Meaning of Quantum Theory: A Guide for Students of Chemistry and Physics Book

1	How quantum theory was discovered	1
1.1	An act of desperation	1
1.2	Gathering the evidence	10
1.3	Wave-particle duality	15
1.4	Wave mechanics	19
1.5	Matrix mechanics and the uncertainty principle	29
1.6	Relativity and spin	34
2	Putting it into practice	38
2.1	Operators in quantum mechanics	38
2.2	The postulates of quantum mechanics	42
2.3	State vectors in Hilbert space	48
2.4	The Pauli principle	55
2.5	The polarization properties of photons	60
2.6	Quantum measurement	67
3	What does it mean?	75
3.1	Positivism	75
3.2	The Copenhagen interpretation	81
3.3	The Bohr-Einstein debate	88
3.4	Is quantum mechanics complete?	97
3.5	Hidden variables	106
4	Putting it to the test	117
4.1	Bohm's version of the EPR experiment	117
4.2	Quantum theory and local reality	125
4.3	Bell's theorem	131
4.4	The Aspect experiments	139
4.5	Delayed-choice experiments	150
4.6	Retrospective	156
5	What are the alternatives?	159
5.1	Pilot waves, potentials and propensities	159
5.2	An irreversible act	171
5.3	The conscious observer	185
5.4	The 'many-worlds' interpretation	194
5.5	The hand of God?	201
	Closing remarks	210
	Appendix A: Planck's derivation of the radiation law	212
	Appendix B: Bell's inequality for non-ideal cases	214
	Bibliography	218
	Name index	223
	Subject index	225