Lectures
The course meets on Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 12 noon - 12:50pm in
in Wrighton 250
In-person attendence is not required but is strongly encouraged, since we use regular in-class exercises to reinforce learning.
In-class participation (asking questions, helping fellow students learn from in-class exercises) is also appreciated.
Personnel
Prof. Mark Alford
Office: Compton 358;
Office hour:
In person, after class on Wednesdays.
Students are encouraged to ask questions via Piazza (see below)
or to make appointments to see Prof. Alford in person or via zoom.
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Argen Detoito and Salma Ibrahim
Zoom help sessions:
Thursday 2:30-3:30pm; Friday 2-3pm.
Zoom links are on the course's Canvas page
Students are also welcome to make appointments to see the assistants
at other times.
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Piazza
Piazza is a forum for students to ask questions, get answers, connect with other students, etc. You can participate anonymously if you want to.
This course has its own Piazza page. You can also access Piazza via Canvas
Please enroll in the class Piazza forum at the P2170 Piazza signup page, access code
8rlp6xr9mmo
Student support resources
Information on student resources, health and safety protocols, etc is
available at the Provost's
Resources to Support Students in the Classroom.
- How does quantum mechanics describe the behavior of particles, atoms, etc?
Pre-requisites
- Understand basic classical physics (particle mechanics, energy, momentum,
waves)
- Be comfortable with the arithmetic of complex numbers
- Understand basic calculus
- Be able to solve simple differential equations
Course Content
We will learn the following applications/concepts of basic quantum mechanics:
- Photons, the Compton effect, diffraction
- Physical observables: operators, wavefunctions;
eigenvalues and eigenfunctions
- Expected values and uncertainty, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle
- The Schrödinger equation and time evolution of a wavefunction
- Free particles: wavepackets, dispersion
- Fourier series and Fourier transforms
- Bound states in 1D: the infinite well, square well, and
harmonic oscillator
- Scattering in 1D: the potential step and potential barrier; tunnelling
- Bound states in 3D: central potentials, the hydrogen atom
Grading
The final grade will be a weighted average of
- homework (25%)
- midterm exam (35%)
- final exam (40%)
- PASS/FAIL:
- A grade of C+ or above counts as a "Pass".
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Homework
- Purpose and Format:
- Helps you test your understanding of material we have already covered in class, gives you an opportunity to practice answering the sort of questions that you will encounter in exams.
- Must be uploaded to Canvas (as a PDF) by the due date and time.
- Late homework will only be accepted by prior arrangement with
the assistant or the professor.
- Collaboration:
Students are encouraged to form study groups and
discuss the course material with each other, but each student must
independently formulate his or her own homework solutions.
Please make sure you understand the university's
policy on academic integrity, especially the section on
"Copying Or Collaborating On Assignments Without Permission".
- Generative Artificial Intelligence:
Students may use GenAI tools to get general explanations of the physics content of the course. GenAI tools may not be used to solve homework problems, since that would defeat the purpose of homework, which is to help you develop the skills needed to do well in the exams. If you are stuck then reach out for help, for example by posting a question on Piazza.
Please do not share your WUStL Key password with any other person or entity: this is a violation of university policy.
- Partial Credit:
When answering a question you will usually only get partial credit
if you just write down an answer, with no justification. To get full
credit you need to give reasons why your answer is correct.
When giving numerical answers, always show the units.
- Regrading
Homework: please consult with the relevant TA
Exams: please consult the professor
Exams
- The midterm exam will be in class on To be decided
- The final exam will be at in our regular classroom at 10:30am on Wed Dec 16, 2026.
- Each exam will resemble a homework as much as possible in the
style and length of the questions.
Rules for exams
These rules apply to the midterm and final exams.
- Each student may bring and consult a single letter-size
"crib sheet" of facts and formulas. Both sides of the sheet
may be used, but everything on the sheet must be written or generated
by the student themselves. It should not contain copies
of documents generated by other people.
- Each student is expected to bring a calculator to the exam.
Calculators that can graph or do algebra are permitted. Calculators
(e.g. cell phones) that can connect to the internet or other external
sources of information are not permitted.
- When answering a question you will usually only get partial credit
if you just write down an answer, with no justification. To get full
credit you need to give reasons why your answer is correct.
