstances beyond his control, he must report in writing to the relevant teacher as soon as possible. The teacher, if necessary after consulting the study adviser, may decide to issue the student a replacing assignment.
  • It is not allowed to miss obligatory commponents of the programme if there is no case of circumstances beyond one's control.
  • In case of participating qualitatively or quantitatively insufficiently, the examiner can expel a student from further participation in the programme's component or a part of that component. Conditions for sufficient participation are set down in advance in the course manual.
  • In addition to the above mentioned rules, in the first semester of the first year a student should be present in at least 80% of the seminars. Moreover, participation to midterm tests and obligatory homework is required. If the student does not comply with these obligations, the student is expelled from the resit of this course. Students in the double Bachelor's degree programme Mathematics and Physics are exempted from this requirement. In case of personal circumstances, as described in OER-A Article A-6.4, a different study plan will be made in consultation with the study advisor.

Additional requirements for this course:

The student may be absent in 2 out of 7 lectures.

Assessment

Item and weight Details

Final grade

Your performance throughout the course will be graded based on homework (30 %), your presentation (20%)and an essay (50 %) on  a topic of your choice. The list of topics for the final essay and presentation and detailed instructions will be provided roughly two weeks before final exam, around mid May.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Weeknummer Onderwerpen Studiestof
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Honours information

If you are not honour students, you are still welcome. However, note that the course is a bit more advanced and consult with me beforehand.

Additional information

Dit vak is uitsluitend bedoeld voor honoursstudenten of studenten met een bijzondere belangstelling voor het onderwerp. Houdt er rekening mee dat het tempo van het vak hoog ligt.

Contact information

Coordinator

  • dr. S. Jabbari Farouji

There will be teacher assistant for helping with the exercises.