This is a calculus-based physics course covering the basic laws and phenomena in Modern Physics.
1. Bohr Atom: Spectral series for hydrogen, Bohr’s postulates, derivation of energy levels, blackbody radiation and quantized energy levels (qualitative).
2. Waves and Corpuscles: Wave-particle duality; photo-electric effect; Compton-effect; energy, momentum and wavelength of a photon, de Broglie’s equation, wave function, particle in a box.
3. Special Relativity: Galilean relativity; Einstein postulates; Lorentz transformation; simultaneity; time dilation; length contraction; derivation of velocity transformations, the equation E2 = p2c2 + mo2c4 and its applications.
4. Particle Physics and the Big Bang: Elementary particles; Three groups; Conservation Laws; Eightfold way; Quarks; Fundamental interactions and their unification; The standard model; The history of the universe.
After completing this course, students should be able to:
Required Textbook:
Halliday, Resnick, and Walker; “Fundamentals of Physics Extended”; 8th Edition, 2007; ISBN 978-0-471-75801-3
Reference Textbook:
Serway Moses and Moyer, “Modern Physics”, 3rd Edition, 2004.ISBN-10: 0534493394
Internet Sources:
1. Online lectures: http://academicearth.org/courses/fundamentals-of-physics
2. Online tutorials: http://www.dmoz.org/Science/Physics/Education/Tutorials/
Online Vides/Simulations:
1. http://www.pitt.edu/~jdnorton/teaching/HPS_0410/chapters/Special_relativity_rel_sim
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