Physics
160
Principles
of Modern Physics
Spring Term,
2008
Lecture: 8:30 -
9:40 MWF, Youngchild 121
Instructor:
Matthew Stoneking
Office:
Youngchild 110, phone: 832-6724, email: stonekim
Office
Hours: TBA
Laboratory:
There is one three hour laboratory session per week (9 total)
Meet in Youngchild 115 for pre-lab
lecture/discussion
Thursday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM,
Instructor: Megan Pickett
Thursday 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM,
Instructor: Megan Pickett
Course Description:
Physics 160 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.
Course Objectives:
- To
develop an understanding of the most important CONCEPTS, LAWS, and
EXAMPLES of MODERN PHYSICS.
- To
develop physics problem-solving skills using fundamental MATHEMATICAL
& QUANTITATIVE TOOLS, and to learn to write complete problem
solutions.
- To
develop experimental skills, including statistical uncertainty analysis
and laboratory record-keeping.
Required
Text:
·
Paul A. Tipler, Ralph A. Llewellyn, Modern Physics, 5th Ed. ,
Freeman). Obtain this text from Conkey's Bookstore on
Other
Required Materials:
·
National
Bound Notebook No. 43-648 (or similar with numbered quadrille ruled
pages)). Available at Conkey's
Bookstore. You may continue to use the same notebook you used in Physics 150.
·
Calculator
with trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions.
·
A
three-ring binder to keep your lecture notes, handouts, and laboratory
information pages (recommended only).
Grades:
Final grades will be based on the
following weighted components:
1) Final Exam 25 %
2) Hour Exams (2 X 12.5%) = 25 %
3) Laboratory 25 %
4) Homework 15 %
5) Participation, Preparation, &
Attendance 10%
Exams:
There will be two midterm exams and one
final, comprehensive exam. Each exam will be closed book. Required formulae will be provided on the
exam, but you will need to be able to recognize the meaning of the symbols in
each formula and how to use them to solve problems such as those encountered in
homework and lecture examples. Exam
problems will be a mixture of quantitative problems like those encountered in
homework sets and conceptual problems (multiple choice and short answer) like
those used for in-class discussions.
Final
Exam: Tuesday 10 June 2008, 8:30 AM
Laboratory:
The list of laboratory topics for each
week is given below. Details on the
operation of the laboratory portion of the course, including grading policies
for labs, will be discussed at the first meeting of the lab section.
Homework:
Homework sets will be collected for
grading approximately once per week.
Late submissions may not receive full credit and may not be graded in a
timely manner (if at all). Homework
assignments will focus on quantitative problems. You are strongly urged to work additional
problems on your own, beyond those that are required. You are also encouraged to work together and
to take advantage of evening help sessions and instructor’s office hours. However, each student must write up his or
her own solutions. It will be
detrimental to your exam performance to rely heavily on your classmates for
homework solutions. Complete solutions
to homework problems include the following elements: statement of the problem (what is given?),
appropriate diagram, reference to important laws or formulae, brief explanation
and/or justification for each major step in the solution, evaluation of the
final answer (does the answer makes sense?).
Preparation,
Attendance, & Participation:
·
Prepare
for class by reviewing your lecture notes from the previous class, reading the
appropriate sections of the text, attempting some of the homework problems, and
writing down questions or points of confusion.
·
Attendance
in this fast-paced course is crucial. We
cannot cover everything in your textbook.
You must attend class (and work homework problems) to know what material
your instructor considers essential.
Take notes in class.
·
Participate
in classroom discussions. Ask questions
in class. Be prepared to respond to the instructor’s questions in class. Make use of the instructor’s office hours and
the evening help sessions. E-mail questions and comments to your instructor (stonekim@lawrence.edu).
Help
Sessions:
Evening help sessions will be offered
every week. These sessions will be held
in Youngchild 115. Times will be
announced in class.
Topical
Outline of the Course (detailed
schedule on next page):
I:
Relativity
II: Quantum
Mechanics
III: Atomic
Physics
IV:
V: Nuclear Physics
VI: Particle Physics
|
Laboratory |
MONDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
FRIDAY |
|
Speed of Light |
March 31 1 Relativity: Galilean Relativity, Postulates of
Relativity, Synchronizing Clocks, Simultaneity |
April 2 2 Relativity: Time Dilation, Length Contraction,
Lorentz Transformation Equations Read: |
April 4 3 Relativity: Spacetime Diagrams, Velocity Addition,
Doppler Effect Read: |
|
Relativity Simulations |
April 7 4 Relativity: Relativistic Energy/Momentum Read: |
April 9 5 Quantum: Quantization of Charge, Blackbody
Radiation Read: Problem
Set #1 Due |
April 11 6 Quantum: Photoelectric Effect, Read: |
|
Photoelectric Effect |
April 14 7 Quantum: Rutherford Scattering, Bohr Model,
X-ray spectra Read: |
April 16 8 Quantum: Matter Waves, The Uncertainty Principle Read: Problem
Set #2 Due |
April 18 9 Quantum: Schrödinger Eq: Particle in box Read:
|
|
Hydrogen Spectroscopy |
April 21 10 Quantum: Simple Harmonic Oscillator Read: |
April 23 11 Hour Exam #1 |
April 25 12 Quantum: Tunneling & Barrier Penetration Read: |
|
Electron Impact
Excitation of Helium |
April 28 13 Atomic: 3D & Angular Momentum Read: |
April 30 14 Atomic: The Hydrogen Atom and Electron Spin Read: Problem
Set #3 Due |
May 2 15 Atomic: Spin & Atomic Structure, Exclusion
Principle Read: |
|
No Lab |
May 5 16 Atomic: Classical Statistics Read:
|
May 7 17 Atomic: Quantum Statistics Read: Problem
Set #4 Due |
Reading Period Optional: Read Ch. 9 |
|
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy |
May 12 18 Solids:
Classical & Quantum
Conduction. Read: |
May 14 19 Solids:
Band Structure Read: Problem
Set #5 Due |
May 16 20 Solids:
Semiconductors & Superconductors Read: |
|
Alpha, Beta, Gamma
Decay |
May 19 21 Nuclear: Nuclear
Structure Read:
|
May 21 22 Hour Exam #2 |
May
23 23 Nuclear: Radioactivity Read: |
|
Nuclear Decay and
Half-life |
May 26 Memorial Day No class |
May 28 24 Nuclear: Nuclear Force & Reactions Read: |
May 30 25 Nuclear: Fission & Fusion Read: Problem
Set #6 Due |
|
Gamma Spectroscopy |
June
2 26 Particles: Hadrons, Leptons, Conservation Laws Read: |
June 4 27 Particles: Quarks & the Standard Model Read: |
June 6 28 Particles: Standard Model Problem
Set #7 Due |
Problem
Assignments:
Set
#1: Due Wed. 9 April
Chapter 1: Problems 13, 19, 25, 33, 34, 42,
45, 54
Set
#2: Due Wed. 16 April
Chapter 2: Problems 3, 4, 14, 17, 19, 21,
22
Chapter 3: Problems 11, 21, 22, 30, 36,
46
Set
#3: Due Wed. 30 April
Chapter 4: Problems 15, 19, 23, 25
Chapter 5: Problems 2, 3, 7, 24, 27,
30, 32, 39, 40
Set
#4: Due Wed. 7 May
Chapter 6: Problems 3, 6, 16, 19, 20, 23,
29, 36, 49
Chapter 7: Problems 1, 7, 9, 10, 14, 17
Set
#5: Due Wed. 14 May
Chapter 7: Problems 20, 25, 27 (The last
part of this problem is extra credit/optional and will test your skills at
integration. The integral you need to do
is the one on the top of page 282.), 33, 34, 36, 44, 47, 48, 49
Set
#6: Due Fri. 30 May 2008
Chapter 11: Problems 1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 15,
17, 22, 26, 30, 34, 46, 53, 54, 57
Set
#7: Due Fri. 6 June 2008
Chapter 12: Problems 4, 6, 7, 9, 12,
15, 17, 25, 26