Overview

Offering a detailed account of the key concepts and mathematical apparatus of quantum mechanics, this textbook is an ideal companion to both undergraduate and graduate courses. The formal and practical aspects of the subject are explained clearly alongside examples of modern applications, providing students with the tools required to thoroughly understand the theory and apply it. The authors provide an intuitive conceptual framework that is grounded in a coherent physical explanation of quantum phenomena, established over decades of teaching and research in quantum mechanics and its foundations. The book's educational value is enhanced by the inclusion of examples and exercises, with solutions available online, and an extensive bibliography is provided. Notes throughout the text provide fascinating context on the tumultuous history of quantum mechanics, the people that developed it, and the questions that still remain at its center. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

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9781009679626

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Reviews

‘This text provides a comprehensive study of quantum mechanics that any physics student can follow. It presents the essential material and clearly explains the underlying physics. Quantum mechanics will ultimately determine the course of technology and shape our efforts to find a fundamental physical theory. This book is an excellent resource for scientists and graduate and undergraduate students in physics and related fields who want to delve into the subject.’ Tonatiuh Matos, Cinvestav ‘Ana María Cetto and Luis de la Peña are among the foremost physicists in the foundations of quantum theory. Their decades of research have established a natural bridge between classical and quantum physics, offering a deeper causal picture of quantum phenomena. Quantum Mechanics: A Physical Approach distills this unique perspective into a comprehensive and pedagogical textbook for students. The book begins with the historical rupture brought by Planck and Einstein, guiding readers through the development of wave mechanics, matrix mechanics, and the Schrödinger formalism. Alongside the standard curriculum, it integrates foundational insights such as the role of the zero-point field and stochastic approaches to quantum behavior. By combining clarity, historical context, and physical intuition, the book helps students see the quantum world not as ‘weird,’ but as a coherent part of the physical world.’ Andrei Khrennikov, Linnaeus University

Author Information

Ana María Cetto is a Full Professor at the Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Specializing in the foundations of quantum physics, she has authored or co-authored 150 research papers and 25 books. Her awards and recognitions include Mexico's Woman of the Year in 2003, the UNESCO Kalinga Prize in 2023, the Oganesson Prize in 2024, and the AIP Tate Medal in 2025. Cetto was a co-recipient of the Pugwash Nobel Peace in 1995 and the IAEA Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. Luis de la Peña holds the title of Professor Emeritus at the Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Specializing in the foundations of quantum theory and stochastic processes, he has authored or co-authored more than 160 research papers and 10 books. His books include Introducción a la Mecánica Cuántica (1979), The Quantum Dice (1996), and The Emerging Quantum (2016). He was awarded the National Science Prize (Mexico) in 2002.

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