Physics 2170

Foundations of Modern Physics

Course Calendar

Week
Monday
Wednesday
Friday

Week 1

The Principle of Relativity, Galilean transformations, and Newtonian physics.

Reading: Taylor and Zafiratos Chapter 1

Week 2

Labor Day. No Classes.

Michelson-Morley experiment, Postulates of Special Relativity, time dilation.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 2.1-2.4

Week 3

Length contraction, Lorentz transformations, Simultaneity and causality, velocity addition.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 2.5-2.9

Week 4

Relativistic momentum, energy, mass-energy equivalence, binding energy and invariant mass.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 3.1-3.6

Week 5

First Exam.

Mop up Special Relativity. Quick General Relativity.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 3.7-3.9

Week 6
Charge and mass quanta: Electrons, protons, neutrons...

Atoms.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 4

Week 7
Quantization of energy: Photons and the photelectric effect, and brief x-ray discussion.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 5.1-5.3
Fall Break! No classes

  Week 8
Quantization of Atomic Energy Levels: The Bohr Model and x-ray spectra.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 6

  Week 9
The de Broglie hypothesis, particle interference effects. Two-slit experiments. The Uncertanity Principle, amplitude and probability, the big picture of quantum dynamics.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 7.

  Week 10
The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Infinite square well.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 8.1-8.5 Dig in and read the whole thing.Now read it all again.

  Week 11
The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Expectation values, operators, the Finite square well problem.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 8.6-8.8.

  Week 12
The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Potential steps, reflection and transmission coefficients, Tunneling!!

Reading: T&Z Chapter 9.

  Week 13
The Schrodinger Equation in 2 and 3 dimensions, and for multiple particles. Bosons and Fermions.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 9

  Week 14
The Schrodinger Equation in 3-dimensions. The hydrogen atom, quantization of angular momentum, and spin.

Reading: T&Z Chapter 9
Thanksgiving! No classes.

Week 15

The Schrodinger Equation in 3-dimensions. The hydrogen atom, quantization of angular momentum, and spin.

  Week 16 The Periodic Table, perhaps a brief look at nuclei and elementary particles.
Last Day of classes

Week	Monday	Wednesday	Friday
Week 1	The Principle of Relativity, Galilean transformations, and Newtonian physics. Reading: Taylor and Zafiratos Chapter 1
Week 2	Labor Day. No Classes.	Michelson-Morley experiment, Postulates of Special Relativity, time dilation. Reading: T&Z Chapter 2.1-2.4
Week 3	Length contraction, Lorentz transformations, Simultaneity and causality, velocity addition. Reading: T&Z Chapter 2.5-2.9
Week 4	Relativistic momentum, energy, mass-energy equivalence, binding energy and invariant mass. Reading: T&Z Chapter 3.1-3.6
Week 5	First Exam. Mop up Special Relativity. Quick General Relativity. Reading: T&Z Chapter 3.7-3.9
Week 6	Charge and mass quanta: Electrons, protons, neutrons... Atoms. Reading: T&Z Chapter 4
Week 7	Quantization of energy: Photons and the photelectric effect, and brief x-ray discussion. Reading: T&Z Chapter 5.1-5.3		Fall Break! No classes
Week 8	Quantization of Atomic Energy Levels: The Bohr Model and x-ray spectra. Reading: T&Z Chapter 6
Week 9	The de Broglie hypothesis, particle interference effects. Two-slit experiments. The Uncertanity Principle, amplitude and probability, the big picture of quantum dynamics. Reading: T&Z Chapter 7.
Week 10	The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Infinite square well. Reading: T&Z Chapter 8.1-8.5 Dig in and read the whole thing.Now read it all again.
Week 11	The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Expectation values, operators, the Finite square well problem. Reading: T&Z Chapter 8.6-8.8.
Week 12	The Schrodinger Equation in 1-dimension. Potential steps, reflection and transmission coefficients, Tunneling!! Reading: T&Z Chapter 9.
Week 13	The Schrodinger Equation in 2 and 3 dimensions, and for multiple particles. Bosons and Fermions. Reading: T&Z Chapter 9
Week 14	The Schrodinger Equation in 3-dimensions. The hydrogen atom, quantization of angular momentum, and spin. Reading: T&Z Chapter 9		Thanksgiving! No classes.
Week 15	The Schrodinger Equation in 3-dimensions. The hydrogen atom, quantization of angular momentum, and spin.
Week 16	The Periodic Table, perhaps a brief look at nuclei and elementary particles.		Last Day of classes