Quantum Mechanics

Quantum Mechanics

Review of Quantum Mechanics by E. Merzbacher

In my opinion the critical problem with this book is that it fails to put quantum mechanics in the context of physical science. The entire book reads like a mathematical exercise contrived by a person to test/entertain other people, rather than the documentation of refined mathematical statements of empirical observations. Others have said it is hard to read, this is true. They have said the organisation is not great, this is also true, but the larger issue, once again in my oppinion, is that the book does not relate the mathematical act of DOING quantum mechanics calculations to the the physical world. Although this is a common malady amongts physics textbooks, texts on Quantum Mechanics by J.J. Sakurai and D.J. Griffiths, the former an advanced text, the latter introductory, manage to better put the mathematical theory in proper physical context. Buy it because its required for most graduate level Quantum Mechanics courses, but be prepared to consult other texts in order to develop an understanding of quantum mechanics.

Complete and Thorough

I took the University of Michigan's Physics 511 course from this book. At first I found it too wordy and indirect but over the course of the term it really grew on me. Merzbacher's discussion of 2nd quantization (and the QSHO problem in general) is superb as is his sections on the Feynman path integral representation. Definitely my first choice amongst similar texts such as Sakurai, Shankar, and Cohen-Tannoudji.

A failed attempt

This book was originally written to make Schiffs book on quantum mechanics available to a wider audience. It was supposed to be simpler and more readable. Never happened. It is too wordy by far and many topics are actually covered very superficially with the student then being expected to solve difficult problems as though the treatment had been complete. Unfortunately, this is a common malady of physics texts. If you want a wordy, good, reasonably complete, text then Messiah's book is excellent.

Maybe a Decent Reference, but Bad to Learn From

I would give it 2.5 stars if I could - I don't think it quite deserves 3.<br>A wealth of information. If you're looking for it, it's probably at least mentioned in here if it's mentioned in any QM textbook anywhere. Might make a good reference, then.<br>However, as a book to learn from it seems generally obtuse difficult to read (though some sections are better or worse than others). It isn't just that it's abstract or mathematical - I don't mind that at all; in fact that's one of the strengths of this book in my opinion - but that the necessary explanation just isn't there, or is ineffective.

This book is unreadable

I was lucky to have other books and a great instructor in Quantum Mechanics, otherwise I wouldn't have learned the subject at all. The language of this book is very dry and abstract at the same time, leaving the reader without an idea of what it all has to do with the real life. The approach to teaching is by no means classical and lacks examples. Another thing that I didn't like (and that unfortunately occurs so often in scientific literature) is the way references were handled: the author would send you 10 chapters back to substitute formulas 178 and 186 into another one 5 chapters back to get a result on the current page, whereas in good books relevant formulas would just be re-typed once again for reader's convenience.<br>Having said all that, I also need to say that the author did a good job picking the problems for this text. They are of moderate difficulty and well related to the discussion in a preceding chapter.

Keyword : quantum+physic