PHY 3101 - Modern Physics - Fall 2015
Course Schedule
This schedule is preliminary and will be modified as needed during the semester.
All homework (green cells) is due Friday by 5PM. The only exception is after Homecoming, where the homework is due the following Monday.
| Date | Chap | Material and events | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug. 24 | M | 1 | 1-2 | Course organization, read Chapter 1 |
| Aug. 26 | W | 2 | 1-2 | Relativity: Historical background, Michelson-Morley experiment |
| Aug. 28 | F | 3 | 2 | Relativity: MM experiment, transformation of space/time coordinates |
| Aug. 31 | M | 4 | 2 | Relativity: Derivation of coordinate transformation, 4-vectors, LT matrix |
| Sep. 2 | W | 5 | 2 | Relativity: Velocity transformation, time dilation, proper time, length contraction, LT invariant quantities |
| Sep. 4 | F | 6 | 2 | Relativity: LT invariant quantities, Doppler effect, examples of simultaneity |
| Sep. 7 | M | Holiday! | Labor Day! | |
| Sep. 9 | W | 7 | 2 | Relativity: energy/momentum 4-vector; other applications |
| Sep. 11 | F | 8 | 2 | Relativity: energy/momentum, particle decays |
| Sep. 14 | M | 9 | 15 | General relativity: theory and experimental tests |
| Sep. 16 | W | 10 | 3.1-3.2 | Particles and waves, Thomson, Millikan |
| Sep. 18 | F | 11 | 3.2-3.4 | Blackbody radiation 1 |
| Sep. 21 | M | 12 | 3.5 | Discussion of projects (Blackbody radiation) |
| Sep. 23 | W | 13 | 3.5-3.6 | Blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, X-rays |
| Sep. 25 | F | 14 | 3.6-3.8 | Photoelectric effect, X-rays, Compton effect |
| Sep. 28 | M | 15 | 3.8-3.9, 4.1 | Pair production, structure of atom |
| Sep. 30 | W | 16 | 4.1-4.3 | Nuclear atom, Rutherford scattering |
| Oct. 2 | F | 17 | 4.4-4.5 | Bohr atomic model |
| Oct. 5 | M | Exam 1 (8:20-10:20PM) LIT101 (Little Hall, room 101) |
||
| Oct. 5 | M | 18 | 4.5-4.7 5.1 |
Bohr model II, characteristic spectra, measurement of X-ray wavelength |
| Oct. 7 | W | 19 | 5.2-5.5, 5.7 | Particles as waves, electron scattering, uncertainty principle |
| Oct. 9 | F | 20 | 6.1-6.2 | Wavefunctions, QM operators, expectation value, Schrodinger equation |
| Oct. 12 | M | 21 | 6.1 | SE, wavefunction normalization, free particle |
| Oct. 14 | W | 22 | 6.3 | Infinite potential well, energy levels, fInite potential well |
| Oct. 16 | F | 23 | 6 | Finite potential well (basic features, energy levels, penetration depth) |
| Oct. 19 | M | 24 | 6 | Summary of finite potential well, Harmonic oscillator |
| Oct. 21 | W | 25 | 5, 6 | Harmonic oscillator, Uncertainty principle |
| Oct. 23 | F | 26 | 6 | Uncertainty principle, Particle in 3-D infinite potential well |
| Oct. 26 | M | 27 | 6 | 3-D problems 2 |
| Oct. 28 | W | 28 | 7 | Hydrogen atom 1 |
| Oct. 30 | F | 29 | 7 | Hydrogen atom 2 |
| Nov. 2 | M | 30 | 7 | Hydrogen atom 3 |
| Nov. 4 | W | 31 | 8 | Atomic transitions |
| Nov. 6 | F | Holiday! | Homecoming! | |
| Nov. 9 | M | 32 | 8 | Atomic transitions |
| Nov. 11 | W | 33 | 8 | Veteran's Day! (formerly electron spin, will fix) |
| Nov. 13 | F | 34 | 9 | Statistical distributions, classical gas |
| Nov. 16 | M | 35 | 9 | Classical gas, equipartition theorem, Boltzmann factor |
| Nov. 16 | M | Exam 2 (8:20 - 10:20PM) LIT101 (Little Hall, room 101) |
||
| Nov. 18 | W | 36 | 9 | Density of states, Fermi statistics |
| Nov. 20 | F | 37 | 9 | Fermi statistics, applications |
| Nov. 23 | M | 38 | 9 | Bose statistics, photon distribution |
| Nov. 25 | W | Holiday! | Thanksgiving! | |
| Nov. 27 | F | Holiday! | Thanksgiving! | |
| Nov. 30 | M | 39 | 12-13 | How the sun releases energy, nuclear physics |
| Dec. 2 | W | 40 | 12-13 | Nuclear Physics |
| Dec. 4 | F | 41 | 12-13 | Nuclear Physics |
| Dec. 7 | M | 42 | 14 | Particle Physics |
| Dec. 9 | W | 43 | 14 | Particle Physics |
| Dec. 10 | R | Research papers due! | ||