The Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory

The contributions of few contemporary scientists have been as far reaching in their effects as those of Nobel Laureate Werner Heisenberg. His matrix theory is one of the bases of modern quantum mechanics, while his "uncertainty principle" has altered our whole philosophy of science.In this classic, based on lectures delivered at the University of Chicago, Heisenberg presents a complete physical picture of quantum theory. He covers not only his own contributions, but also those of Bohr, Dirac, Bose, de Broglie, Fermi, Einstein, Pauli, Schrodinger, Somerfield, Rupp, ·Wilson, Germer, and others in a text written for the physical scientist who is not a specialist in quantum theory or in modern mathematics.Partial contents: introduction (theory and experiment, fundamental concepts); critique of physical concepts of the corpuscular theory (uncertainty relations and their illustration); critique of the physical concepts of the wave theory (uncertainty relations for waves, discussion of an actual measurement of the electromagnetic field); statistical interpretation of quantum theory (mathematical considerations, interference of probabilities, Bohr's complementarity); discussion of important experiments (C. T. R. Wilson, diffraction , Einstein-Rupp, emission, absorption and dispersion of radiation, interference and conservation laws, Compton effect, radiation fluctuation phenomena, relativistic formulation of the quantum theory).An 80-page appendix on the mathematical apparatus of the quantum theory is provided for the specialist.

I. INTRODUCTORY 1. Theory and Experiment 2. The Fundamental Concepts of Quantum Theory a) Wilson Photographs b) "Diffraction of Matter Waves (Davisson and Germer, Thomson, Rupp)" c) The Diffraction of X-Rays d) The Compton-Simon Experiment e) The Collision Experiments of Franck and HertzII. CRITIQUE OF THE PHYSICAL CONCEPTS OF THE CORPUSCULAR THEORY 1. The Uncertainty Relations 2. Illustrations of the Uncertainty Relations a) Determination of the Position of a Free Particle b) Measurement of the Velocity or Momentum of a Free Particle c) Bound Electrons d) Energy MeasurementsIII. CRITIQUE OF THE PHYSICAL CONCEPTS OF THE WAVE THEORY 1. The Uncertainty Relations for Waves 2. Discussion of an Actual Measurement of the Electromagnetic FieldIV. THE STATISTICAL INTERPRETATION OF QUANTUM THEORY 1. Mathematical Considerations 2. Interference of Probabilities 3. Bohr's Concept of ComplementarityV. DISCUSSION OF IMPORTANT EXPERIMENTS 1. The C. T. R. Wilson Experiments 2. Diffraction Experiments 3. The Experiment of Einstein and Rupp 4. "Emission, Absorption, and Dispersion of Radiation" a) Application of the Conservation Laws b) Correspondence Principle and the Method of Virtual Charges c) The Complete Treatment of Radiation and Matter 5. Interference and the Conservation Laws 6. The Compton Effect and the Compton-Simon Experiment 7. Radiation Fluctuation Phenomena 8. Relativistic Formulation of the Quantum Theory APPENDIX: THE MATHEMATICAL APPARATUS OF THE QUANTUM THEORY 1. The Corpuscular Concept of Matter 2. The Transformation Theory 3. The Schr?dinger Equation 4. The Perturbation Method 5. Resonance between Two Atoms: the Physical Interpretation of the Transformation Matrices 6. The Corpuscular Concept for Radiation 7. Quantum Statistics 8. The Wave Concept for Matter and Radiation: Classical Theory 9. Quantum Theory of Wave Fields 10. Application to Waves of Negative Charge 11. Proof of the Mathematical Equivalence of the Quantum Theory of Particles and of Waves 12. Application to the Theory of Radiation INDEX