Lecture 6: Time Evolution and the Schrödinger Equation

MIT 8.04 Quantum Physics I, Spring 2013
Instructor: Allan Adams

In this lecture, Prof. Adams begins with summarizing the postulates of quantum mechanics that have been introduced so far. He then discusses properties of the Schrodinger equation and methods of solving the equation.

License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA

[neelmodi]

His enthusiasm makes me want to learn so much more

[ahuhu]

I'm just jealous of these guys' ability to ask interesting questions that seem so logically connected to the subject but i could never come up with.

[maryamkhakbaz]

love the way professor Adams explains things, i'm starting to get my master degree in physics and yet by watching these lectures i feel the need to study more, it's like MIT courses makes you realize you need to learn more and more and more... and it's never enough!!!thank you MIT opencourseWare for giving me the opportunity to experience quality courses with these great guys. love you

[elnurhajiyev]

what i like about his method is that he clarifies all the subtle points so that you don't have anything unclear in your head

[LeconsdAnalyse]

The teacher in the clip is very nice - patient, and down to earth.

[AvinashSingh-wxde]

These guys always ask very good questions...

[scottgreen]

As a holder of a computer science degree and another in electronics I bow to the recognition of reality. Circuits and code only do what they are made to do as does your world. So cool. Thanks for the pump.

[craigfowler]

Wish he was my lecturer when I studied this. Makes it so interesting, relevant and clear.

Good job man

[Grymtydeify]

Anyone else transfixed on what he is drinking and how he transports it around the room without ever taking a sip?

[TJ-hsqm]

binging QM lectures, so much better than Netflix

[nathanokun]

This instructor is worth his weight in platinum!! He is FANTASTIC concerning this somewhat obtuse subject. I am impressed beyond words.

[Yashmnash]

Take a shot every time he picks up his bottle and doesn't end up drinking from it haha. Amazing prof.

[salaheddinealahrache]

Thank you very much for making these lectures public. Great topics and explanation !

[ppmealing]

Really good explanation - excellent lecturer (Allan Adams); he actually invites questions, repeats them and then gives cogent answers.
It's the first time I've seen someone explain the relationship between eigenstates and Schrodinger's equation. Also how superposition falls out and is effectively a consequence of 'stationary states', therefore unaffected by time. This creates a physical distinction between the quantum world and the classical world, as he explicitly demonstrates; the interface being the 'collapse' of the wave function or 'decoherence' as he calls it, when superposition disappears. Since the wave function is 'all you need' and SE is 'not derived, just posited' makes me think it's a good candidate for the 'God' equation, meaning it fundamentally describes everything that's yet to come into being.

[guri__mann]

The explanation and the answer of the question around 57:00 was excellent.

[timos]

Stellar professor, excellent lecture. I have studied physics myself and got really frustrated. I know everything there is to know about boring physics lectures. This one is motivating, interesting and entertaining. Big up for Professor Adams.

[TheAhmedMAhmed]

MIT is so awesome that I really want to study there!

[IronCharioteer]

These really are great lectures. I'm using them to supplement my coursework and they're really helpful in giving meaning to the equations and solutions i derive in my homework. For instance, I have a midterm tomorrow and i feel pretty good with my ability to handle the math and solve problems; but if asked what my solutions imply i would be hard pressed to answer without the intuition i gain from these vids. This lecture series really helps build my understanding of the material.
Thanks MIT OpenCourseWare!

[NovaWarrior]

17:43 "A piece of chalk that I am treating as a quantum mechanical point particle." Physics textbooks in a nutshell.

[valen]

"mathematicians are sneaky. that's why we keep them down the hall." XD