This is a pre-calculus course covering fundamental
topics in Electricity and Magnetism, Optics and Nuclear Physics.
ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM (22 lectures)
Definition of point charge. Coulomb’s law. The electric field
E. Force on a charge q in electric field E. Electric potential.
Charge q traversing electric potential 'delta' V. Definition of
the electron volt. Electric potential energy. Charge q in a conducting
sphere. Resulting E and V.
Capacitors. Q = CV. Capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor
and the electric field between charged plates. Dielectrics. Energy
stored in a charged capacitor and energy density in terms of E.
Capacitors in series and parallel.
Ohm’s law. Resistors in series and parallel. Emf, internal
resistance and terminal potential difference of a battery. Kirchhoff’s
laws and applications. Wheatstone bridge.
Electric power for DC and AC voltages.
Force on current-carrying wire in a magnetic field. Definition of
magnetic field B. Force due to B on charge q moving with velocity
v. B due to a long straight current-carrying wire and a solenoid.
Force between current-carrying conductors. Definition of the Coulomb
and Ampere.
Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. Lenz’s law.
Motional emf. The inductance L. Energy stored in an inductor and
energy density in terms of B. Electric generators.
Logic gates and their truth tables. P-type and n-type semiconductors.
Diodes.
OPTICS (9 lectures)
Light as electromagnetic wave. Wavefronts and rays.
Laws of reflection. Refraction of light. Index of refraction.
Snell’s law. Total internal relection and the critical angle.
Examples of application of TIR.
Thin converging and diverging lenses. Image formation by lenses
using ray diagrams. Linear magnification. Derivation of the lens
equation and sign convention.
Lenses in combination.
Anatomy of the human eye. Image formation by the eye of
objects at varying distances. Defects of vision
(nearsightedness and farsightedness) and their correction
by lenses.
Angular magnification. Simple and compound microscopes and their
angular magnification. Astronomical and Galilean telescope and angular
magnification.
NUCLEAR PHYSICS (5 lectures)
Nuclear model of the atom
Geiger-Marsden experiment. Nuclear structure. Binding energy and
mass defect. Atomic mass unit. Nuclear stability and natural radioactivity.
Fission and fusion.
Radioactivity
Radioactive decay and its equation. Activity. Radioactive dating.
Medical and other applications of radioactivity. X-ray production
and spectrum. Simple radioactive detectors.
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