Undergraduate Course: Methods of Mathematical Physics (PHYS10034)
Course Outline
| School |
School of Physics and Astronomy |
College |
College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type |
Standard |
Availability |
Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) |
SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits |
10 |
| Home subject area |
Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) |
Other subject area |
None |
| Course website |
None |
|
|
| Course description |
A course on advanced methods of mathematical physics. The course aims to demonstrate the utility and limitations of a variety of powerful calculational techniques and to provide a deeper understanding of the mathematics underpinning theoretical physics. The course will review and develop the theory of: complex analysis and applications to special functions; asymptotic expansions; ordinary and partial differential equations, in particular, characteristics, integral transform and Green function techniques; Dirac delta and generalised functions; Sturm-Liouville theory. The generality of approaches will be emphasised and illustrative examples from electrodynamics, quantum and statistical mechanics will be given. |
Entry Requirements
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Complex Variable & Differential Equations (MATH10033)
|
Co-requisites |
|
| Prohibited Combinations |
|
Other requirements |
At least 80 credit points accrued in courses of SCQF Level 9 or 10 drawn from Schedule Q.
|
| Additional Costs |
None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | 14:00 - 14:50 | | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 14:00 - 14:50 | | | King's Buildings | Tutorial | | 1-11 | | 14:00 - 15:50 | | | |
| First Class |
Week 1, Monday, 14:00 - 14:50, Zone: King's Buildings. JCMB |
| Additional information |
Workshop/tutorial sessions, as arranged. |
|
| Delivery period: 2010/11 Semester 1, Part-year visiting students only (VV1)
|
WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
| Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
| King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | 14:00 - 14:50 | | | | | | King's Buildings | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | 14:00 - 14:50 | |
| First Class |
First class information not currently available |
| Additional information |
Workshop/tutorial sessions, as arranged. |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course a student should be able to:
1)define and derive convergent and asymptotic series
2)apply techniques of complex analysis, such as contour integrals and analaytic continuation, to the study of special functions of mathematical physics
3)calculate approximations to integrals by appropriate saddle point methods
4)define and manipulate the Dirac Delta and other distributions and be able to derive their various properties
5)be fluent in the use of Fourier and Laplace transformations to solve differential equations and derive asymptotic properties of solutions
6)solve partial differential equations with appropriate initial or boundary conditions with Green function techniques
7)have confidence in solving mathematical problems arising in physics by a variety of mathematical techniques |
Assessment Information
Degree Examination, 100%
Visiting Student Variant Assessment
Degree Examination, 100% |
| Please see Visiting Student Prospectus website for Visiting Student Assessment information |
Special Arrangements
| Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser |
Dr Davide Marenduzzo
Tel:
Email: dmarendu@ph.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary |
Mrs Linda Grieve
Tel: (0131 6)50 5254
Email: linda.grieve@ed.ac.uk |
|
copyright 2010 The University of Edinburgh -
1 September 2010 6:34 am
|
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