Quantum Mechanics

By Eugen Merzbacher

Book Overview

Provides a systematic and orderly development of the whole of quantum mechanics in terms of its applications to atomic, nuclear, particle, and solid state physics. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0000CL2NE
• ISBN13: 9781114171800
• Release Date: January 1961
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 544 Pages
• Weight: 1.77 lbs.

Customer Reviews

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.

Clearly written, traditional approach to QM

Having had this text recommended for my graduate quantum class, but not taught from (instead taught out of the execrable book by J.J. Sakurai), I think that Merzbacher has written a very readable and very thorough book. Clearly, it is not a book aimed at undergraduates, but it is very elegantly written and uses the approach mirrored in Gasiorowicz and others, building the subject up with ordinary calculus and slowly bringing in matrix algebra. For a more modern treatment, and one very well written for the motivated self-studier, try Shankar's "Principles of Quantum Mechanics".

Very good

I agree with Mr. Jacob; this is a classic for good reasons. A student with an introductory QM course under his/her belt will enjoy the more advanced subjects (2nd quantisation, dirac equation,...). I also agree with Mr. Jacob about the price: this is much too high for the average student, presumably the targeted audience; something like 40 dollars would be more reasonable. Moreover, a book should be judged on its own merits; it is not Merzbacher's fault that some students want a easier book. Giving a 1 star comment because a book is too difficult is inappropriate.

A venerable and excellent graduate quantum theory textbook.

I cannot let the posted reviews go unanswered. I have taught from the various editions of Merzbacher for many years (since I was a graduate TA for a QM course) and have always had good results with it. It is not, however, an undergraduate text at most institutions. And any student advanced enough to be in a course where Merzbacher is appropriately used knows that graduate physics textbooks are not intended to be problem solving manuals. At this stage of one's development, one knows how to convert the principles learned from lecture and study into appropriate problem solving strategies. My principal complaint is the price; I cannot ask my students to pay $100 for a textbook, even in 1999. More's the pity.