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Science Center Room E010 and Room WS004 |
Physics 207
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Gabe Spalding Office: C006B 556-3004 gspalding@titan.iwu.edu Tutor's e-mail: debo852002@yahoo.com |
Modern Physicsand Thermodynamics |
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Modern Physicsand Thermodynamics |
Course Description:
- This course introduces the central principles underlying the modern theories of relativity, thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics.
- Topics include: Relativity; the experimental basis of quantum mechanics; wave-particle duality; Schrödinger's equation and solutions in one-dimension; time dependence of quantum states; two- and three- dimensional quantum, angular momentum; solving Schrödinger's equation for one-electron atoms (the periodic table). We will also discuss basic ideas of atomic and nuclear structure. Mathematica will be used, both for student assignments and in-class demonstrations, but no prior knowledge of that software package is assumed.
Suggested Reading:
- Link to TIME magazine's "Person of the Century," Albert Einstein
- Gribbin, In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality. [Extra Credit will be given to those who have read this book! (It's a popularization that you'll probably enjoy.)]
Required Reading:
- Thornton & Rex, Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers. [Visit the link shown here to check for updates and Errata!!]
- A very thin book by Dan Styer, The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics. [Visit the link shown to peruse the author's "Additions and Revisions," software, and "Further Reading"! Also check out the author's homepage.]
- Some part of any class entitled "Modern Physics" ought to be aimed at providing exposure to current research activities and opportunities. The way we do this in Phys 207 is very, very easy. That said, materials we will use towards this end require that each student apply for a FREE one-year Student Membership in the American Physical Society - for example, this will provide each student with their own subscription to the monthly Physics Today and one online journal. (I can offer advice on choosing your online journal, both so that you do not select a journal that you already have online access to at IWU and so that your selection matches your personal interests.)
- In the past, instead of Physics Today, each student was required to subscribe to Science News. Because those subscriptions were organized through the class, they were offered at a reduced rate. This year, I will only ask whether enough students are interested that we might be able to offer those particular students reduced-rate subscriptions. The main idea is that by having a (very thin, highly readable) weekly summary of all that is cool in science and technology PASS UNDER YOUR NOSE, you can hardly avoid gaining exposure to areas of interest you never knew you might have.
- Whether you subscribe to Science News or merely take advantage of your membership in the American Physical Society, you will be required every week to record, in the back of your lab notebook, the topic (in one sentence) and citation for the article that seemed most interesting to you. (See? I told you it was going to be easy: you are not expected to read through all of the magazines or journals available to you, but only to scan through and make note of something that sounds interesting.) Your list will become useful towards the end of the course, as we chat about your plans for summer.
Suggested Journal Reading includes (but is not limited to):
1) American Journal of Physics
2) Review of Scientific Instruments
As is described elsewhere, the laboratory portion of this course is designed to offer flexibility: those interested in finding their own experiments to do or apparatus to build will find some nicely accessible articles in these journals.
Course Organization
- There will be four hours of lecture per week, and a mere two and a half hours of lab.( The fact that there is a lab associated with this course should not be off-putting: it's pretty short and relatively painless! There are no formal lab reports, but you must use a bound ruled lab notebook of the sort sold in the bookstore; your notebook should be kept in the lab, where I will try to review it on every third Saturday morning, at 9 am).
- Each homework assignment turned in should include verbal comments on the physics of the assignment (i.e., what you were supposed to "get" out of doing each problem). Including brief comments of this sort ensures that you've thought about your work (rather than merely plugged and chugged), and can help to clarify (and extend) the conclusions you draw from your results.
- Some of our meetings will be devoted to discussion of the homework. At this time students may be asked to present solutions to homework problems at the board.
- A written copy of your work on homework assignments must be turned at the start of class on the day due. (Please be prompt!)
- Matters of Honor - The instructor values our student honor code for the integrity it fosters and the pedagogical flexibility it affords. The important guiding principle of academic honesty is that you must never represent the work of others as your own. Just copying someone else's work is clearly a representation of another's work as your own, and is a violation of the community. The following guidelines should govern your behavior in the course; please request clarification if you find yourself in any doubtful situations.
- Your textbook gives the answers for many exercises, although not to full precision (it truncates the significant figures). These are given so that you will know if you have solved problems correctly. It is not sound learning procedure to try to work backwards from given answers, but doing so is not a violation of the honor code.
- Students may consult with one another (or anyone else) concerning the computer (Mathematica) assignments, but each student must have written his or her own programs and done all assigned runs.
- Homework assignments may be discussed with the instructor (either in person or by e-mail). You may also consult published sources.
Grading procedures:
Written exercises: the following simple scheme will be applied to each problem or substantial part thereof: 4 points will be awarded for a correct numerical answer if arrived at through clear application of physical principles, 3 points for correct application of concepts, 2 points for a significant attempt with conceptual errors, and 1 point for an attempt.
Exams: Clearly conveying understanding is key! Partial credit will be awarded for sensible efforts even without completely correct answers. No partial credit will be given for the multiple-choice questions.
Final course grades will be computed using the following weighting
· Class Exams 300 pts.
· Laboratory 200 pts. [discussed at the following link.]
· Problems 140 pts.
· Final Exam 160 pts.
Tentative Schedule:
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Week |
Text Assignment |
Lab |
Problems |
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1 |
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Tour of Current Research Opportunities: Detailed, Exploratory Write-ups will be graded and are due in 1 wk. |
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2 |
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(3 weeks) |
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3 |
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(3 weeks) |
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4 |
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(3 weeks) |
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5 |
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The Origins of Quantum Mechanics, Part I (2 weeks) |
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6 |
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The Origins of Quantum Mechanics, Part I (2 weeks) |
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7 |
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The Origins of Quantum Mechanics, Part II (2 weeks) |
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8 |
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The Origins of Quantum Mechanics, Part II (2 weeks) |
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9 |
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Spectral Distributions, Part I (1 week ONLY) |
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10 |
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Spectral Distributions, Part II (2 weeks) |
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11 |
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Spectral Distributions, Part II (2 weeks) |
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12 |
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Summer Internship Applications (A required, graded exercise) |
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13 |
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(2 weeks) |
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14 |
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(2 weeks) |
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15 |
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16 |
FINAL EXAM: 8:00 - 10:00 am, Fri., Dec. 16, 2005 |
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