Physics 201: Modern Physics

Fall 2018 Course schedule (updated 9/14/2018)

Week

Material covered

Homework assignment

Reading

assignment

8/29-8/301

(short week)

Introduction,  Relativity (SMM, Chapter 1)
Introductory slides (8/29)
Time dilation/length contraction (8/31)

No homework

Michelson-Morley Experiments (due 9/03)
Interferometer calculations (8/31)
Original Michelson paper

9/03-9/07

Relativity I (SMM, Chapter 1)
Clock synchronization (9/03)
Lorentz transformations (9/05)
Three-clock photos (9/07)
Train and Tunnel paradox (video)

Homework #1

Due 9/07

Solutions

Time travel (due 9/10)
Minkowski space-time(9/07)
Twin paradox (video)

9/10-9/14

Relativity I (SMM, Chapter 1)
Space-time (cont) (9/10)

(college closed 9/10-9/16)

Homework #2

Due 9/17

Solutions

No assignment (due to college closing)

9/17-9/21

Relativistic Doppler effect
Optical relativistic effects
MIT's "A slower speed of light" game

Relativistic dynamics, nuclear reactions, elementary particles (SMM, Chapters 2,15)
Relativistic energy and momentum (9/19)
Relativistic collisions (9/21)

Homework #3

Due 9/21

Solutions

Einstein as a Celebrity (due 9/24)

9/24-9/28

Emergence of quantum (SMM, Chapter 3)
First quantum effects (9/24,26)

Midterm test #1 (9/28) Solutions

Practice test 1: with solutions

Practice test 2: with solutions

No homework

No assignment

10/01-10/05

Quantum theory of light (SMM, Chapter 3)
Wave-particle duality for light (10/01)
Photon wave function (10/03)
Uncertainty principle (10/05)

Homework #4

Due 10/05

Solutions

Early quantum theories (due 10/08)

10/08-10/12

Quantization of matter (SMM, Chapters 5,6)
Energy quantization (10/08)
Shrodinger equation (10/10)
Time-dependent quantum states (10/12)
Neutrino oscillations (10/12)
PhET simulation: bound states
Quantum Chess!

Homework #5

Due 10/12

Solutions

First steps of Quantum Mechanics (due 10/17)

10/15-10/19

Fall break

Schrödinger equation: bound states (SMM, Chapter 6)
Finite potential well (10/17)
Simple harmonic oscillator (10/19)

Homework #6

Due 10/19

Solutions

Manhattan project (due Oct. 22)

10/22-10/26

Schrödinger equation: reflection and scattering (SMM, Chapter 7)
Measurements in quantum physics (10/22)
Quantum tunneling (10/24)
Above-barrier motion (10/26)
General solutions for Schrodinger equation

Homework #7

Due 10/26

Solutions

The responsibility of the scientist (Due Oct. 29)

10/29-11/02

Atomic energy levels (SMM, Chapter 8)
3D quantum box (10/29)
Hydrogen atom (10/31)
1D quantum review (11/02)

Midterm test #2 (11/02) Solutions

Practice midterm 1

Practice midterm 2

No homework

No assignment

11/05-11/09

Extra credit presentations (Due 11/30)

Electron spin and quantum statistics

(SMM, Chapters 9, 10)
Angular momentum quantization (11/5)
Magnetic properties of atoms (11/7)
Spin and quantum statistics (11/09)

Homework #8

Due 11/09

Solutions

Original EPR paper (Due 11/12)
Stern-Gerlach experiment: history

11/12-11/16

Atomic and molecular structure (SMM, Chapters 11)
Vibrational and rotational molecular spectra (11/12)
Covalent bonding (11/14)
Fermi energy and Drude model of conductivity (11/16)
Molecular/solid energy level simulator

Homework #9

Due 11/16

Solutions

Quantum Mechanics and the Nature of Physical Reality (Due 11/19)
Link to the original EPR, Bell and ADR papers

11/19-11/23

Solids (SMM, Chapter 12)
Quantum theory of conductivity (11/19)

Thanksgiving break

No homework

No assignment

11/26-11/30

Subatomic Physics (SMM, Chapters 13, 15)
Nuclear structure (11/26)
Nuclear reactions (11/28)
Quark model (11/30)

Homework #10

Due 11/30

Solutions

Big Science (Due 12/03)

12/03-12/07

Subatomic Physics (SMM, Chapters 13, 15)
Quantum Electrodynamics (12/03)
Antiparticles (12/05)
Standard model (12/07)

Homework #11

Due 12/07

Solutions

Optional extra credit: Next Big Thing (Due 12/15)

12/11

Final exam Solutions (2.00-5.00 pm) in Small 110
Pre-final review (12/10)

Preliminary equation sheet

Practice exam 1: no solutions

Practice exam 1: with solutions

Practice exam 2: no solutions

Practice exam 2: with solutions