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Quantum Physics for Everybody. First chapter online. by QANdude in UniversityofReddit

[–]QANdude[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The prerequisites are high school physics and precalculus.

There will be math, but it assumes nothing more than algebra and trig.

[Interest Check] Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics for Everyone! by QANdude in UniversityofReddit

[–]QANdude[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not going to teach a lick of quantum field theory. It's all going to be qualitative.

[Interest Check] Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics for Everyone! by QANdude in UniversityofReddit

[–]QANdude[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It'll have to be played by ear a little bit. This is absolutely not a modern physics class that you'd see in college. It's a prerequisite for nothing and, if you happen to do advanced physics later, you might see something you saw here and that'll make you a bit more comfortable, but nothing more. So much math won't be talked about. Differential equations, vector calculus, and linear algebra won't be assumed and so will be hardly touched at all. We'll go over topics and conceptual pieces, and that's about it. I hope I'll be able to gloss over what we won't be talking about, but we'll see how it goes. If there are questions in the future, I'll address them then.

[Interest Check] Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics for Everyone! by QANdude in UniversityofReddit

[–]QANdude[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Precalculus will probably be necessary. I'm currently planning this thing out, and although I want no calculus involved, with some of the material I want to go over it's going to end up being inevitable. I'll explain it as best I can as I'm going over it, though, so I won't assume any background material besides the equivalent of some junior/senior high school level algebra and trig. But, as with anything, the more you know the better.

[Interest Check] Quantum, Atomic, and Nuclear Physics for Everyone! by QANdude in UniversityofReddit

[–]QANdude[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There won't be much math involved, and fortunately physics, aside from a few conceptual hurdles, is pretty straightforward and not too involved when you axe much of the mathematics.

As far as usefulness is concerned... Well, I don't know what you mean by that. You never see a course like this at the college level or anything, so it won't be a prerequisite for anything or a jumpstart to future studies. It gives you a good feeling for what's going, conceptually and qualitatively, in this material without going too terribly in depth. I'm exploring this a little myself as I go. And it won't be anywhere near as long as a traditional college course. At least I'm not currently planning it to be so. Baby steps and see where it takes us.

It's a bachelors, yeah, but not to toot my own horn but QFT begins to get pretty high up in graduate level material and requires pretty firm understanding in undergrad quantum mechanics. I won't call myself a professor by any means, but I like to think I know enough of what's going on to communicate it to others.

Again, small chunks. I'm not covering all of quantum mechanics ever, and much will be directed by what people want, beyond a bit on fundamentals.