Modern Physics II

Main text: Modern Physics, 2^nd edition, by Kenneth Krane

Secondary texts: The New World of Mr. Tompkins, by George Gamow and Russell Stannard

Class meetings: two or three times a week in SEB 205 as schedules allow
Course web page: http://physics.mercer.edu/Balduz/ModPhys

Instructor: Dr. Jose L. Balduz Jr.

email: balduz_jl@mercer.edu

office: SEB 205, phone: 478- 301-2229

office hours: MW 2-4pm, F 2-3pm, or by appointment, or try your luck anytime...

This course is the second in the two-semester sequence PHY 305/306 Modern Physics I/II, which introduces the student to the main developments of twentieth-century century physics. It is intended primarily for physics majors, but should be of interest also to many other students, especially those majoring in chemistry, computer science, engineering and mathematics. Prerequisite is PHY 305. This second semester will explore special relativity, as well as the physics of the very small and the very large: atoms and molecules, the atomic nucleus, elementary particles, astrophysics and cosmology.

The primary goal of this course is for students to develop conceptual understanding of these topics rather than detailed knowledge, which they may gain in more advanced courses. The secondary goal is for students to learn some of the mathematics of relativity, and to combine this with their knowledge of quantum physics to describe elementary interactions and the shape and history of the universe.

By mastering the material in the main text, students will learn to perform relativistic calculations. They will also be able to understand and explain the basic experimental results that led to replacement of classical ideas of space and time by relativity; the quantum mechanical description of atoms and molecules; the nature of the atomic nucleus and its constituents, including nuclear decays, reactions, fission and fusion, and some of their applications; the fundamental particles and their interactions, using the quark model; the conceptual and observational basis for general relativity, and its application to stellar evolution including black holes; and the big bang cosmology, including the evidence for expansion and dark matter.

Writing essays based on the supplementary text will enhance the students' conceptual understanding and their ability to explain and discuss nuclear and particle physics, special relativity, general relativity and cosmology, as well as the more challenging and picturesque aspects of applications of quantum theory...

Meetings: There will be no conventional lectures. During this time we will discuss the material and go over problems in the text, including homework. We will also read and discuss the student essays.

Homework: For each covered chapter of the main text the instructor will assign a set of homework problems (two sets for Chapter 2) to be worked by the students and handed in for grading. After the papers are collected, a solution sheet will be provided. Altogether, there will be ten homework sets; they will count for 50% of the total grade.

Exam A (Take-home): This will be on special relativity. It will contain primarily numerical problems and derivations, but also some conceptual questions. It will count for 10% of the total grade.

Gamow Essays: Certain days (6) will be primarily devoted to discussion of the material from the secondary text. Before we meet on essay day, the students will write a short essay (~500 words) on the reading material and send it it to the instructor electronically; when we meet we will read the essays and discuss the material. The essays together will count for 20% of the total grade.

Final Exam: This will take place sometime during Final Exam Week (M 4/28 to Sa 5/3), and will take 3 hours. It will be mostly qualitative and open-book, will cover all the material from the main text (Ch. 2, 7-16), and will count for 20% of the total grade.

Grading: The percentage for each activity is shown in the left table below. To convert the total percent to a letter grade, use the scale shown in the right table below.

Miscellaneous policies:

If changes to this syllabus are necessary, they will be implemented after discussion and negotiation with the students. Note that the accompanying course schedule is not a part of the syllabus: it is tentative and subject to revision, including all due dates.

Essays are due at the start of the meeting on the due date: otherwise they are late. Any late homework sets, take-home tests or essays will suffer a 5% penalty per day (excluding weekends and holidays) until they are handed in: i.e., 5% on the first day, 10% on the second day...

There will be no dropped grades. All work done in the course will be counted. There will be no extra-credit work.

The College of Liberal Arts' academic misconduct policy will be followed. In addition, all students are bound by the Mercer University Honor Code.

Students are strongly encouraged to discuss with the instructors all their work during the course, regardless of their grades. Questions about point awards should be brought up as soon as possible, as all grades will be final one week after the materials are graded and returned to the students.

Students with a documented disability should inform the instructor at the close of the first class meeting or as soon as possible. If you are not registered with Disability Services, the instructor will refer you to the Student Support Services office for consultation regarding documentation of your disability and eligibility for accommodations under the ADA/504. In order to receive accommodations, eligible students must provide each instructor with a Faculty Accommodation Form from Disability Services. Students must return the completed and signed form to the Disability Services office on the 3rd floor of the Connell Student Center. Students with a documented disability who do not wish to use accommodations are strongly encouraged to register with Disability Services and complete a Faculty Accommodation Form each semester. For further information please contact Disability Services at 478-301-2778 or visit the website at http://www.mercer.edu/stu_support/swd.htm.

All requests for reasonable accommodation are welcome also in regard to absence from class for school representation (i.e., athletic or other events) or personal/family problems. Let's talk about it...