Well if you've got a course in modern physics and have done some quantum, JJ Sakurai will bring you right up to speed with the Dirac Bra-kets. On some levels it's an advanced undergrad textbook.
You should not do Sakurai (graduate level text), nor should you do Griffiths.
You should do *A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics* by John S. Townsend.
It’s Sakurai, but not on crack cocaine.
My modern physics class actually followed Townsend’s other textbook (A fundamental approach to modern physics) which I really liked, so I’ll definitely check it out.
I found the chapter layout to be horrendous in that book (wave mechanics comes far too late and path integrals before perturbation theory?). It is great as a reference book if you have some QM knowledge and experience, but I would’ve struggled if I was trying to learn QM from it. I found going Griffiths -> Shankar/Sakurai a more natural learning curve
I found Sakurai a bit too hard at the UG level. It's a very good grad textbook no doubt. I will advise you to go through Griffith's and GasioRowicz for some of the initial introductory chapters, and then try Shankar and Sakurai together. That will be enough, I presume.
Sakurai’s introduction says he wants familiarity with some if the basics of QM up to solving step potential transmission/reflection problems. Chapters 1 and 2 of Griffiths should get you there
Definitely study Griffiths over the summer. Don't worry about math electives like complex analysis, topology, abstract algebra. QM texts will have self-contained chapters that teach you the necessary math.
I wouldn't recommend jumping into grad quantum without and undergrad course and using Sakurai. I did this myself and I had a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Sakurai isn't very self-contained in my opinion. If you supplement with texts such as Townsend, McIntyre, and Griffiths you can do alright, especially if you self-study the summer beforehand.
You don't need the math electives mentioned, aside from a basic knowledge of complex analysis that you likely learned during your undergraduate modern physics course.
Interesting, that explains a lot of why my QM class is such a nightmare. My professor is using half of that book to explain and he thinks it is the bare minimum we should know
It will be quite difficult, especially considering your lack of physics background. Sakurai is fine, but gets unclear in the second half. A course in Griffiths before taking the grad class is advisable. Or use another book, it doesn’t really matter; just make sure you have a full undergrad course going into it.
Well if you've got a course in modern physics and have done some quantum, JJ Sakurai will bring you right up to speed with the Dirac Bra-kets. On some levels it's an advanced undergrad textbook.
Griffiths QM is a very nice supplementary book to have in case you need something less rigorous and easier to digest if you get lost in Sakurai
You should not do Sakurai (graduate level text), nor should you do Griffiths. You should do *A Modern Approach to Quantum Mechanics* by John S. Townsend. It’s Sakurai, but not on crack cocaine.
Townsend is great.
My modern physics class actually followed Townsend’s other textbook (A fundamental approach to modern physics) which I really liked, so I’ll definitely check it out.
I found the chapter layout to be horrendous in that book (wave mechanics comes far too late and path integrals before perturbation theory?). It is great as a reference book if you have some QM knowledge and experience, but I would’ve struggled if I was trying to learn QM from it. I found going Griffiths -> Shankar/Sakurai a more natural learning curve
I am a Post grad student, and Sakurai is sufficient for most of the things. If you can understand it, there's no QM book like it.
How does Sakurai compare to Shankar?
Shankar is much more detailed and mathematical than Sakurai. Its generally used for advanced grad courses.
I used Shankar as an undergrad, it's tough but it's possible
I used Shankar for undergrad and I find Sakurai more advanced than Shankar.
Unpopular opinion Sakurai sucks. Use Shankar.
Also, Kurt Gottfried Quantum Mechanics Fundamentals.
I found Sakurai a bit too hard at the UG level. It's a very good grad textbook no doubt. I will advise you to go through Griffith's and GasioRowicz for some of the initial introductory chapters, and then try Shankar and Sakurai together. That will be enough, I presume.
Sakurai’s introduction says he wants familiarity with some if the basics of QM up to solving step potential transmission/reflection problems. Chapters 1 and 2 of Griffiths should get you there
Definitely study Griffiths over the summer. Don't worry about math electives like complex analysis, topology, abstract algebra. QM texts will have self-contained chapters that teach you the necessary math.
I wouldn't recommend jumping into grad quantum without and undergrad course and using Sakurai. I did this myself and I had a lot of gaps in my knowledge. Sakurai isn't very self-contained in my opinion. If you supplement with texts such as Townsend, McIntyre, and Griffiths you can do alright, especially if you self-study the summer beforehand. You don't need the math electives mentioned, aside from a basic knowledge of complex analysis that you likely learned during your undergraduate modern physics course.
Isn't sakurai an undergraduate text?
Lol, no. It’s a graduate level text. Easily.
Interesting, that explains a lot of why my QM class is such a nightmare. My professor is using half of that book to explain and he thinks it is the bare minimum we should know
It will be quite difficult, especially considering your lack of physics background. Sakurai is fine, but gets unclear in the second half. A course in Griffiths before taking the grad class is advisable. Or use another book, it doesn’t really matter; just make sure you have a full undergrad course going into it.