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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Physics and Astronomy : Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Undergraduate Course: Physics 2B (PHYS08023)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) Credits20
Home subject areaUndergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy) Other subject areaNone
Course website WebCT Taught in Gaelic?No
Course description*** Course discontinued as of 2012/13***

This course provides an introduction to the tools, concepts and phenomena associated with the physics of the microscopic world. The course incorporates an introductory module on experimental physics; it is supported by a programme of tutorial workshops.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites Students MUST also take: Physics 2A (PHYS08022)
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of the Experimental Physics unit you should:
1) have learned how to keep a lab notebook
2) be able to combine errors in individual measurements
3) be able to fit a straight line to experimental data using least-squares methods & hence obtain the gradient, y-axis intercept & their uncertainties
4) have learned how to write up your experimental work as a scientific report

At the end of this course of lectures you should:

5) be familiar with the gaseous, liquid & solid phases of matter.

6) appreciate the universality of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for systems in thermal equilibrium

7) understand how quantities such as latent heat, critical temperature, surface tension, compressibility, elasticity & thermal expansion can be related to the parameters of the inter atomic/molecular potential

8) understand the zeroth & first laws of thermodynamics & the concepts of internal energy, heat & work

9) understand the concept of electric field, Gauss's Law, and potential associated with charges and perform calculations in simple gemoetries.

10) understand capacitance in simple geometries, effect of polar dielectrics and RC circuits.

11) understand the concept of magnetic fields and forces of moving charges and currents,

12)understrand the relation between current and magnetic field inclduing Bio-Savert and Ampere's Laws and perform calcualtions for simple geometries.

13) understand the concept of induction including Faraday and Lenz's Law and perform cauclations in simple geometries.

14) state Maxwell's Laws in inegral form and explain their relations to laws of electro-magnetism.

15) qualitatively describe the magnetic properties of materials and the physical basis behind them.


16) be familiar with the failures of classical physics & how they relate to the early motivation for quantum theory

17) be able to state and appreciate the consequences of the key paradigm-shifting notions of early quantum theory such as the deBroglie Hypothesis & the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

18) be able to discuss the early models of atomic structure & their relation to optical spectra

19) be able to write down the time-dependent & - independent Schrodinger wave eqn & state why the latter has the structure of an eigenvalue eqn

20) be able to apply formal wave mechanics (through the Schrodinger eqn) to a range of fundamental problems concerning scattering & bound states.
Assessment Information
Weekly assignments, 15%
Experimental laboratory, 15%
Degree Examination, 70%
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Properties of Matter
1. Foundations of Matter: Atoms, molecules, bonding, net interaction between molecules, the Lennard-Jones potential

2. States of Matter: Phase behaviour of a simple substance, pVT diagrams, phase changes, critical point and triple point

3. Heat and Thermodynamics: The concept of temperature (the zeroth law),
heat and work, internal energy, the first law, heat capacities

4. The Gaseous State: ideal gases and equations of state, kinetic theory, Boltzmann factor, Maxwell speed distribution, degrees of freedom, equipartition and probability, non-ideal gases, mean free path, effective collision cross section, survival equations of state

5. The Liquid State: Structure of liquids, radial distribution function,
vapour pressure, surface energy, capillarity

6. The Crystalline State: the lattice and basis, crystal planes and directions, common crystal structure, Braggs law and x-ray crystallography, elasticity, thermal expansion, tensile strength


Electricity and Magnetism:
1. Coulomb's Law and Electric Charge the interaction force between point charges, comparison with the gravitational force.


2. Electric Field definition of an electric field, electric field lines, electric field due to a point charge, principle of superposition of fields, fields due to an assembly of point charges, continuous distributions of charge and fields due to a continuous distribution of charge. Electric field from charged ring, charged disc and infinite charged sheets.

3. Electric Flux and Gaussian Surfaces Gauss's Law for electric fields, calculation of electric fields using Gauss's Law, conductors and electric fields, the Faraday's Cage.

4. Electric Potential and Potential Difference conservative electrostatic force, equipotential surfaces and contours, electric potential due to a point charge, principle of superposition of electric potentials, potential due to an assembly of point charges, potential due to continuous distributions of charge, concept of image charges in simple geometries, the relationship between electric field strength and potential, conductors and electric potential.

5. Capacitance and Electrostatic Potential Energy definition of capacitance, capacitance of basic systems, overviews of dielectric materials, capacitors in parallel and series, potential energy in a capacitor, review of current flow, charge and discharge of capacitors, concept of RC circuits.

6. Magnetic Force Law magnetic force acting on a moving point charge, Lorentz force law, motion of a charge in a uniform magnetic field, cyclotron principle, force on a current-carrying wire, torque on a current loop, principle of the electric motor.


7. Production of Magnetic Fields magnetic field lines, magnetic flux, magnetic field due to a current element, the Biot-Savart Law, calculation of the magnetic field on the central axis of a circular current loop, Ampere's Law, calculation of the magnetic field from a solenoid, calculation of the magnetic field due to an infinitely long straight wire, magnetic force between two parallel wires, definition of units of charge and current.

8. Time Dependence Magnetic Fields Experimental evidence of induction, Magnetic Flux, Faraday'' Law of electromagnetic induction, Lenz's Law, induced emf's and electric fields, Maxwell's Law of induction, vinductance and inductors, resistor inductor circuits, the energy stored in a magnetic field and mutual inductance between coil effect on inductance.

9. Magnetic Materials, Basic (classical) description of diamagnetisn, paramagnetism and ferrormagnetism and why certain meterials have a permanent magnetic field. Descriptive basis of the Earth's magnetic field.

10. Maxwell's Equations Gauss's Law for magnetic fields, summary of Maxwell's Equations in integral form, also state in differential form. Summary of future topics.


Quantum
1. Particle properties of radiation: Blackbody radiation. Photoelectric effect. Compton effect.

2. Wave-particle properties of matter: Davisson-Germer experiment. Double-slit experiment.

3. Wavefunction. Probability interpretation. Uncertainty principle.

4. Models of atoms: Thomson and Rutherford models. Bohr model. Atomic spectra.

5. De Broglie waves. Binding energy. Franck-Hertz experiment.

6. Time Dependent Schrodinger equation.

7. Born interpretation: Probability. Observables and operators. The Hamiltonian.

8. Time independent Schrodinger equation: Eigenfunctions and eigenvalues. Boundary conditions.

9. Outcomes of measurements: Expectation values. Ehrenfest theorem.

10. Solutions of Schrodinger equation for unbound states: Free particle. Low and high energy step. Reflection and transmission coefficients. Barrier penetration

11. Solutions of Schrodinger equation for bound states: Quantisation of energy. 1D square well. 1D quantum harmonic oscillator. 3D infinite square well.
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Properties of Matter: D Tabor, Gases, Liquids and Solids, Edition 3, Cambridge Univesrity Press.

Electromagnetism: Resnick, Halliday and Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Edition 8 or 9


Quantum: AP French & EF Taylor, An Introduction to Quantum Physics, CRC Press.

Mathematical Background: KF Riley, MP Hobson & SJ Bence, Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering, Cambridge University Press.
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsP2B
Contacts
Course organiserProf Malcolm Mcmahon
Tel: (0131 6)50 5956
Email: M.I.McMahon@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Jillian Bainbridge
Tel: (0131 6)50 7218
Email: J.Bainbridge@ed.ac.uk
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