Fundamentals of Physics III ("Modern Physics")
PHY 2030 - An introduction to space-time physics and quantum physics with applications in astronomy, cosmology, solid-state physics, nuclear physics, and particle physics. Four credits. Prerequisite: PHY 2020. Offered Fall Semester.Office Hours - T 3-5pm; W 1:30-2:30pm; Th 3-5pm; F 3-4pm (363 Couch Hall)
Useful Numbers to Memorize
- Speed of light
- Size of atom, nucleus (order of magnitude)
- Diameter of Earth, Sun (order of magnitude)
- Masses of protons, electrons, etc. (order of magnitude)
- Common values that pop up in math (e.g., square root of 2 and 3, sine/cosine of 30,45,60 degrees)
- Metric prefixes
- Various unit conversions (both directions): km to miles, cm to inches, lbs in kg, etc.
- Number of seconds in a year (~pi x 10^7)
SBG Assignment Rules
- LFermi - I will assess you at random throughout the semester (in class). I will use the average assessment score for your course grade.
- Lapp, LData, LNote - We will assess you on every lab and take your current running average of all assessment scores.
- LRForm, LRClarify, LRData - You will have to submit three different lab reports throughout the semester. These reports will be the source of assessment for these standards. For each standard, we will take either (i) your most recent assessment score, if it is the highest for that standard, or (ii) the average of all your previous scores, if your most recent is not the highest. (Note this means your assessment scores can go down even after you mastered them).
- All Other Standards - I will assess you approximately every 2-3 weeks (the 3 "exams" will be the major assessments). For each standard, I will take either (i) your most recent assessment score, if it is the highest for that standard, or (ii) the average of all your previous scores, if your most recent is not the highest. (Note this means your assessment scores can go down even after you mastered them).
Course Schedule & Assignments
DAY | DATE | CHAPTER / ASSIGNMENTS / ASSESSMENTS / LABS |
1 | 21 Aug |
Topic: R1
Homework Questions: B.1,B.3 (hint: make the water the Other Frame),B.5,M.3 Assignments (due next class): (i) read R1 & R2, (ii) review syllabus, (iii) work above homework problems |
2 | 23 Aug |
Topic: R2
Questions: B.2,B.4,B.5,B.8,B.10,M.3,M.5,R.1 Assignments (due next class): (i) read R3; (ii) work above R2 problems; (iii) memorize most of the suggested numbers above (speed of light, size of atom, etc.); (iv) review solutions to R1 problems |
3 | 28 Aug |
Topic: R3
Questions:B.1,B.2,B.5,B.6,B.8,M.2,M.5,M.10 (minimum: work 3 B, 2 M) Assignments (due next class): (i) read R4; (ii) work above R3 problems; (iii) memorize most of the suggested numbers above (speed of light, size of atom, etc.); (iv) review solutions to R2 problems; |
4 | 30 Aug |
Topic: R4
Questions: B.2,B.4,B.7,M.1,M.2,M.4,D.1,R.2 (R4) Assignments (due next class): (i) read R5; (ii) work R4.B2, R4.B4, R4.M4, and R3.B7; (iii) review solutions to R3. |
5 | 4 Sep |
Topic: R5 (with R4 wrap-up)
Assignments (due next class): (i) review R5 Two-Minute Problems; (ii) look over and review solutions to R1-R4 problems, bring questions to 129 Couch at 9am on Thursday (optional; mandatory start time on Thursday is 9:45am as usual) |
6 | 6 Sep |
Topic: R6 (with R5 wrap-up)
Questions: B.1,B.2,B.3,B.6,M.3,D.2 (R5) Questions: B.1,B.2,B.3,B.4,B.6,B.8,M.4,D.1,R.2 (R6) |
7 | 11 Sep | Mini-Assessment (R1-R4)
Topic: R7 Questions: B.1,B.4,B.9,B.10,M.7 (R7) Assignments: (i) review R7; (ii) work above R7 problems; (iii) review solutions to R6 problems; (iv) read R8 (may the force be with you) |
Course Documents
- Lecture Syllabus - information about the course
- Lab Syllabus - information about the lab
- Lecture/Lab Schedule - tentative schedule of lecture topics and lab activities.
- Standards - standards by which you will be assessed in the course.
- Evidences - ways in which students show they have mastered the course standards.
Resources
- ProbViewer - online application that allows you to view solutions to the Six Ideas problems.
Passwords: "hpu-phy2030-" + one of the following:
"r1","r2",... OR "q1", "q2" ... - Graphing paper - hyperbolic graphing paper
- Lab-report-template - lab report template (zip file contaning .tex template + other files)
- Maclaurin/Taylor Series - a short PDF to remind you about the Maclaurin and Taylor Series (binomial approximation)
- A short intro to general relativity
Useful Software
- Tracker Software - tracker software for video analysis; free download.
- PHET - online, interactive physics simulations
- Period04 - software for analyzing time-series data using Fourier transforms
- Photoelectric Effect Simulator - PHET simulation of photoelectric effect
- Single/Double Slit Interference Simiulation - Six Ideas single/double slit intereference simulation for MAC OS
- Single/Double Slit Interference Simiulation - Six Ideas single/double slit intereference simulation for Windows