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"Rates with Dirac's book as one of the best expositions of quantum theory available in the English language." — American Scientist
"A fine translation of a remarkable book, which is recommended to every serious student of theoretical physics." — F. J. Belinfante, Science
"Full and leisurely development ... detailed without being tedious ... This is a book that all who study quantum theory will want to read." — J. Polkinghorne, Physics Today
"Throughout one is conscious of being under the guidance of someone who has thought very deeply and carefully about all the various aspects of quantum theory, and who is able to express his ideas in a most stimulating and lucid way." — K. W. H. Stevens, Proceedings of the Physical Society
A masterful treatment of quantum theory, this classic work develops the subject's most important concepts from experimental evidence and from theory related to the wave nature of free particles. The first half shows how the classical mechanics of point particles can be generalized into a consistent quantum mechanics; the second part deals with extensions of quantum theory needed for problems of atomic and molecular structure. Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students in physics as well as historians of modern science, this universally praised translation will be a valuable addition to any physical science library.

Rotterdam native H. A. Kramers (1894–1954) studied under Niels Bohr in Copenhagen during World War I and received his Ph.D. from Leiden after the war. He taught at Copenhagen, Utrecht, and the Delft University of Technology.

Preface
Translator's Preface
Contents
Glossary of Symbols
PART ONE: THE FOUNDATIONS OF QUANTUM THEORY
    Introduction
    I. Quantom theory of free particles
      1. Mass points in classical physics
      2. The de Broglie quantum postulate for free mass particles
      3. Superposition of de Brogle waves
      4. Properties of special wave-packets
      5. The Heisenberg relations
      6. The approximate validity of Newton's first law
      7. The quantitative formulation of probability laws
      8. The Schrödinger wave equation
      9. The quantum theory of free particles and the laws of conservation of momentum and energy
    II. Non-relativistic quantum theory of bound particles.
      10. Bound particles in classical physics
      11. The Schrödinger equation and its connexion with Hamilton equation
      12. The motion of wave groups under the influence of external forces
      13. The physical meaning of the wave function
      14. Probability density and probability current density
      15. The momentum probability distribution
      16. The uncertainty relations; the uncertainty in energy
      17. Energy eigenvalues and eigenfunctions
      18. Stationary states
      19. The superposition principle in quantum mechanics
      20. The representation of an arbitrary physical situation as the superposition of stationary states
      21. Degenerate stationary states; degree of degeneracy
      22. Unnormalisable eigenfunctions of free particle
      23. Improper stationary states in an external field of force
      24. General discussion of eigenvalues and eigen functions
      25. Charged particles in and electromagnetic field
    III. The non-relativistic treatment of the many-body problem
      26. The two-body problem
      27. The Schrödinger equation of many interacting particles
      28. The interpretition of the wave function
      29. Operators
      30. The generalised Ehrenfest theorem
      31. The conservation of momentum
      32. Stationary states
      33. The law of conservation of energy; casuality in quantum mechanics
    IV. Transformation Theory
      A. General theory
      34. Coordinate transformations
      35. The definability of mechanical quantities
      36. Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions corresponding to and observable
      37. Eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of finite Hermitean matrices
      38. The eigenfunctions of commuting Hermitean operators
      39. The distribution function of an observable; probability amplitudes
      40. Transformation of functions
      41. Transformation of operators; matrix representation of an observable
      42. The transformed Schrödinger equation
      43. The time dependence of observables
      B. Examples
      44. The probability distribution of coordinates and momenta; the probability current density
      45. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the angular momentum
      46. A particle in a central field of force; the hydrogen atom
    V. Perturbation theory
      47. Introdution
      48. The perturbation of a non-degenerate discrete stationary state
      49. The perturbation of a degenerate discrete stationary state
      50. Perturbation theory and infinitesimal transformations
      51. Method of approximate solutions; the variational principle
      52. Expectation values and time averages
      53. The method of the variation of constants
      54. Variable fields of force; adiabatic theorem
      55. Time proportional transition probabilities
PART TWO: QUANTUM THEORY OF THE ELECTRON AND OF RADIATION
    VI. The spinning electron
      A. Non-relativistic spin theory
      56. Uhlenbeck and Goudsmit's hypothesis of the rotating magnetic electron
      57. The classical description of the motion of a spinning electron
      58. The non-relativistic quantum mechanical treatment of spin
      59. The spinning electron in a central field of force
      60. Many electron systems
      61. Spinors and rotations in space
      62. Gauge transformations
      B. Relativistic spin theory
      63. Relativistic spinor calculus
      64. Derivation of the Dirac equations
      65. Discussion of the Dirac equations
      66. The electron in a central field of force according to the Dirac theory
    VII. The exclusion principle
      67. The Pauli principle of electrons
      68. Exclusion principles for other equivalent particles
      69. Permutations
      70. Stationary states of several independent electrons in a common field of force; the shell structure of the atom
      71. Quantum theory of N-electron systems
      72. Formulation of the many particle problem independent of the number of particles
      73. Systems with two electrons without spin forces
      74. Systems with two electrons with spin forces
      75. Analysis of multiplet situations in the N-electron problem
      76. Rotations and angular momentum operators
      77. Multiplet situations (continued)
      78. Stationary states of N-electron systems without spin forces
      79. N-electron systems with spin forces; Russell-Saunders coupling
      80. Coupling of many electron systems; homopolar chemical bonds
    VIII. Electromagnetic radiation
      81. Quantum theory of radiation and quantum electrodynamics
      82. The unquantised radiation field; absorption of radiation
      83. The insufficiency of an unquantised radiation theory; classical theory of the emission of radiation
      84. "The "semi-classical" theory of spontaneous transitions"
      85. Emission of radiation and correspondence principle
      86. The radiation field in vacuo as a canonical system
      87. Quantisation of the radiation field; light quanta
      88. Field theory

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Quantum Mechanics

Quantum Mechanics

048682473X

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