Physics D: Modern

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The fourth semester of a four-semester sequence in general physics, concentrating on the foundations of quantum physics. Topics include: the breakdown of classical physics and the arguments for quantum mechanics; wave mechanics and the Schroedinger equation; properties of atoms; interactions of electromagnetic fields with atoms; atomic structure and atomic spectra; fine structure and Zeeman effect; multiplet analysis; exclusion principle, periodic table and spectra of multi-electron atoms; and an introduction to the statistics of quantum mechanical systems. This course is intended primarily for physics majors but is open to other qualified students.