P261_syllabus.doc, A. Dinsmore

Physics 261: General Physics III (Modern physics), Spring 2006

Instructor: A. Dinsmore

Syllabus

1. Wave basics: mechanical waves (in many texts, including Serway & Jewett Ch. 16, 18)

· Sound waves, water waves, elastic waves.

· The wave equation.

· Superposition, interference.

2. Electromagnetic waves, SJ Ch. 34-38:

· Maxwell’s equations and the wave equation.

· Radiation pressure.

· Ray optics, reflection and refraction.

· Interference and diffraction; Newton’s fringes and interferometry.

· Resolution; Bragg’s Law.

3. Special Relativity, SJ Ch. 39:

· Michelson-Morley measurement of the speed of light.

· Einstein’s theory and the speed of light.

· Time dilation and the twins paradox.

· Lorenz Transformations.

· Mass-energy equivalence. Relativistic momentum.

4. Quantum Physics, SJ Ch. 40-41:

· Blackbody radiation, the photoelectric effect, and the Bohr atom.

· Photons and electromagnetic waves; particle/wave duality.

· Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.

· Schrödinger’s equation.

· Particle in a box, tunneling.

5. Atomic and Solid State Physics, SJ Ch. 42-43:

· The hydrogen atom.

· Spin, angular momentum and selection rules.

· Lasers and light emission.

· Atomic bonds and bands

· Electrons as waves.

Dates of Note:

Mon, Feb 13: Last day of Add/Drop.

Mon, Feb 20: Presidents’ Day Holiday; no class.

Tues, Feb 21: Monday schedule; lecture at usual time.

Wed. Mar 15: First Midterm Exam (7-9 pm; location TBA).

M-F Mar 20-24, Spring recess; no classes.

Mon, Apr 17: Patriots’ Day Holiday; no class.

Wed. Apr 26: Second Midterm Exam (7-9 pm; location TBA).

Wed. May 17: Last day of classes; review for final exam.