Tell me more ×
Physics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for active researchers, academics and students of physics. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite
2

I have a good undergrad knowledge of quantum mechanics, and I'm interesting in reading up more about interpretation and in particular things related to how QM emerges algebrically from some reasonable real world assumptions. However I want to avoid the meticulous maths style and rather read something more meant for physicists (where rigorous proofs arent needed and things are well-behaved ;) )

Can you recommend some reading to get started?

share|improve this question
4  
You're kind of asking for two contradictory things here: you can't really expect to understand QM at a beyond-undergrad level, in particular tracing it up from fundamental assumptions, without getting into some amount of math. So are you looking for an advanced description, or a non-technical one? – David Zaslavsky♦ Sep 6 '11 at 2:41
I don't mean without maths. Au contraire, preferable only maths language. But one can present Fourier transforms without proof of convergence or use Dirac notation without proofing all the deepest results about Hilbert spaces. I mean it shouldn't look like a book for hard core mathematicians, but for physicists. Here is an example I don't want: arxiv.org/PS_cache/quant-ph/pdf/0101/0101028v2.pdf – Gerenuk Sep 6 '11 at 9:04
You can skip the proofs while reading ;-) – Pratik Deoghare Dec 1 '11 at 10:13

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

An excellent book which does more or less what you ask for is Asher Peres' "Quantum theory:concepts and methods". It starts from the Stern-Gerlach experiments and logical reasoning to develop the basic principles of quantum mechanics. From there, it develops the necessary algebra.

Another interesting book for an approach of the conceptual side of quantum mechanics is "Quantum Paradoxes" by Aharonov and Rohrlich. But to fully appreciate this one, I think you will need to go through a standard curriculum first.

Then, there is "Quantum computation and Quantum Information" by Nielsen and Chuang, which is meant as an introduction to the ideas of QM as applied to information theory for people with an informatics background mostly. So it also starts from an algebraic and conceptual approach.

share|improve this answer
NB: Errata for the Aharonov/Rohrlich textbook can be found here. – Gugg Mar 29 at 11:04
up vote 0 down vote

Anthony Sudbery, Quantum Mechanics.... is an excellent text which emphasises the theory and interpretation rather than the drill problems...in fact he is a mathematician and quantum information theorist and this book is not so useful for someone who needs to bone up on their perturbation theory and get ready for QED, it focuses on what it sounds like you are especially interested in.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.