possible errata for theoretical minimum-quantum mechanics

6/6/2015 The Theoretical Minimum: Quantum Mechanics, Possible Errata

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The Theoretical Minimum: QuantumMechanics, Possible Errata

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Possible ErrataWe have been unable to find an official Errata list for the Theoretical Minimum: Quantum Mechanics bookso Martyn has suggested we put one here. We have no confirmation that the items listed are indeed Erratabeyond them looking dodgy to us.

Page Details Date

68

Unit vector v1 missing from 2 places.

22 Oct 14

ref Ramo

126 Exercise 4.6; the phrase "and the final observable is sigma x." does not seem to relate to the rest of the exercise 16 Oct 14

192 Exercise 7.3 b) should refer to 2x1 matrix instead of 4x1 16 Oct 14

192 Exercise 7.3 d) last item should refer to 4x1 rather than 4x4 16 Oct 14

201-

2

Inconsistent use of upper and lower case psi. We think the intention is to use capital psi for a state vector and

lower case psi for a wavefunction16 Oct 14

203

Exercise 7.4 there is a matrix element left of the equal sign and a full matrix on the right

20 Oct 14

203

Density matrix in Exercise 7.4 is transposed, book has:

Would expect it to be as at the end of the following equation.

See end Exercise 7.4 solution for more detail.

21 Oct 14

Ref Voppe

Updated

24 Oct 14

The formula before eq. (7.26) has the indices a and a' of ρ swapped assuming the Matrix-Column vector

multiplication is defined as usual ie.



216 22 Oct 14

ref Voppe

234

Rap Sheet 3. The book says that the density matrix for the Full composite system of the near-singlet state is not

equal to the square of the density matrix and that the trace of the square is smaller than 1. Should be:

See exercise 7.12 Rap sheet 3 numbers for details.

26 Oct 14

ref Voppe

254

The integral in the middle of the page is missing dx. The formula should be:

5 Nov 14

ref Voppe

276

The first equation looks wrong; probably missing δ underneath. That and the following equation seems an odd

way of expressing the use of the chain rule (p36 Book1) but I doubt once the δ is added that they are actually

wrong. Need to check with someone else on this one; is just me at the moment.

16 Oct 14

261

There is a notation issue on page 261. The operator and the eigenvector notions are mixed up. Therefore

everywhere on the page the formula

should be replaced with

5 Nov 14

ref Voppe

307

Last line of the page (e should be epsilon):

..., say of size e, ...

should be

..., say of size ε, ...

5 Nov 14

ref Voppe

334-

5

Formulas (10.27) and (10.28) for the raising and lowering operators of the harmonic oscillator are missing the

multiplication factors making them inconsistent with the formula at the bottom of P334. Revised versions of

(10.27) and (10.28) are shown below along with an expanded version of the P234 equation to demonstrate the

point.

11 Nov 14

ref Voppe

possible errata for theoretical minimum-quantum mechanics

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