Introductory Quantum Mechanics 4th Edition

The prominent feature of this book is that there is a large collection of problems for students to work on, and it is a comprehensive textbook that covers all the topics that a Physics undergraduate needs to know. It is updated several times to include some of the recent topics and applications of Quantum Mechanics. Many topics are well-written, and the physics is clearly explained. While some sections of the book could be written better, I think it is a great book overall either as a course textbook, as a reference or as a resource for practice problems.I think the level of this book is a little higher than that of Griffiths ( Introduction to Quantum Mechanics (2nd Edition) ). The book starts with a review on classical mechanics and a survey of the history of quantum mechanics. Then the postulates of quantum mechanics, operators and Dirac notation are introduced. This is a more formal introduction of quantum mechanics. If you have just finished a course on Modern Physics, and you are moving to your first formal course on quantum mechanics, you will probably find that Griffiths is a better textbook because it starts with Schrodinger equation as a differential equation. Liboff presents a steeper learning curve because it starts with the formalities of quantum mechanics, which is not quite easily understood at the beginning. I recommend using Griffiths as a first textbook, and use Liboff in a second course on quantum mechanics. It is a matter of taste though, as I think some students like postulates and formalities all laid out clearly at the beginning. If you are using Griffiths as the textbook, you can use Liboff as a reference because certain topics are missing in Griffiths and some physics are explained pretty well in Liboff. In particular, I like Liboff's discussion on good/bad quantum numbers and the matrix representation of quantum mechanics. The corresponding discussion in Griffiths is really lacking.My main complaint regarding Liboff is that some sections seem to be out of context, in particular the last few sections in chapter 7, 8 and 11. For example, in chapter 11 about matrix mechanics, it seems like everything having a matrix is being thrown into this chapter. This makes the topics difficult to understand because they are not placed in the right context. I believe these sections were not originally there, but were added when the book was revised. It would be a lot better if some of these sections can have their own chapters, for example the WKB approximation can be expanded into a chapter on semi-classical approach, and there can be a focused chapter on the quantum mechanics of solids and semiconductors.

This is not a good introductory book. The book has tons of practice problems but doesn't explain how to do half of them and doesn't have a solutions manual. I have been told that this is a fantastic "review" book for people who just need a refresher on the fundamentals of Quantum Mechanics though.

All the essential info is in here. I don't know what language it's in but it is there.

The examples and proofs leave out enough of steps and explanations that even a prepared and motivated student will get lost.The book typically buries "the point" of it's explanations at the end of pages of abstract and difficult math. No doubt about it, abstract and difficult math are unavoidable in teaching quantum mechanics, but by presenting "the point" early, it would give the student much needed guidance as they slog through the hard parts.I first took quantum mechanics as an undergrad in 1978. I bought this copy to tutor my son through his college quantum mechanics class. I realize that it must be tough to write a good textbook on the subject, but there must be something better than this.

It's also the only Quantum Mechanics book I've ever had.If my midterm exam grade is any indication, then I think this book has more than met my expectations.

on time and as described

It actually came early and has been very helpful

This book is a joke! 650 pages in you realize you haven't learned any new physics just developed some math. I quit reading after Chapter 13 (I was informed the latter Chapters are worse). I don't think the author intentionally set out to write a collection of disorganized thoughts but that is in fact what happened. Why do so many PHYSICS books focus on the MATH aspects? Maybe they are written by predominately theorists (data needed for citation here).FYI LIBOFF: I have a more than sufficient background in mathematics teach me some physics! For those of you unfortunate enough to have this as assigned reading for an undergrad QM course I recommend supplemental material from Kroemer and/or Miller:Quantum Mechanics For Engineering: Materials Science and Applied Physics by Herbert Kroemer (1994)Quantum Mechanics for Scientists and Engineers by David A. B. Miller (2008)

First of all, let me thank World of books for their absolute correctness.As I remarked them for having sent to me a wrong edition (Ist one instead of the ordered 2nd one) they simply sent me the correct edition and left the 1st edition as a gift (both ones in almost perfect conditions)! I absolutely appreciated, but I can state that World of Books was always very very cool&clean&nice for what concerns order/expeditions and all that.Now, to the Book review.This is one of the most honestly written book on Quantum Mechanics at introductory level. It does make any effort for clarifying difficulties, without 'cutting corners' along the (explanation) way(s). Liboff has truly done a wonderful Job (starting from the eighties - 1st Edition goes back to 1980!) to actually shape QM matter at undergraduate level. One could eventually ask for a bigger number of detailed problems solutions, but I do understand that editorial space can be simply a cogent constraint. Anyway, up to the 3rd edition (2005) the book has grown from 600 pages up to moe than 900 of last (2005) Edition! Most of the growth was due to new (intelligent!) problems, their partial or complete solution and (even more important) to the treatment of some new topics (e.g. Feynman's integral approach to QM); and there are some chapters which constitute a nice introduction to solid-state quantum mechanics. So, from classcal mechanics notions needed for QM to newest topics, one can get here everything he needs to properly front Quantum Mechanics 'mysteries': without silly 'Alice-in-Wonderland-by-purely-maths-tricks' explanations.Everything globally balancing (and I consulted quite a lot of QM books), it's my opinion that this should be the proper book for starting QM at an undergraduate level.

RECEIVED THIS BOOK IN GOOD SHAPE, BUT FAIRLTY LATE, I.E. OUTSIDE PREDICTED TIME WINDOW. IN ALL IT IS OK THIS WAY