Physics III (a) - MC260P06
Title: Fyzika III (a)
Czech title: Fyzika III (a)
Form of teaching: lecture+practicals
Guaranteed by: Faculty of Matematics and Physics, CU (31-MFF)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2016
Duration in semesters: 1
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 4
Examination process: summer s.:
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/1, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Maximum number of enrolled students: unlimited
Min. number of students: unlimited
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: Czech
Explanation: Kód MFF FOE004, rozvrhovat 3/0 bez cvičení
Note: enabled for web enrollment
Guarantor: RNDr. Vojtěch Kapsa, CSc.
Is pre-requisite for: MC260C11
Opinion survey results   
Annotation -
An introduction to quantum mechanics (QM) for students of chemistry. Physical principles of QM and its typical applications. Characteristic features of microscopic systems: the quantization of energy and the other observables, the wave charakter of particles, the uncertainty principle, the importance of the measurement. The selected topics: the description of quantum states, the operator treatment of physical observables, Schrödinger equation, the elementary introduction to QM of many-partical systems, the QM-clarification of the chemical bond. The relation of QM to classical mechanics.
Last update: ZUSKOVA (29.01.2003)
Literature -
  • L. Skála, Úvod do kvantové mechaniky, Karolinum, Praha 2011
  • J. Zamastil, J. Benda, Kvantová mechanika a elektrodynamika, Karolinum, Praha 2016
  • G. Auletta, M. Fortunato, G. Parisi, Quantum mechanics, Cambridge university press, Cambridge 2009
Last update: Kapsa Vojtěch, RNDr., CSc. (30.08.2026)
Course assessment methods and requirements for successful completion, grading scheme -
The exam is oral. The requirements correspond to the course syllabus within the scope presented during the lectures.
Last update: Kapsa Vojtěch, RNDr., CSc. (30.08.2026)
Syllabus -
  1. Fundamental principles of quantum mechanics, probability and probability amplitudes. Mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. The Stern–Gerlach experiment.
  2. Representation of physical observables by Hermitian operators. Time evolution in quantum mechanics and the evolution operator. Time-dependent and time-independent Schrödinger equations. Stationary states.
  3. Expectation values of operators and measurement of physical observables. The Heisenberg and Schrödinger pictures. Canonical quantization, position and momentum operators, and the relation between classical and quantum mechanics.
  4. The one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, annihilation and creation operators. Position and momentum representations. Wave packets. Heisenberg uncertainty relations.
  5. Simple solutions of the Schrödinger equation – free particle, particle in a potential well, and potential barrier.
  6. Angular momentum operator and central potentials. Spherical harmonics. The hydrogen atom, discrete and continuum solutions, and energy levels. Polar plots.
  7. Many-particle systems. The free-electron molecular orbital (FEMO) method. The principle of indistinguishability of identical particles and the Pauli exclusion principle.
  8. Approximation methods in quantum mechanics. Variational and perturbation methods.
Last update: Kapsa Vojtěch, RNDr., CSc. (30.08.2026)
The course does not include work placement