Fundamental laws govern the behavior of everything in the universe, from the largest objects such as galaxies to minuscule atomic nuclei. About a century ago, impressive empirical evidence showed that the description of natural phenomena based on what we now call ‘classical physics’ was far from complete. Together with Einstein’s theory of relativity, the ‘quantum revolution’ that started in the early 20th century served as a starting point for arriving at a truly unified description of natural phenomena. Although this aim has yet to be achieved, the underlying theory of quantum mechanics has deeply transformed our philosophical outlook on nature. It has also explained a wealth of seemingly different phenomena, and has enabled the development of various applications that propelled us into the ‘information age.’ This course introduces the concepts of quantum physics, focusing on the understanding and acceptance of its most novel and counterintuitive principles. 

 

Format
This course examines the important concepts of quantum physics through specific contexts ranging from seminal experiments and modern applications to philosophical ideas and toy models. Grasping the strange world of quantum physics is much aided by visualization. We make frequent use of illustrations based on computer-generated solutions. In fact, few problems can be solved analytically; even experts attempt to find clever approximation methods by using computer calculations to extract information.

Students apply their newly gained knowledge in weekly assignments, taking turns presenting their findings in class. These presentations generate class discussion. Each student produces a final paper that expands upon his or her basic knowledge and goes appreciably beyond the scope of weekly assignments. Topics vary; they can be historical, conceptual or mathematical, applied, or a mixture thereof. Students are encouraged to reference an original paper from scientific literature within the paper.

Students should spend about 13-14 hours per week on this course. However, not all class meetings offer new material, as the topic necessitates sufficient time to reflect and digest the strange ways of quantum physics.