Waves and Oscillations: A Prelude to Quantum Mechanics 1st Edition by Walter Fox Smith | (PDF) Free Download

Description

Waves and oscillations permeate virtually every field of current physics research, are central to chemistry, and are essential to much of engineering. Furthermore, the concepts and mathematical techniques used for serious study of waves and oscillations form the foundation for quantum mechanics. Once they have mastered these ideas in a classical context, students will be ready to focus on the challenging concepts of quantum mechanics when they encounter them, rather than struggling with techniques.This lively textbook gives a thorough grounding in complex exponentials and the key aspects of differential equations and matrix math; no prior experience is assumed. The parallels between normal mode analysis, orthogonal function analysis (especially Fourier analysis), and superpositions of quantum states are clearly drawn, without actually getting into the quantum mechanics. An in-depth, accessible introduction to Hilbert space and bra-ket notation begins in Chapter 5 (on symmetrical coupled oscillators), emphasizing the analogy with conventional dot products, and continues in subsequent chapters.Connections to current physics research (atomic force microscopy, chaos, supersolids, micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), magnetic resonance imaging, carbon nanotubes, and more) are highlighted in the text and in end-of-chapter problems, and are frequently updated in the associated website.The book actively engages readers with a refreshing writing style and a set of carefully applied learning tools, such as in-text concept tests, “your turn” boxes (in which the student fills in one or two steps of a derivation), concept and skill inventories for each chapter, and “wrong way” problems in which the student explains the flaw in a line of reasoning. These tools promote self-awareness of the learning process.The associated website features custom-developed applets, video and audio recordings, additional problems, and links to related current research. The instructor-only part includes difficulty ratings for problems, optional hints, full solutions, and additional support materials.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Waves and Oscillators are ubiquitous in all of science, not just QM. The Neural oscillations that are more and more explaining brain function, electronic circuits and op amps, chemistry, astronomy, and of course physics, classic, relative and quantum.If you review hundreds of books in this field as I do for our library clients, you will be shocked to find NONE that really detail the mathematical notation and practical techniques assuming NO experience with complex exponentials, eigenfunctions, Fourier transforms, etc. This book is literally the MISSING LINK between undergrad and grad math– transitioning from algebra to linear algebra and differential equations (like many do), BUT explaining in detail what the math symbols mean, why we use them the way we do, and how they relate to the real world.It’s not just this author’s stunning grasp of teaching, it also is the subject matter: waves and oscillations are ideal “teaching examples” for transition to complex math, as the very problems that stimulated the need for such math. Other reviewers all over the web have praised this text as a course book, but I’d like to add that the format, unlike many or even most, also is ideal for self study.I may be admitting nerdhood, but a lot of my friends “dabble” in Quantum Mechanics. It can be fun, interesting and certainly cutting edge. But to be devastatingly honest, a lot of us run into a brick wall with superposition, Hilbert space, bra-ket notation, etc. and usually blame the “math.” Well, after studying Smith, a VERY BRIGHT lightbulb goes off– it is NOT just the math or notation, it is the fact that learning the wave and oscillation underpinnings of QM is a MUST for “getting” why the notation is used and useful in the first place! If you love QM but have been stumped, a HUGE AHA awaits you with this text.If you get oscillators in Hilbert space there is no “guarantee” you’ll get QM state spaces therein also, but it sure is a good bet that your chances are much better once you have the underpinnings. The QM tensors are tough, but once you get the “hang” of substitution using dot products and other foundation techniques, a lot of the gaps will be filled.Beyond speculative QM, there also is the not insignificant fact that waves and oscillations are still the subject of every electronic circuit known to science! The book promotes itself as a prelude to the “sexy” QM, but that can distort the fact that the book’s own subject is just as cutting edge, and certainly more practically relevant so far than QM. This isn’t to diminish the esoteric goal, it is to praise the material in itself for itself. Probably too simple for grad EE students, but for all the rest of us, what a gem.Library Picks reviews only for the benefit of Amazon shoppers and has nothing to do with Amazon, the authors, manufacturers or publishers of the items we review. We always buy the items we review for the sake of objectivity, and although we search for gems, are not shy about trashing an item if it’s a waste of time or money for Amazon shoppers. If the reviewer identifies herself, her job or her field, it is only as a point of reference to help you gauge the background and any biases.

⭐(keep in mind I’ve only read through the first 4 chapters)The book doesn’t come with any answers to the exercises, you have to be a registered university professor to get access to those on the internet. Mayor negative.Another drawback is lack of interesting illustrations/images. Black and white line illustrations aren’t very inspiring, and makes it more difficult to maintain interest in order to get through the material.However, the text itself is mostly pretty good, althought I feel it could be more precise with the definitions. For example, in the first chapter on simple harmonic motion, it would be nice if the book had something like a definition box, stating: “SHM is a wave which follows a sinosuidal curve, where the force net force acting on the object in motion is always directed towards the object’s eqilibrium position, and at all points has absolute value equal to a constant multiply of the distance from the eqilibrium position (F = kx).” or something like that, would immidiately remove any confusion regarding what SHM actually is.I do feel the book (what I’ve read of it so far) has some really good potensial, shouldn’t take much work to at least bring it up to 4 or 5 stars.

⭐you know i havnt had time to sit down yet and work it out but by reviewing it, it has alot of material. just waiting for the time.

⭐The book is disorganized

⭐From my experience, one of the issues of learning quantum mechanics at the undergraduate level is actually linear algebra. This comes as a surprise because undergraduate physics training does include a course on linear algebra. The issue is that there is not much use of it till we go to quantum mechanics, where the theoretical framework is built on vector spaces and eigenvalue problems. In fact, we do pick up some experience of solving matrix eigenvalue problems in classical mechanics when we learn coupled oscillators. Unfortunately, the focus is on the physics itself and the underlying linear algebra is usually just lightly touched upon.Therefore, this book patches up this issue such that the students can be better equipped when they tackle quantum mechanics later. It discusses in detail various classical topics that will appear again in quantum mechanics, for example harmonic oscillators and wave propagation. The discussion on coupled oscillators has an emphasis on linear algebra, vector spaces and eigenvalue problems.In my opinion, most topics covered in this book are distributed among other courses in a standard physics curriculum, for example freshmen general physics, mathematical physics, classical mechanics and electromagnetism. Most physics students must have taken these courses before quantum mechanics. In this sense, this book is a little redundant. But it is pretty nice if a student can pick up this book as a self-study to consolidate his knowledge just before a formal course on quantum mechanics.I am not giving this book a 5-star rating because this book can do better, in particular for the chapters on coupled oscillators. I think the logic is that we want to decouple the system by diagonalizing the matrix equation as an eigenvalue problem. And since the eigenvectors are orthogonal for a symmetric matrix, we are analyzing the system using a vector space formalism. I am little confused that this logic is not presented earlier till we go to asymmetric coupled oscillators. At this point, the problem becomes a generalized eigenvalue problem, which does not exactly correspond to quantum mechanics. Also, towards the end of the book, the author discussed in detail wave propagation in various types of systems, which is nice. However, as far as a prelude to quantum mechanics is concerned, I think some discussions and comparisons with the diffusion equation is actually more relevant and insightful.Overall, I do enjoy reading this book. The explanation is clear, and the language is easy to read. Maybe, the book sounds a bit too casual sometimes, but this probably reflects that the author is a fun guy.

⭐Better than most books on waves and oscillations on the market. The books by Pain and French are actually very difficult to follow and contain mathematics which would seem very non intuitive. This books balances the Physics and Maths part perfectly making it a very intuitive read.Its also amazing how lucidly the author has describes some key quantum phenomenon using classical wave analogies.The problems are quite challenging for the average physics undergraduate.I would highly recommend this book for self study

⭐Traite le sujet des phénomènes vibratoires à un niveau intermédiaire en donnant de nombreux exemples; le défaut de ce livre est que l’auteur tente d’exposer les phénomènes sans utiliser les outils mathématiques relatifs au sujet ( iner products) qui ne sont introduits qu’à la fin de l’exposé cf chapitres (5 et 6) ce qui donne un aspect désordonné et inutilement compliqué ce qui ne va pas du tout aider le lecteur débutant . A mon avis il vaut mieux exposer d’abord les maths puis la physique surtout que les maths en question ne sont quand même pas très compliquées. Il faudrait que ce livre soit réécrit dans le bon ordre.Great book. Explains the concepts very clearly.

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