Instructor: | Brad Skow. |
Meetings: | MW, 12:30-2; room 32-144. |
Course Description: | What is the world like, according to quantum mechanics? We will try to figure out the answer. |
Laptop policy: | No laptops, smartphones, tablets, phablets, netbooks, surfaces, desktop computers, apple TVs, mainframes, athena clusters, etc may be used in class, unless you have a special reason for needing them (if you do please see me). |
Assessment: | Homework assignments, 20%; midterm, 40%; final exam, 40%. All homeworks have equal weight. The final exam will have no questions about non-locality. |
Homework Policies: | You may work on homework assignments with other students, but your write-up must be your own. Unless the assignment says otherwise, all homework submissions must be typed. Late work will not be accepted without a legitimate excuse. If you are having personal or academic problems that make it hard for you to keep up with the class, the first thing you should do is contact s-cubed. (An excuse for work that is more than a few days late is legitimate only if accompanied by a message from a dean at s-cubed.) |
Homework: | hw1. hw2. hw3. hw4. hw5. hw6. hw7. hw8 due in class Monday 5/2. |
Solutions: | hw2 solutions. hw3 solutions. hw 4 solutions. hw 5 solutions. hw 6 solutions. hw 7 solutions. hw 8 solutions. |
Practice Final: | HERE! notes on preparing for the final. |
Note on readings: Readings marked with a * will be discussed in some detail in class. You should print them out, read them ahead of time, and bring them to class. Other readings are there to supplement stuff I cover in lecture. I gave out information on how to get the readings on the first day of class.
Mathematical and Physical Background
Date | Topic | Assignments |
2/3 W | How is quantum mechanics different from classical mechanics? | HW1 due noon on 2/7. |
2/8 M | The quantum mechanics of spin-1/2 particles. The Stern-Gerlach Experiment. | Albert, chs 1-2. Linear algebra notes. Hughes, The Stern-Gerlach Experiment. Maudlin, Overview of QM. Slides form class. |
2/10 W | The quantum-mechanical statistical algorithm. The two-path experiment. | *Handout on the statistical algorithm. |
2/16 T | Review of linear algebra | *Linear algebra notes. Hughes, Vector Spaces. |
2/17 W | The orthodox interpretation. | Homework 2 due in class. *Handout on the "orthodox" interpretation. |
2/22 M | The uncertainty principle. |
Non-Locality
2/24 W | "The Orthodox Interpretation is weird; why believe it?" The EPR Argument against the Orthodox Interpretation. | *EPR, Can Quantum-Mechanical.... *Einstein, Quantum Mechanics and Reality. *EPR handout. Homework 3 due in class. |
2/29 M | Arguments. Bohr's reply to EPR. A start on Bell's Theorem, and its interpretation. | *Bohr, Can Quantum-Mechanical.... Mermin, Quantum Mysteries for Anyone. Albert, ch. 3. slides from lecture. |
3/2 W | Proof of Bell's Theorem, concluded; Bell's Theorem and action at a distance. | slides from lecture. Homework 4 due in class. |
3/7 M | The efficiency loophole; the conspiracy loophole. | Maudlin, Ch 6; Bell exchange. |
The Measurement Problem
3/9 W | Motivating Collapse Theories; Schrodinger's Cat. | *Maudlin, Three Measurement Problems, "PROBLEM 1." *Schrodinger, "The Present Situation in Quantum Mechanics," sect. 5. *Bell, Against 'Measurement,' to 217. Homework 5 due in class. |
3/14 M | Midterm review session. (I'll be there to answer questions, not to give a prepared lecture.) | Notes on midterm preparation. |
3/16 W | Midterm exam. | |
Spring Break | ||
3/28 M | Can We Experimentally Determine When Collapse Occurs? | Albert, ch 4, especially pages 84-92. |
3/30 W | Class canceled due to baby. | |
4/4 M | Experiments, continued; GRW: the easy version. | *GRW handout. Albert, ch5. |
4/6 W | GRW, continued; the John argument. | *Albert, ch 5, pp. 100-111. |
4/11 M | GRW: the true version. The problem of tails; the fuzzy link. | *Albert and Loewer, Tails of Schrodinger's Cat. |
4/13 W | Bohmian Mechanics. | Albert, ch 7. HW6 due in class. |
4/18 M | BOSTON MARATHON DAY; no class. | |
4/20 W | Bohmian Mechanics. | slides from class. |
4/25 M | The Bohmian Mechanics of many particles; "If they make the same predictions, how could our evidence ever favor one over the other?" | *A dialogue on QM. HW7 due in class. Note on preparing for this class. |
4/27 W | "If they make the same predictions, how could our evidence ever favor one over the other?" | |
5/2 M | Many Worlds. | HW8 due in class. |
5/4 W | Many Worlds. | |
5/9 M | #TeamQM debate. | |
5/11 W | Amazing, Mind-Blowing, Inspiring Final Lecture. | |
5/17 T | Final Exam: 9am-12pm |