Foreword PART I: Fundamental Principles THE PRINCIPLE OF WAVE-PARTICLE DUALITY: AN OVERVIEW The Principle of Wave-Particle Duality of Light The Principle of Wave-Particle Duality of Matter Dimensional Analysis and Quantum Physics THE SCHRÖDINGER EQUATION AND ITS STATISTICAL INTERPRETATION INTRODUCTION: The wave-particle duality as the fundamental law of modern quantum mechanics The Schrödinger Equation Statistical Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics Further Development of the Statistical Interpretation: The Mean-Value Formula Time Evolution of Wavefunctions: Superposition States and Further Development of the Statistical Interpretation Self-Consistency of the Statistical Interpretation and the Mathematical Structure of Quantummechanics Summary: Quantum Mechanics in a Nutshell THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE The Position-Momentum Uncertainty Principle The Time-Energy Uncertainty Principle The Uncertainty Principle in the Classical Limit General Investigation of the Uncertainty Principle PART II. Simple Quantum Systems SQUARE POTENTIALS I Particle in a One-Dimensional Box: The Infinite Potential Well The Square Potential Well SQUARE POTENTIALS II The Square Potential Step: Reflection and Transmission Rectangular Potential Barrier: Tunneling Effect THE HARMONIC OSCILLATOR Solution of the Schrödinger Eequation Discussion of the Results A Plausible Question: Can we use the Polynomial Method to Solve Potentials other than the Harmonic Oscillator? THE POLYNOMIAL METHOD Sufficient Conditions for the Existence of Polynomial Solutions: Bidimensional Equations The Polynomial Mehtod in Action: Exact Solution of the Krätzer and Morse Potentials Mathematical Afterword THE HYDROGEN ATOM I Solving the Schrödinger Equation for the Spherically Symmetric Eigenfunctions Discussion of the Results What is the Electron Doing in the Hydrogen Atom after all? A First Discussion on the Basic Questions of Quantum Mechanics THE HYDROGEN ATOM II The Schrödinger Equation in an Arbitrary Central Potential: The Method of Separation of Variables The Hydrogen Atom ATOMS IN A MAGNETIC FIELD - THE EMERGENCE OF SPIN Atomic Electrons as Microscopiy Magnets: Magnetic Moment and Angular Momentum The Zeeman Effect and the Evidence for the Existence of Spin The Stern-Gerlach Experiment: Unequivocal Experimental Confirmation of the Existence of Spin What is Spin? Time Evolution of Spin in a Magnetic Field Total Angular Momentum of Atoms: Addition of Angular Momenta IDENTICAL PARTICLES AND THE PAULI PRINCIPLE The Principle of Indistinguishability of Identical Particles in Quantum Mechanics Indistinguishability of Identical Particles and the Pauli Principle The Role of Spin: Complete Formulation of the Pauli Principle The Pauli Exclusion Principle Which Particles are Fermions and Which are Bosoms Exchange Degeneracy: The Problem and its Solution PART III. Quantum Mechanics in Action: Structure of Matter ATOMS Arrangement of Energy Levels in Many-Electron Atoms: The Screening Effect Quantum Mechanical Explanation of the Periodic Table: The Small Periodic Table Approximate Calculations in Atoms: Perturbation Theory and the Variational Method MOLECULES I The Double-Well Model of Chemical Bonding Examples of Simple Molecules Molecular Spectra MOLECULES II Hybridization: The First Basic Deviation from the Elementary Theory of the Chemical Bond Delocalization: The Second Basic Deviation from the Elementary Theory of the Chemical Bond SOLID STATE Periodicity and Band Structure Band Structure and the Mystery of Conductivity. Conductors, Semiconductors, Insulators Crystal Momentum, Effective Mass, and Electron Mobility Fermi Energy and Density of States MATTER AND LIGHT The Four Fundamental Processes: Resonance, Scattering, Ionization, and Spontaneous EmissionQuantitative Description of the Fundamental Processes: Transition Rate, Effective Cross Section, Mean Free Path Matter and Light in Resonance. I: T sakriti opis