I just read "Quantum Mechanics for Dummies" and I still don't understand it...?

Question

Is there a "Quantum Mechanics for the Completely Inept"? Or maybe a "Quantum Mechanics for Children 12 and Under"?

Answer 1

Do not feel bad.  Richard Feynman the Noble prize winning physicist implied he never understood it, but it does work.  He said this in his book, "Surely You Must Be Kidding Mr Feynman".  The way he worded it was that his students were always coming to him and saying they didn't understand it and he replied, "Of course you can't, I can"t".  He was kinda saying that he, being at the top of his field and couldn't understand it, then any lesser student surely couldn't understand it.

Many scientists feel that this is an indication that a broader more complete theory needs to be found.

I contacted my physics professor a long time after I got out of college and he sent me a CD with a series of lectures he had been presenting.  In the very beginning of the lessons, actually it was before the lessons, he offered this advice, "Do not try to use your intuition to understand quantum mechanics, it defies intuition.  Learn the math and the problem solving techniques."  Something to that effect anyways.

People are working hard to solve this problem because as Einstein said, "Science should always be easy to understand, the principles should be explanable to a child".

I just finished a book by David Bodanis titled, "The Electric Universe"  and it at least explained how we got there so that part was cleared up.

Lee Smolin's book, "The Trouble With Physics" is also insightful as to how quantum mechanics might have been a wrong turn for physics in the long haul.  Quantum mechanics has allowed problems to be solved and has helpe computer designs etc.  But when you continue on to where it leads you (string theory for instance), it lets you down

Answer 2

Not really.  You're asking for 'advanced physics class you don't take until your third year as a college physics major for people who haven't had basic high school math'.  Brian Greene does a decent job in his book 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' but other than that, you're just going to have to catch up on your math skills if you want to have more than a passing familiarity with the subject.

Answer 3

It's the tools you need to make it work

A wave function wrench

A spectra strobe light

An uncertainty timer

I just cannot find these tools at my nearest Kragen