Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles

The first five chapters gives the reader a good insight into the history of Quantum Physics and to why classical mechanics was insufficient. Chapter 6 is an excellent overview of how to solve the Schroedinger Equation in a few specific cases, at the same time as the reader is given a very good "feeling" for how Quantum Mechanics works. The remainder of the chapters focuses on specific situations, applications and phenomena's.

There are plenty of books that use less mathematics, but I do not believe they give a good understanding of the topic. There are also plenty of books that uses a lot more complex mathematics, but they are not for beginners. I recommend this book as an introduction to Quantum Physics for undergraduate physics students, engineers, science professionals, and mathematically literate others.

For reference, these are the chapters in the book:
(1) Thermal Radiation and Plank's Postulate
(2) Photons--Particlelike Properties of Radiation
(3) De Broglie's Postulate--Wavelike Properties of Particles
(4) Bohr's Model of the Atom
(5) Schroedinger's Theory of Quantum Mechanics
(6) Solutions of Time-Independent Schroedinger Equations
(7) One-Electron Atoms
(8) Magnetic Dipole Moments, Spin, and Transition Rates
(9) Multielectron Atoms--Ground States and X-Ray Excitations
(10) Multielectron Atoms--Optical Excitations
(11) Quantum Statistics
(12) Molecules
(13) Solids--Conductors and Semiconductors
(14) Solids--Superconductors and Magnetic Properties
(15) Nuclear Models
(16) Nuclear Decay and Nuclear Reactions
(17) Introduction to Elementary Particles
(18) More Elementary Particles

I liked Appendix A, "The Special Theory of Relativity". In only sixteen pages, the authors succeed to correctly explain the special theory of relativity. I also liked Appendix C, "The Boltzmann Distribution", which was good concise description of classical statistical mechanics (you need to understand it, to understand why it was not good enough).


an Excellent Introductory Book   December 16, 2000
Muzaffer Muctehitzade (Boston, Ma USA)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

This book is perfect for introduction to Quantum Physics, especially for those who want to go into the subject step by step with an understanding of Physical concepts behind it. Most books I have seen basically are dry Mathematical Formulas which requires a lot to reading into formulas to get the real physical meaning behind those formulas. This book is perfect it tells you why certain things can not be explained by Classical Physics (Instead of simply stating that) and what assumptions are being made and where the problem was and therefore the Quantum Physics is there. It has numerous examples for you to see real applications and scales of the things. Everytime I opened the book I was so happy that I finally came across such a good book. I have no problem with the amount of verbatim in the book as some of the commentators had. I believe it is that feature of the book that makes it clear Physics book. Every line has a significance in the fundamentals of the subject.


One of the best   September 2, 2002
James Elkins (Chicago, IL USA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

This is one of the best introductory quantum mechanics textbooks. Since the mid-twentieth century, the tendency to avoid philosophical problems in favor of sheer calculation--a tendency supported by Dirac's famous maxim "follow the mathematics"--has resulted in increasingly terse books laden with practical formulae. There may be no returning to the period in which calculation and meditation went hand in hand, but at least this book has enough prose to raise issues of realism and reality, calculability and motivation, discovery and error. I can't imagine the attitude of students (and reviewers!) who prefer the equations alone.


Clarity makes this book ideal.   March 17, 1999
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

This book served as the text for an undergraduate course in quantum physics. It is very readable; Eisberg uses the perfect mix of formal mathematics and qualitative analysis to paint a very coherent picture of quantum mechanics. Each argument is thoughtfully constructed to be both rigorous and lucid. Well worth the price to any serious student of physics.