We propose the introduction of the finite differences method as one topic to be inserted in the discipline of quantum mechanics in a physics undergraduate course. The method is simple enough to be introduced and exemplified in about six hours of class allowing both qualitatively correct and high-precision quantitative results. Due to the great applicability of the method, it is essential that the undergraduate students, future researchers, learn it. In the present work, we show the method in detail and verify its precision initially by calculating the energy spectrum of the harmonic oscillator and comparing it to its well-known analytical results. Then we apply it to two other systems, the anharmonic oscillator and the one with linear potential. For each of those systems We compute, for both systems, the ten lowest energy eigenvalues are calculated, as well as their corresponding eigenfunctions.
quantization of hamiltonian systems; finite differences
