Requirements to pass the unit

To pass this unit, you must achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50% from the following three tasks.

Task 1: Skill development: Problem Solving

In the week 7 SGTA (Monday 7 September, 3pm), you will demonstrate your problem solving skills on the first half material on the Dirac formalism of quantum mechanics. These written questions will be similar to those you have seen in prior SGTA sessions. This assessment is observed, and the use of AI or other computation tools is not permitted.

Task 2: Report on wavefunction physics

Report on analysis of a multi-faceted problem in continuous quantum mechanics, requiring the use of analytical and numerical tools developed throughout the unit. 

On successful completion you will be able to:

• Describe and apply procedures for applying the multi-dimensional Schrödinger equation to explain the physics of systems such as single and multi-electron atoms and other multi-dimensional potentials.
• Write, modify and apply python code to solve and visualise problems involving discrete and continuous 1D and 2D quantum systems.
• This task is AI-open.
• The assignment description will be released by 28 September.

Task 3: End-of-session examination

There will be a 3 hour end-of-session final exam to be held in the University Examination Period.

You should have a scientific calculator for use during the final examination. Note that calculators with text retrieval are not permitted for the final examination.

If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

Late Assessment Submission Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7^th day (including weekends). After the 7^th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience technical concerns. For any late submission of Assessment Task 2, please apply for Special Consideration. For example, if the assignment is worth 8 marks (of the entire unit) and your submission is late by 19 hours (or 23 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds), 0.4 marks (5% of 8 marks) will be deducted. If your submission is late by 24 hours (or 47 hours 59 minutes 59 seconds), 0.8 marks (10% of 8 marks) will be deducted, and so on.

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted 

• Assessment 1- NO, unless Special Consideration is Granted  
• Assessment 2 – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 
• Assessment 3 - NO, unless Special Consideration is Granted 

Special considerations and short extensions

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete any of the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through connect.mq.edu.au.

Short Extensions

Short extensions are accepted for Assessment Task 2 only. For this task, students may request an extra 3 calendar days to complete the task. No reason or evidence is required.

Week 1 classes

Lectures and SGTAs start in week 1. PC labs start in week 2

Methods of communication

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board, the individual dialog link, or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn.

Content

The unit teaches theoretical and numerical quantum mechanics. 

The theoretical content is taught through lecture and one active-learning SGTA each week. Materials for these classes will be posted in iLearn by the week before. You are encouraged to review and attempt the SGTA questions in advance of the class.

The numerical content is taught through active Python laboratories that will run in even-numbered weeks starting in week 2. The material and skills developed in these classes will be important for the home assignment on wave mechanics that is due at the end of week 12.

Succeeding in studying quantum physics

As with all branches of physics, the key to success is practising the skills by actively solving problems. It's important to engage with the lectures, SGTAs and labs to be introduced to the content and see examples of its application. It's also important to spend time reviewing the lecture notes and other materials, and identifying any parts that are confusing or unclear, and asking for help from your instructors. 

But watching lectures and reviewing notes are examples of what we call passive learning - you are watching or reading someone else doing physics. What really makes the material come alive and stick in your head is applying it by doing problems yourself, which is active learning. This includes repeating the examples shown in lectures and attempting the questions we'll see in SGTAs. 

There are plenty of good books and videos on quantum physics that you may also find helpful and interesting, and we've provided some links in the Reading list below. But please, don't let time you devote to reading and videos reduce your focus on the primary task of solving problems yourself. That's the key to understanding the material and doing well in the final exam.

Reading list

The unit content is defined by the lecture notes, both in online videos and the live lectures.

There is no single textbook and the notes provided should be your primary resource, but if you would like to sample other sources, the following books and online materials are all valuable.

Part 1 - Dirac algebra

• J.J. Sakurai and Jim Napolitano, Modern Quantum Mechanics, (Cambridge University Press, 2020)
• David McIntyre, Quantum Mechanics. A paradigms approach, (Cambridge University Press, 2022) 
• David A. B Miller, Quantum mechanics for scientists and engineers, (Cambridge University Press, 2008)
• David Griffiths, Introduction to quantum mechanics, (Cambridge University Press, 1995)

Part 2 - Wave mechanics

• C. J. Foot, Atomic Physics, (Oxford, 2004)
• R. Eisberg and R. Resnick, Quantum physics of atoms, molecules, solids, nuclei, and particles, (Wiley, 1985)

Changes to the unit from last offering

This unit has been significantly revised from the previous version named PHYS2030 - The Structure of Matter. This is to reflect the removal of wave mechanics in S1 2026 from PHYS2010. The first half on the Dirac formulation is unchanged. However, the second half spends more time on elementary wave mechanics and will place less emphasis on advanced topics in atomic physics. Indication will be provided during the session of material from previous exams that can be ignored.

The unit will be taught in two halves, addressing the two most important framings of quantum mechanics.

Part 1: approx weeks 1-6

The first half of the unit introduces the axioms and algebra of the quantum mechanics of discrete systems using the bra-ket formalism introduced by P.A.M. Dirac. This includes the concepts of quantum states, operators, measurement and time evolution with particular focus on two and three dimensional systems, such as the physics of spin-1/2 systems.

Part 2: approx weeks 7-13

The second half covers wave mechanics as formulated by Erwin Schrodinger in early 1926, exactly 100 years ago. This material provides the description of continuous variable quantum mechanics and is applied to important systems such as the particle-in-a-box, the harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom.