Quantum Mechanics for Everyone

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Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Berkeley, are just some of the schools that you have at your fingertips with edX. Through massive open online courses (MOOCs) from the world's best universities, you can develop your knowledge in literature, math, history, food and nutrition, and more. These online classes are taught by highly-regarded experts in the field. If you take a class on computer science through Harvard, you may be taught by David J. Malan, a senior lecturer on computer science at Harvard University for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. But there's not just one professor - you have access to the entire teaching staff, allowing you to receive feedback on assignments straight from the experts. Pursue a Verified Certificate to document your achievements and use your coursework for job and school applications, promotions, and more. EdX also works with top universities to conduct research, allowing them to learn more about learning. Using their findings, edX is able to provide students with the best and most effective courses, constantly enhancing the student experience.

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24171 reviews

Course Description

Quantum Mechanics for Everyone is a four-week long MOOC that teaches the basic ideas of quantum mechanics with a method that requires no complicated math beyond taking square roots (and you can use a calculator for that). Quantum theory is taught without “dumbing down” any of the material, giving you the same version experts use in current research. We will cover the quantum mystery of the two-slit experiment and advanced topics that include how to see something without shining light on it (quantum seeing in the dark) and bunching effects of photons (Hong-Ou-Mandel effect).

To get a flavor for the course and see if it is right for you, watch "Let's get small", which shows you how poorly you were taught what an atom looks like, and "The fallacy of physics phobia." 

Please note: the four sections of this course will be released on a weekly basis from April 18, 2017 to May 9, 2017, when all the course material will be availab...

Quantum Mechanics for Everyone is a four-week long MOOC that teaches the basic ideas of quantum mechanics with a method that requires no complicated math beyond taking square roots (and you can use a calculator for that). Quantum theory is taught without “dumbing down” any of the material, giving you the same version experts use in current research. We will cover the quantum mystery of the two-slit experiment and advanced topics that include how to see something without shining light on it (quantum seeing in the dark) and bunching effects of photons (Hong-Ou-Mandel effect).

To get a flavor for the course and see if it is right for you, watch "Let's get small", which shows you how poorly you were taught what an atom looks like, and "The fallacy of physics phobia." 

Please note: the four sections of this course will be released on a weekly basis from April 18, 2017 to May 9, 2017, when all the course material will be available and the course will become fully self-paced.

 
Reviews 10/10 stars
100 Reviews for Quantum Mechanics for Everyone

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Rankings are based on a provider's overall CourseTalk score, which takes into account both average rating and number of ratings. Stars round to the nearest half.

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Bill Courtney profile image
Bill Courtney profile image

Bill Courtney

10/10 starsCompleted
3 years, 6 months ago
An outstanding course. The instructor guaranteed that there would be no lies about QM, that there would be no over-simplifications, and he lived up to that guarantee. This course is not the usual mathematical, bra-ket approach. Instead, it takes a physical approach. Magnetic and light phenomena are discussed, mostly in the context of the two-slit experiment. The math content is not at all difficult yet it employs the Feynman approach of looking at all the ways that an outcome can occur and then combining them coherently, squaring the length, and getting a probability for the event. The subtleties of how the presence/absence/partial presence of which-way info affects the analysis of outcomes and probabilities is treated in an accurate yet intuitive way. The course clearly explains quite sophisticated QM phenomena while still using elementary ideas. A remarkable feat!
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Paul Ruffell profile image
Paul Ruffell profile image

Paul Ruffell

10/10 starsCompleted
2 weeks ago
I have to say that entered this class with a great deal of trepidation. Being of an age when all of High School physics were based on classical principles, I only had a fleeting (and frankly, wrong) exposure to Quantum Mechanics. Working in as an engineer for more than forty years meant that most things I dealt with could be explained in terms of Newtonian physics and thermodynamics! When I entered retirement, I was determined to continue to exercise my brain and this was my first foray into online courses. And this was certainly a lot of exercise! I found that I had to often read, re-read and then stop and read later some of the topics, because I didn't "get it" first time through. The tutorials were fantastic for understanding, because they could be run several times, results predicted and run again. I also enjoyed the comments of my fellow course mates. They don't realise it but, like my trip through University, I learned a ... I have to say that entered this class with a great deal of trepidation. Being of an age when all of High School physics were based on classical principles, I only had a fleeting (and frankly, wrong) exposure to Quantum Mechanics. Working in as an engineer for more than forty years meant that most things I dealt with could be explained in terms of Newtonian physics and thermodynamics! When I entered retirement, I was determined to continue to exercise my brain and this was my first foray into online courses. And this was certainly a lot of exercise! I found that I had to often read, re-read and then stop and read later some of the topics, because I didn't "get it" first time through. The tutorials were fantastic for understanding, because they could be run several times, results predicted and run again. I also enjoyed the comments of my fellow course mates. They don't realise it but, like my trip through University, I learned a lot from their questions and the subsequent answers. I have taken nearly six weeks to complete the course, doing parts of modules as my brain permitted. I have the luxury of time, so I am using it. Overall, I understand the Quantum world a lot better than I did when I started. I can't say that I understood everything that I was taught, but some of the more mysterious aspects of the Quantum World fill me with awe. Thanks
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Paul Ruffell profile image
Paul Ruffell profile image

Paul Ruffell

10/10 starsCompleted
2 weeks ago
I have to say that entered this class with a great deal of trepidation. Being of an age when all of High School physics were based on classical principles, I only had a fleeting (and frankly, wrong) exposure to Quantum Mechanics. Working in as an engineer for more than forty years meant that most things I dealt with could be explained in terms of Newtonian physics and thermodynamics! When I entered retirement, I was determined to continue to exercise my brain and this was my first foray into online courses. And this was certainly a lot of exercise! I found that I had to often read, re-read and then stop and read later some of the topics, because I didn't "get it" first time through. The tutorials were fantastic for understanding, because they could be run several times, results predicted and run again. I also enjoyed the comments of my fellow course mates. They don't realise it but, like my trip through University, I learned a ... I have to say that entered this class with a great deal of trepidation. Being of an age when all of High School physics were based on classical principles, I only had a fleeting (and frankly, wrong) exposure to Quantum Mechanics. Working in as an engineer for more than forty years meant that most things I dealt with could be explained in terms of Newtonian physics and thermodynamics! When I entered retirement, I was determined to continue to exercise my brain and this was my first foray into online courses. And this was certainly a lot of exercise! I found that I had to often read, re-read and then stop and read later some of the topics, because I didn't "get it" first time through. The tutorials were fantastic for understanding, because they could be run several times, results predicted and run again. I also enjoyed the comments of my fellow course mates. They don't realise it but, like my trip through University, I learned a lot from their questions and the subsequent answers. I have taken nearly six weeks to complete the course, doing parts of modules as my brain permitted. I have the luxury of time, so I am using it. Overall, I understand the Quantum world a lot better than I did when I started. I can't say that I understood everything that I was taught, but some of the more mysterious aspects of the Quantum World fill me with awe. Thanks
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10/10 starsCompleted
  • 0 reviews
  • 0 completed
1 month, 2 weeks ago
This course is excellent. It really does make Quantum Mechanics accessible to everyone. You learn all about the quantum mystery without requiring intensive knowledge of calculus. You are introduced to all of the famous quantum mechanics experiments and how they operate. There are tutorials that mimic these experiments, and you are able to play around with the variables and see the results. These are hands on tools to really learn and be able to understand how the results differ from classical versus quantum physics. The video lectures walk you through in detail the various quantum mechanic oddities. The practice problems are helpful and reinforce what you learn. Professor Freericks and TA's are very responsive to the question quorum. The Final Exam was fair. It covers the material included in the course. There are no unexpected surprises. Completing this course has opened my mind to quantum mechanics and makes me want t... This course is excellent. It really does make Quantum Mechanics accessible to everyone. You learn all about the quantum mystery without requiring intensive knowledge of calculus. You are introduced to all of the famous quantum mechanics experiments and how they operate. There are tutorials that mimic these experiments, and you are able to play around with the variables and see the results. These are hands on tools to really learn and be able to understand how the results differ from classical versus quantum physics. The video lectures walk you through in detail the various quantum mechanic oddities. The practice problems are helpful and reinforce what you learn. Professor Freericks and TA's are very responsive to the question quorum. The Final Exam was fair. It covers the material included in the course. There are no unexpected surprises. Completing this course has opened my mind to quantum mechanics and makes me want to dive in further.
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Barbara Temple profile image
Barbara Temple profile image

Barbara Temple

10/10 starsCompleted
1 month, 4 weeks ago
Quantum Mechanics for Everyone is a spectacular course! I have learnt ever so much! The tutorials of the thought experiments are extremely helpful for visualising the material. Professor Freericks is very quick to answer questions in the discussions section. The mathematics are quite accessible for someone who has not yet studied calculus. I have had a thrilling time on this odyssey into the laws that the universe follows at the subatomic level. I would heartily recommend this course to everyone!
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Uwe Koch profile image
Uwe Koch profile image

Uwe Koch

10/10 stars
1 month, 4 weeks ago
1. A very well explained course and subject by the instructor that is, for me at least, a very difficult one. 2. One can see, that a lot of time and effort, with lots of material, has been put into this class. 3. You could compare it with COSMOS of Carl Sagan, in a sense where scientists try to find out ways to explain difficult fields/topics the best way possible to everyone willing to learn something new (or willing to learn more). 4. Finally I am a different person due to this course, amazed with what was shown. Thanks!!!
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Pedro Antonio Gonzalez Crespo profile image
Pedro Antonio Gonzalez Crespo profile image

Pedro Antonio Gonzalez Crespo

10/10 starsCompleted
2 months ago
This is great course. The first thing to say is that it is an experimental approach to quantum mechanics aided by some wonderful simulations. On the other hand, I am a retired chemistry professor and I have never seen so clearly explained the Stern-Gerlach experiment that is key to understanding the concept of spatial spin quantization. On the other hand, the explanations of the quantum properties of light have been very clarifying. Quantum interference and complementarity very clear.
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Javier profile image
Javier profile image

Javier

10/10 starsCompleted
2 months ago
This is a great course. I was new to quantum physics and this course made me step into the ground rules of this science. All concepts are clearly and thoroughly explained, although they challenge your intuition and traditional thinking. The course team, and specially professor Freericks, made a great effort on keeping ideas simple enough in each step, while building a very complex structure about the theories that support modern technologies. I am very grateful to this team and motivated to continue exploring quantum mechanics.
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dna47a profile image
dna47a profile image

dna47a

10/10 starsCompleted
2 months ago
The course is simply outstanding and thoroughly enjoyed the 4 weeks. The tutorials are just brilliant and Prof. Freericks presence in the discussion forum enabled me to learn the material so much better. Definitely recommend this course and hoping to seeing more courses from Prof.Freericks in the future.
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Luanna Quinalha profile image
Luanna Quinalha profile image

Luanna Quinalha

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 months, 1 week ago
A fantastic course and initiative! The materials allowed me to understand the mysteries in quantum mechanics better than ever, why randomness is required, and what the spooky action at a distance truly is.
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student profile image

student

10/10 starsCompleted
2 months, 1 week ago
class was uniformly excellent. innovative use of computer graphics to illustrate concepts. interesting and unusual selection of topics. great to see the "Feynman" approach was used.
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student

10/10 starsCompleted
2 months, 1 week ago
class was uniformly excellent. innovative use of computer graphics to illustrate concepts. interesting and unusual selection of topics. great to see the "Feynman" approach was used.
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Norbert Szetei profile image
Norbert Szetei profile image

Norbert Szetei

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years ago
This course is awesome, especially if you know nothing about QM or have a trouble to understand some parts. It gives you a nice introduction and motivation to study more about the subject. Excellent visualisations making difficult experiments or unintuitive topics perfectly clear and carefully chosen content. Also I liked the part where different references to movies or music were mentioned, making this course more personal, unlike other ones I took. And what I liked the most was an awesome professor, who really took care to explain any difficulty in discussion forum.
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8/10 starsCompleted
  • 0 reviews
  • 0 completed
2 years, 2 months ago
The content itself is superb, being derived from the brilliant and groundbreaking work of Richard Feynman and Daniel Styer. Unfortunately the presentation is not as clear and concise as the original books on which it is based. This is compounded by a number of confusing typos and errors in the visual aids. The format of math results on tests is also annoying. For example, the system does not equate an answer of 0.0 with an answer of 0. I ended up buying Feynman and Styer's books in order to make sense of what was presented in the online material. I would recommend buying the books rather than paying for a certificate for this course. You could audit the course for free if you are a more visual learner. Quantum Mechanics is notoriously counter intuitive and this course is the best of a bad lot. At least it is taken from good sources.
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Michael profile image
Michael profile image

Michael

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 5 months ago
This was a great course. The instructor would personally respond to every question within a day and would even continue to respond to multiple follow-up questions. The tutorials were very easy to navigate and informative, and the videos were great. My knowledge of QM increased dramatically. Great course, and probably the gold standard for online courses. I doubt any other online courses could come close.
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Sakshi Jha profile image
Sakshi Jha profile image

Sakshi Jha

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 7 months ago
'Quantum Mechanics For Everyone' is really a course that everyone with a little high school knowledge can fully understand. Everything has been kept simple but has not been watered down. For all those who want to be introduced to the bizarre world of the ultra-small, this course is a must! The instructor is great and the queries of students are answered satisfactorily and in a timely fashion. EdX is an amazing platform for such courses as it is easily accessible and has a user-friendly interface.
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Alex Jacoby profile image
Alex Jacoby profile image

Alex Jacoby

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 8 months ago
I worked in depth with this course as a reviewer for almost 6 months and have continued to work with similar material since... Dr. Freericks' pedagogical skills are evident, as he presents material clearly and by enlightening or unconventional means. Despite being taught without calculus or higher mathematics, the course material is rigorous and tightly crafted; the presentation is lucid; and the motivation and scale are compelling. I would very highly recommend this course to almost any learner who is willing to spend more than a trivial amount of time getting into the weeds but doesn't want to become too involved in the mathematical prerequisites. Succinctly: This course doesn't have exhaustive prerequisites and, consequently, requires a curious, astute student. It is, however, very rewarding to a motivated learner.
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Paul Morley profile image
Paul Morley profile image

Paul Morley

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 8 months ago
Enjoying working through this. Works well as a MOCC, as some of the concepts in the videos sink in better after several viewings. Takes my level of understanding up a level, compared to earlier passive reading.
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Marek Gozdzielewski profile image
Marek Gozdzielewski profile image

Marek Gozdzielewski

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 8 months ago
Because I have only reached middle school and a high school diploma, and speak English fairly poorly, I have had great doubts about completing this course. Additionally, as a 60-year-old, I have had no contact with physics (at the intermediate level) for about 40 years. Now I have made it, with 97% success. I'm also about 97% sure (I've learned a lot about probabilities) that this is mainly due to the fantastic work of Prof. Freericks and his team. The tutorials were absolutely perfect, all very understandable, logical, phased. Not a word too little, and no unnecessary too much. The simulations are not only incredibly helpful in understanding problems but also elegant and simply chic. So that I - after I had already understood what was to be understood - out of sheer joy  had looked at the simulations a few more times. Thank you for your work, that was a fascinating and impressive experience!
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Jean Claude Guala profile image
Jean Claude Guala profile image

Jean Claude Guala

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
I think it is the best course or at least one of the best course I've enrolled in (It is my 10 th). Quantum mechanics is not the easiest subject and I am astonished by the quality of the presentation. From my point of view I can only imagine the amount of work involved to present "as simply as possible" the different subjects and to animate either phenomenon, principles, examples.... This is what I call "a clean" course. Teacher respect students, he does not try to show off, he does not make you feel like an "ignoramus". The levels of the "Practice questions" are on par with the presented subject. (I have not looked in the final exam questions).
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Michael Davis profile image
Michael Davis profile image
10/10 starsCompleted
  • 1 review
  • 1 completed
2 years, 9 months ago
I enjoyed this course very much and would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in physics. It’s quantum mechanics concepts explained in words instead of calculus. There is some math involved as it’s necessary but nothing more complex than basic algebra. Great professor who stays involved to help with understanding the material.
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Joseph Cherian profile image
Joseph Cherian profile image

Joseph Cherian

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
Excellent, even for an old learner like me (66 years)! Sometimes I get stuck at certain sections, but going over it again once or twice is enough to move on to the next section.
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Lisa Wenthere profile image
Lisa Wenthere profile image

Lisa Wenthere

6/10 starsDropped
2 years, 9 months ago
It did not hold my interest and multiple choice questions are not enhancing learning or creativity. The way the presentation was made is confusing with things in reality. It would be better to talk in abstract terms.
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Mariano Arias profile image
Mariano Arias profile image

Mariano Arias

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
I finally begin to understand Quantum Mechanics. May be need some talk about the hardest points but in general i learn the things i ever looking for. Excellent course. Hope jdjfu jdh8o9 jdjjksdj ekererjejk
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Marcello La Rocca profile image
Marcello La Rocca profile image

Marcello La Rocca

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
The course is extremely well thought, the instructor manages to make hard concepts easy to understand, and the most amazing thing is that he always replies to students in forums, and within a few hours or days. If a student struggles with a topic, the instructor manages to explain it in another way, and possibly yet another one, till everyone really gets a grasp. It's simply amazing. You can see the impact of the course from the discussions that arise on the forums: not just requests for help and clarification, but also advanced questions that goes beyond the scope of the course and even proposals for new experiments and ways to advance the field.
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Tania Tasopoulou profile image
Tania Tasopoulou profile image

Tania Tasopoulou

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
I took the course out of curiosity and I love it! My background is psychology, nothing to do with the topic, and yet I am able to fully understand the concepts and follow the course with no problem. The way the course is structured helps you to build your knowledge on the subject; from simple concepts to the more complex ones. I really enjoy the learning experience with it.
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Peter Kwok profile image
Peter Kwok profile image

Peter Kwok

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 9 months ago
I think I reviewed this course mid-way! My opinion is still the same now at the finish line! Excellent content! Excellent presentation! If something is left to be wanted, it may be more background research! I have some doubts about some experiments and some mathematics!
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ALFONSO REDAL profile image
ALFONSO REDAL profile image

ALFONSO REDAL

10/10 starsCompleted
2 years, 9 months ago
Nice lectures, always focused in sense making of what in reality is impossible for us to understand. Very good simulations, which are key to get rid of the maths involved and still understand what's going on at quantum scale. Congratulations and many thanks.
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Veska Davidova profile image
Veska Davidova profile image
10/10 starsCompleted
  • 1 review
  • 1 completed
2 years, 9 months ago
Exceptional course! Perfectly balanced, illustrated. Never believed such a topic can be delivered in a understandable format. Thank you guys! It helps to broaden the knowlede in statistic and physics as a whole.
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robert phelps profile image
robert phelps profile image

robert phelps

10/10 starsTaking Now
2 years, 9 months ago
The thing that makes this course outstanding is the simulations. This is the future of technical and mathematical instruction. It is far easier to understand concepts presented as models that can be played with then to have to build your own mental model of the same concepts.
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