course-details-portlet

FY2045

Quantum Mechanics I

Credits 7.5
Level Third-year courses, level III
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction English
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement School exam

About

About the course

Course content

Review of fundamental principles in quantum mechanics. General formulation of quantum mechanics, including Dirac's bra-ket notation and the harmonic oscillator. Angular momentum: spin, orbital angular momentum and addition of angular momenta. Identical particles: ideal Fermi gas and ideal Bose gas; atoms and solids. Variational methods. Perturbation theory.

Learning outcome

Upon completion of this course, the student should:

i) master the central aspects of basic quantum mechanics: basic postulates and central theorems, eigenfunctions and eigenvalues, expansions in terms of eigenfunctions, stationary and non-stationary states, square-well potential, harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom,

ii) have learned how to use the Dirac formalism, and how to apply operator algebra to quantize angular momentum and the harmonic oscillator,

iii) be familiar with spin formalism and addition of angular momenta,

iv) comprehend the theory and the implications of identical particles, especially ideal Fermi and Bose gases,

v) understand the main concepts of perturbation theory.

In addition, the student should learn how computational physics can help solve and understand quantum-mechanical problems.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and compulsory exercises. Computational physics components may be included in the lectures and the homework assignments. The student's expected workload in the course is 225 hours.

Compulsory assignments

  • Exercises

Further on evaluation

Written examination. The re-sit examination (in August) may be changed from written to oral.

Course materials

1) D. J. Griffiths: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, Pearson, 2005, or Cambridge, 2018. (This book will be used mainly.)

2) P. C. Hemmer: Kvantemekanikk, Tapir, 2005. (In Norwegian; this book will be used for review and the general formulation of quantum mechanics.)

3) Lecture notes, including numerical codes.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
MNFFY245 7.5 sp
TFY4250 7.5 sp Autumn 2007
This course has academic overlap with the courses in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • Physics
  • Technological subjects

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Physics

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: School exam
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Date 2025-12-16 Time 15:00 Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room for school exam

The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Sluppenvegen 14
Room SL111 lyseblå sone
34 candidates
Room SL410 blå sone
51 candidates

Re-sit examination - Summer 2026

School exam
Weighting 100/100 Examination aids Code C Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.