Waves and Modern Physics

4.0 credits

Third semester of a three-course sequence for students planning to majoring in physics, other physical sciences and engineering. Wave motion, physical optics, special relativity, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, X-rays, wave properties of particles. Schrdinger's equation applied to a particle in a box, penetration of a barrier, the hydrogen atom, the harmonic oscillator, the uncertainty principle, Rutherford scattering, the time-dependent Schrdinger equation and radioactive transitions, many electron atoms and molecules, statistical mechanics and selected topics in solid state physics, nuclear physics and particle physics. In addition to Two 75-minutes lectures each week, One workshop each week and One three-hour laboratory every other week is required. Laboratory and workshop registration is at the same time as the course registration. Students should register for the PHYS 083 lab.