Quantum mechanics is a difficult subject. It is not intuitive and no physicist truly understands its implications yet. The mathematics of QM is very difficult, so if you only have a colloquial understanding of the subject, then I would say that a "simpleton" would be completely unable to provide deep new insights into QM. You would need to spend decades of your life understanding its concepts and the math to provide even a small step toward a new insight into the subject.
Some of the best books to learn quantum mechanics include "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by R. Shankar, "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths, and "Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications" by Nouredine Zettili. These books provide a comprehensive introduction to the principles and applications of quantum mechanics at a level suitable for high school seniors.
Superselection rules in quantum mechanics have implications for the observables and states that are allowed in a physical system. These rules restrict the possible states that a system can be in, which can simplify calculations and help in understanding the behavior of quantum systems. By enforcing certain constraints on the system, superselection rules can provide insights into the properties and dynamics of quantum systems.
Some of the best quantum mechanics books for deepening understanding include "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by R. Shankar, "Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications" by Nouredine Zettili, and "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths. These books provide comprehensive coverage of the subject and are highly recommended for advanced study.
Some recommended graduate quantum mechanics textbooks include "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by R. Shankar, "Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications" by Nouredine Zettili, and "Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths.
Some recommended quantum mechanics textbooks for beginners include "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths, "Principles of Quantum Mechanics" by R. Shankar, and "Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications" by Nouredine Zettili.
Principles of Quantum Mechanics was created in 1930.
The retarded Green's function is important in quantum mechanics because it helps describe the propagation of particles and their interactions in a time-dependent manner. It is used to calculate the response of a system to an external perturbation, providing valuable insights into the behavior of quantum systems.
One highly recommended book on quantum mechanics for beginners is "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths.
An eigenstate in quantum mechanics is a state in which a physical system is in a definite, well-defined state with respect to a particular observable quantity, such as position or momentum. In simpler terms, it is a state in which a property of a particle is known with certainty. Eigenstates play a crucial role in quantum mechanics as they provide a way to describe and understand the behavior of particles at the quantum level.
There is no reasonable alternative to quantum mechanics, at least not something that can even compare with the predictive power and experimental accuracy as quantum theory. If you want to make predictions about things happening at small scales you cannot do without quantum mechanics. Also note that certain models which are now considered as possible theories of everything (e.g. string theory) all expand upon quantum mechanics, they do not make quantum mechanics invalid or unnecessary.
Some recommended quantum mechanics books for beginners include "Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum" by Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman, "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" by David J. Griffiths, and "Quantum Physics for Beginners" by Zbigniew Ficek.
The distinction is sometimes made to distinguish normal quantum mechanics (which does not incorporate special relativity) and quantum field theory (relativistic quantum mechanics). Since we know special relativity is correct it is the relativistic form of quantum mechanics which is true, but non-relativistic quantum mechanics is still used, because it is a good approximation at low energies and it is much simpler. Physics students typically study regular quantum mechanics before moving on to quantum field theory.