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Mithuna Yoganathan Aug 8, 2019 4 min read

How to learn quantum mechanics on your own

Updated: Aug 9, 2019

This blog post accompanies my video on this topic https://youtu.be/Rs572Cf4zkk. This post
will contain more information, and I'll keep it updated with answers to FAQs.

This is a pretty serious, and undoubtedly long term project. In fact, I recommend doing it at
the pace of a few hours a week rather than all at once to help retain it. I'll be adding study
tips here as more people tell me about how they'd like to do this project, so let me know!

Feynman Lectures on Physics, volume 3

http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/
Essential chapters: Chapter 1-12 (besides chapter 4 which is optional)

I strongly recommend getting "Exercises for the Feynman Lectures on Physics" as well, and
doing the problems. It's available online for fairly cheap (less than $20 USD).

Introduction to Linear Algebra by Gilbert Strang

(NOT Applications of Linear Algebra by Gilbert Strang)
Essential chapters: my recommendation here depends on your background. If you're familiar
with linear algebra but you need some brushing up, or you've watched my videos, I'd
recommend the following order:
Chapter 1 Introduction to Vectors + Chapter 3.1 Spaces of Vectors
(https://youtu.be/3ZfrJ0Sk5iY)
Chapter 8 Linear Transformations (https://youtu.be/CBIO4xJ1Cok and
https://youtu.be/ESKcF8XFzLM)
Chapter 6 Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
Chapter 9 Complex Vectors and Matrices
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If you're unfamiliar with linear algebra, I'd recommend doing a lot more of the introductory
chapters, like chapter 2 as well as the above, and doing them in the order they appear in the
text. It might also help to get some general intuition for Linear Algebra, for example from
3Blue1Brown's linear algebra videos (but make sure you do problem sets too!):
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZHQObOWTQDPD3MizzM2xVFitgF8hE_ab

Solutions to the problem sets: http://math.mit.edu/~gs/linearalgebra/

Video lectures by the author: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/mathematics/18-06-linear-algebra-
spring-2010/ The videos don't cover everything you need, and they don't come with
problem sheets- though they do have past exams.

This book have at least 5 editions, and the ones I've checked seem to cover the above
material so get a second hand copy of any of them.

Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman
(note, there are other 'theoretical minimum' books)
This book is priced like a novel (at least the penguin paperback version is) and, at least in
Europe, seems to be widely available in book stores. The lectures this book is based on are
here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL701CD168D02FF56F

The big draw back of this book is that it doesn't have problem sets. I don't think it's easy to
absorb this material without them, so that's why I also recommend the following book.

A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics by Townsend

This book goes a bit further than you might need, so below are the essential chapters, along
with how these chapters match up with those in The Theoretical Minimum
Chapter 1 (Chapter 1 TTM)
Chapter 2&3 (Chapter 2&3 TTM)
Chapter 4 (Chapter 4&5 TTM, but uncertainty stuff was partially covered in Chapter 3 of
Townsend)
Chapter 5 (Chapter 6&7 TTM)
Chapter 6 (Chapter 7&8 TTM)
Chapter 7 (Chapter 10 TTM)

This book is not cheap new. You could try and find a secondhand copy. Otherwise, see if
your local library has it or is willing to get it. Another thing that might work is that many
universities allow visitors to use books (but not borrow them). (There's also the option of
searching for 'the book's name + pdf' if you want to do that, but I'm not necessarily
endorsing it.)

Advanced topics!
This section is for after you've covered (a fair bit) of the above, or if you've learnt QM before.
I'm much much less sure about these recommendations, because when it comes to
advanced topics there's much more room for personal preference Also these books are
advanced topics there s much more room for personal preference. Also, these books are
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more expensive and harder to find so I've given you some free links which you can read
instead/before you get the book. Still, I'll give you some of my favourite ones.

Quantum Computing
The one classic text for this is by Nielsen and Chuang. However, if you just want an overview,
you might be better off with lecture notes that are available online, for example Mermin's
excellent notes: http://www.lassp.cornell.edu/mermin/qcomp/CS483.html

Quantum Complexity Theory

This is quantum computing for a computer science perspective. Scott Aaronson has a great
book on it, based on these lecture notes: https://www.scottaaronson.com/democritus/

Quantum Foundations
Decoherence and the quantum to classical transition by Schlosshauer is a wonderful book
that helps explain why the world seems classical when it's actually quantum. He makes an
excellent case for the Many Worlds interpretation along the way. It does get quite technical
though, and a lot of the value is toward the beginning. So I think this article by the author
covers a lot of the most salient points: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-ph/0312059.pdf

Sneaking a look at God's cards by Ghirardi is one of my favourites and really put me onto
foundations. It has an excellent discussion of the EPR paradox and hidden variables. Another
good resource is Mermin's article on Bell's inequalities:
https://cp3.irmp.ucl.ac.be/~maltoni/PHY1222/mermin_moon.pdf

Emergent multiverse is philosophy and physics legend David Wallace's defence of the Many
Worlds interpretation of QM. A beautiful book, but it's dense in philosophy and physics so
it's not a light read. Perhaps this will give the flavour of it: https://arxiv.org/pdf/quant-
ph/0103092.pdf

Quantum Field Theory

An interpretive introduction to quantum field theory by Teller is nothing like any normal QFT
textbook. Instead of all being mathematics, he spends a lot of time on what it means.

Quantum Chemistry/ computational chemistry

I've recently been reading about this because this is expected to be an area that quantum
computing will really help with. I don't know anywhere near enough to recommend a
textbook, but here's a nice review article: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1812.09976.pdf

I think it really helps to discuss problem sets with other people when you're stuck and to help
explain things (kindly!) to others when they're confused, so here's a reddit where you can
post your questions: https://old.reddit.com/r/Looking_glass_u/

Leave any comments either here or on the video about any concerns or corrections you
have!
24,123 views
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tmsommers2 Aug 9, 2019

“Anybody who’s not bothered by Bell’s theorem has to have rocks in his head.” from
Mermin's article is one of my favorite physics quotes.

annafortunka Aug 9, 2019

Thank you so much for your great work! <3

I really think solving problems is essential for learning so, I could use some help here. I have
"Exercises for the Feynman Lectures on Physics" on my shelf but from what I can remember
(have't looked it up in many years) there are too many exercises and I never know which are
crucial or which are repetitive... any tips on how to tackle them? Pick at random? xd
Any other worthwhile sources with problems to solve?

10

jabberwock99 Aug 9, 2019

Great list, thank you Mithuna. For Leonard Susskind’s Theoetical Minimum, his Stanford
University YouTube playlist is great, link is here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL701CD168D02FF56F.

Be warned each lecture is about an hour and a half and there are 10 lectures but they are
worth every minute. I really like his slow but deep style. And he has lectures on quantum
too.

praymond320 Aug 9, 2019

 p y g

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Hi Mithuna,

Thank you for sharing this.

You know, im just a regular guy selling 3D CAD software in Montréal,

a guy who dream of the space, science and physics on a daily basis..
I understand most concept of physics and astronomy, but i couldn't read the language(math)
and didnt know where to start. i was stuck. so I've been redoing/practicing basic Math for
the past 2 years on the MIT OpenCourseWare. (calculus/algebra and stuff...) because i felt i
was an illiterate amateur physicist.

and now, i know my math.. and you just gave me a clear path to knowledge. I'm no longer
confuse and i know where i am and where im going. We could say that in physics term,
you've made my wave functions collapse! and i thank you for that.

Also, finally i think you're beautiful, keep it up, your content on Youtube is excellent!

P.S: This is a really nice font! seriously what is it ?

rhm_89 Aug 9, 2019

If one is interested in various interpretations of Quantum Mechanics and what they mean
concerning physical reality and foundational issues here's a few books I recommend.

Travis Norsen, Foundations of Quantum Mechanics: An Exploration of the Physical Meaning

of Quantum Theory (Undergraduate Lecture Notes in Physics).

Travis himself recommended to me it and though are lecture notes meant for
undergraduates he writes in a very clear and concise way with questions at the end of each
chapter and critiques the various Interpretations.

Jean Bricmont Quantum Sense and Nonsense.

Also Jean Bricmont, Making Sense of Quantum Mechanics.

The first book of Bricmont's is basically a simpler version of the 2nd. However there are
differences between them that make both worth exploring. Very similar to Travis' book
except he does say which he prefers and defends why.

Tim Maudlin, Quantum Non-locality and Relativity. If you're interested in the Bell-Aspect
experiments and the issues between Relativity and Quantum Theory this is a must buy.

Peter J. Lewis, Quantum Ontology: A Guide to the Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics.

This book is not a Quantum Mechanics introductory book. It does assume some knowledge.
H i i d d i i' h i li
However it is a very easy read and gets into as it's name suggests metaphysical issues
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involved in various Interpretations.

Nick Herbert, Quantum Reality: Beyond the new physics.

Though a bit more aged this goes through a lot of Interpretations of quantum mechanics so
is very invaluable. It's easy to read and has sections that make it easier.

Throw in 2 more miscellaneous recommendations.

David Albert, After Physics.

Goes through various interesting essays including foundational issues concerning Quantum
Physics, quantum mechanical nonseparability and relativity, Many-worlds and probability,
etc.

Adam Becker, What is real? The unfinished quest for the meaning of quantum physics.

This is a very simple history concerning various Interpretations and why the Copenhagen
Interpretation became the orthodox interpretation as opposed to realistic theories like
Bohm, GRW and Many-worlds.

valbu Aug 9, 2019

Welcome to a YouTube channel called “Tips for idiots who believe any nonsense” from a
person who was not able to learn #physics. It's not a thumb up or a thumb down - it’s just
laughable (YouTube needs this symbol!)
So desperate to attract any attention! That’s not a bad thing, per se. But you have to be
SMART! There are professionals who can call your BS. Talking about books you have not
even read (or were not able to understand) - is so … transparent? “I want people to notice
me. What’s that something that makes people feel - something? Quantum! That’s the word!
No one knows what it is! I will talk about “quantum”!” OK, but learn first what it is about.

tmsommers2 Aug 9, 2019

@annafortunka

There are lots of books with physics problems. Search for them on Amazon.
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stuartsharp1970 Aug 9, 2019

Perfect timing Mithuna! I Googled "How to learn QM" this week and found numerous
recommendations, none of which were as well structured and succinct as yours. My Amazon
wish list just took a hit! Thank you - for the blog and video, not for adding to the wish list.

tim.preece.in.oz Aug 14, 2019

Since chemical reaction seem to involve huge numbers of electrons, I would be curious to
know how many logical qubits will be required to do calculations.

Would love to understand quantum computing in more depth.

suytri33 Aug 16, 2019

Hi Mithuna,

Thanks for this amazing article and the youtube video, It really helped me get things started.

I would really appreciate if you could write a similar article about learning quantum
computing.

jabberwock99 Aug 16, 2019

@suytri33: I found an excellent list of resources for Quantum Computing at the NCSU
website:

https://arcb.csc.ncsu.edu/~mueller/qc/qc-tut/learning-quantum/

NCSU is home to an IBM Q computer, donated by IBM for research purposes. Wow! I live in
the area so I hope to see it live one day soon :-) I also signed up with IBM Quantum
Computing account and played with IBM’s live QCs (It’s free).
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In particular I found the lectures and videos by Dr Umesh Vazirani of UC Berkeley to be

excellent and the right pace and depth for me, and also the video series by Michael Nielsen,
and the pdf download textbook by Michael Loceff and his accompanying YouTube playlist at

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMnoxczUtKqWpKZTwpRBHrif_y-xENTfx

The Michael Loceff PDF textbook is long (700+ pages) but takes you by the hand through
every step with exercises included.

I am sure Mithuna will have much more comprehensive suggestions.

Best wishes.

suytri33 Aug 16, 2019

@jabberwock99

Thank you very much for the suggestions!

pcastaneda Aug 17, 2019

Thank you!

ahmetkaanonay Aug 18, 2019

This comment copy paste from I made comment about the video
“How to learn Quantum Mechanics on your own (a self-study guide)”

Your claim is possibility of learning QM. Wrong, don't mislead people...!

There no such thing as explanation of QM or its nature; other than an unknown behavior of
particle. That unknown behavior is QM but it is not known it is just observation. That’s why
you claim is false. QM learning is simply learning those observation results. You cannot tell
why and how QM is happening.

Also I don’t know the other authors and there are many but Feynman is a charlatan. If you
Also I don t know the other authors and there are many but Feynman is a charlatan. If you
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QM. You can be a worker as technicians without understanding QM and what kind of
technique is. Probably you would die not knowing QM even living and earning your life in it
or with it.

This is not a surprise with the perfective of Feynman because he is telling the QM structure
as “QM or double slit experiment cannot be solved in classical explanation”. This is the
same telling that “humanity is and was stupid and will be stupid in the future”. Feynman is
this much clever man; a proof of his own stupidity.

There are two people like this, first one is actually not Feynman he is Bertrand Russell second
one is Feynman. Look at Russell’s paradox it is another terrible claim and it is wrong it makes
people wrong things with practicality. You’ll see the same stupidity in it. To understand QM
as unknown and impossible to understand is same practicality. But Russell paradox is a
modern mathematic ground. Modern mathematic shaped with this horrible wheeling and
dealing and same trick used in QM.

Imagine one of them preparing a ground and the other one is closing that ground as a ball
and they are playing with humanity while making them stupid.

Russell giving t you a false language and with that false language, you are not able to think
as regular human.

I have a solution about double slit experiment but it is actually based on the different
understanding of particle structure. It is simply a particle core is together with its own
emptiness or with its space. To understand QM or to solve double slit experiment or just to
understand what zero is, not a dream. Also there is explanation of gravity is in my videos; all
of them based on new understanding of particle structure.

If you watch it you’ll see there is an explanation about the experiment and the same
explanation is also covering experiment’s side results. I didn’t make a new and better video
because actually the problem is in the modern brains, shaped with Russell paradox which is
not and Feynman’s false quote.

Richard Feynman called the double slit experiment “a phenomenon which is impossible …
to explain in any classical way, and which has in it the heart of quantum mechanics.

First I must overcome Russell fault then Feynman is very simple.

https://studio.youtube.com/video/IQpyA90noGs/edit?
utm_campaign=upgrade&utm_medium=redirect&utm_source=%2Fmy_videos

claudio.hartzstein Aug 18, 2019

Did you consider the book by Cohen Tannoudji?

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sniper.wolv Aug 21, 2019

I'm working my way through Sakurai at the moment and knowing that problems are
important I've been trying to do them all. But to do every problem would take a really long
time, and by the time I've fiddled with bra-ket notation for the first ten or so problems, I feel
like I understand it pretty well. So how do you pick which problems to do and which to skip?

thotto.reg Aug 25, 2019

I had a similar experience as Mithuna after my 3rd year in Physics: I had passed the quantum
mechanics course but not understood a lot. In the following summer holidays I put a few
weeks aside and I studies the classic text by Landau and Lifschitz, Quantum mechanics, until
chapter 10, on atoms.
The book starts with a description of the uncertainty principle and then introduces the
mathematical form of QM - complex wave functions of which only the absolute value has a
"meaning" as the probability of finding the physical system in the quantum state described
by the wave function. This was a different vantage point that the other text books our prof
had recommended or I had found, and it made it for me. Sinc then, I always had the feeling
to have a somewhat intuitive feeling for QM.
What we weren' taught at the time, because it hadn't yet gained such a momentum (I speak
of the 80's of last century) are the modern developments of quantum information,
decoherence, correlated states. If someone can recommend one or two good books on
these subjects, I am a taker.

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