Physics 160: Modern Physics
Instructor Jeffrey
A. Collett
Office: Youngchild
108
Telephone X-7014
Email COLLETTJ
Required Text: Paul A. Tipler, Elementary Modern Physics, Worth Publishers
Class meetings: MWF 8:30
Office Hours: Tuesday/Thursday
1:00-3:00 or by appointment
Prerequisites: Classical Physics (Physics 120),
Calculus (Math 140)
Introduction
Physics 13 surveys important developments in physics
during the twentieth century. The first
portion of the course deals with the modifications to mechanics that came with
the introduction of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. The objective is to reach both a conceptual
familiarity and quantitative capability in approaching the subject. The remainder of the course deals with
important applications and extensions of these ideas to atoms, solids, nuclei,
and elementary particles. As we survey
applications, our approach will become more descriptive and less quantitative
so that we can obtain an overview of some
of the major accomplishments of the twentieth century. We selectively focus on
developments growing out of quantum mechanics and relativity and neglect other
contemporary topics.
· Problems are assigned daily and are identified on the lecture schedule. Problems will be collected on Monday of each week except for the last week when they will be due on Wednesday. Problems should be neatly written with compete explanations of your work. Generally, you should outline your approach at the beginning of the solution and offer interpretation and or observations concerning the result of the calculation. This is not necessary for all problems, but include observations when you feel they are appropriate. For example, if you calculate a quantity for some element or material using a formula derived in the text, compare your results with other elements or materials used as examples. Not all problems are of the same level of difficulty; some ask you to derive new results or extend previous results, others ask you to calculate numbers to develop your intuition.
·
There will be two
one-hour exams during the course.
·
There will be four quizzes. These quizzes will
be done outside of class time and take approximately 30 minutes. You can pick up the quizzes under the blue
quiz box any time between noon and 9:00 on the scheduled day. Return them to the blue box when you have
completed the quiz.
· The final examination will be a three-hour exam during the scheduled examination period. It will be cumulative although material from the latter part of the course will receive a heavier weight.
· Homework problems 10%
· Laboratory 20%
· Quizzes 10%
· Two hour exams 30%
· Final examination 30%
Honor Code
Each student is expected to present only her or his own work on the hour examinations and the final examination. In contrast, students are encouraged to work together on the assignments. Each student is expected to write up her or his own assignments, but working together to solve the problems can be a valuable learning aid. I establish only two ground rules. First, working together is most effective if all individuals contribute more or less equally to the group effort. You should be very wary if you are always on the receiving end in such effort, for ultimately you will be expected to perform on your own. At the very least, once you have finished solving an exercise in a group, make sure that you could solve a similar exercise yourself. Second, where substantial help has been received through conversation with another, I ask that you follow common scientific courtesy and acknowledge that help briefly in your submitted work.
TENTATIVE LECTURE PLAN
|
Laboratory |
MONDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Speed of Light |
April
1 1 Postulates
of Relativity, Time Dilation Ch. 1: 1-12 |
April
3 2 Relativity:
Simultaneity, length contraction, Doppler Effect Ch. 1:
13-23, Prob: 12,18,54,80 |
April
5 3 Velocity
Addition, Relativistic Energy & Momentum Ch. 1:
24-34 Prob: 8, 11, 19 |
|
Relativity Simulations |
April
8 4 Relativistic
Energy/Momentum Ch: 1: 34-37 Prob:
32,52,56 |
April
10 Quiz (Tues) 5 Relativity/Old
Quantum Theory Ch 2: 47-57 Ch: 1 Prob.:
48, 57, 72, 82 |
April
12 6 Old Quantum
Theory:Planck, Photoelectric, X-rays Ch. 2 Prob:
8,14,42,57 |
|
No Lab |
April
15 7 Old Quantum: Bohr Model, de Broglie’s hypothesis Ch. 2: 58-67 Prob: 23,26,
29,47,50,51,62 |
April
17 8 Electron
Waves Ch. 3:
74-84 Prob: 1,6,8,10 |
April
19 9 Hour Exam
|
|
Photoelectric Effect |
April
22 10 Schrödinger
Eq: Particle in box Ch. 3: 85-93
Prob: 18,20,24,67 |
April
24 11 The Finite
Square Well Ch. 3:
94-99 Prob: 30,49,59,70 |
April
26 12 Tunneling
& Barrier Penetration Ch. 3:
100-104, 111-114 |
|
Hydrogen Spectroscopy |
April
29 Quiz 13 3D & Pauli Exclusion
Principle Ch. 3: 105-110 Prob. 37,64 |
May
1 14 The Hydrogen
Atom Ch. 4:
120-129 Prob:
3,11,13 |
May
3 15 Spin &
Atomic Structure Ch 4:
130-140 Prob.
18,20,21,30,66 |
|
No Lab |
May
6 16 Atomic
Spectra Ch. 4: 141-162 |
May
8 Quiz (Tues)
17 Atomic
Spectra & Applications |
Reading
Period |
|
Electron Impact Excitation of
Helium |
May 13 18 Solids:
Structure & Classical Conduction.
Ch 6: 190-200 Prob:4,6,55 |
May
15 19 Solids: Quantum Conduction Ch. 6:
201-209 Prob: 8,12,13,20,21,40, |
May 17 20 Solids:
Conductors, Insulators, Semiconductors.
Ch. 6: 210-220 Prob: 23, 27,47*,51 |
|
Gamma Spectroscopy |
May
20 21 Hour Exam
|
May
22 22 Solids:
Superconductivity Ch. 6:
221-229 Prob. 33 |
May 24 23 Nuclear
Structure Ch. 7:
238-245 Prob:
2,4,32,42,44,46,49 |
|
Nuclear Decay and Half-life |
May
28 Memorial Day
|
May
29 24 Radioactivity Ch. 7:
246-254 Prob:
6,7,8,10,13,15,19,55 |
May 31 Quiz 25 Nuclear
Fission & Fusion Ch. 7:
255-270 Prob: 51,26,30,38 |
|
Alpha, Beta, Gamma Decay |
June
3 26 Particles:
Hadrons, Leptons, Conservation Laws. Ch. 8: 276-286
Prob: 2,3,5,26 |
June
5 27 Quarks &
the Standard Model Ch. 8:
286-293 Prob:
9,10,11,15,17 |
June
7 28 Standard
Model Review |
* In
Chapter 6, Prob. 47c, assume that E-EF = 0.0085eV.