This is the fourth semester of a three-semester, calculus-based physics sequence. The required prerequisites are Physics I, II and III. We will cover quantum mechanics and special relativity, and their applications to particle physics, nuclear physics, atomic physics, solid-state physics, and astrophysics. Prerequisites: PS 250 or 219, MA 345.
Required
Text: Modern Physics, 3rd edition,
by Thornton and Rex
Recommended Texts: University
Physics,
11th edition, by Young and Freedman.
Modern Physics,
2nd
edition,
by
Krane.
Twentieth Century Physics,
by Reynolds
Recommended Hypertext: Hyperphysics
See the syllabus
for more detailed information.
What is physics?
What is required to succeed in physics?
What should you be able to do after this
course?
How to study - by students,
by
Carl Wieman, Nobelist
How to read textbooks - Lang,
Sivjee
How to solve problems - Hubsch, Reynolds - (also see Know Thy
Math
by Tristan Hubsch)
How to
take tests
How
to
get
a
good
grade - Wiesenfeld
Weak Force
The
weak force and quark mixing
A modern Rutherford-type
experiment
The CERN Courier
Special
Relativity from CERN
Satellite finder -- Heavens
Above
Niels Bohr: The
Atomic
Theory
and
the
Fundamental
Principles
Underlying
the
Description
of
Nature
The information
philosopher
The history
behind
Rutherford's
experiment
and
the
atom
Rutherford's original
paper on the scattering of alpha-particles
electric
dipoles
magnetic
dipole
moments
Compton's original
paper on the Compton effect
irreverent view of physics
Bismuth
decay
Gell-Mann
interview
Discovery
of
Sigma
(bottom)
baryons
Discovery of
Elements 116 and 118
Discovery
of the Upsilon
(b-bbar meson)
The nuclear valley of
stability
plot from Meyerhoff
Greek alphabet
-
MEMORIZE!
nuclide
chart
history
of
particle
physics - with collection of original
articles
nuclear
spin
Moseley's
original plot
selected topics in the history
of
physics
Quantum
mechanical "reality"
Symmetry
and
Degeneracy
History
of
Atomic
Physics - with original
articles
Fission by Meitner
and
Frisch
Heisenberg's
Indeterminacy Principle
Phase
and
group
velocity
Reasonable
doubt
Burden
of proof
The
case
FOR
Millikan
Philosophy of science - review of
Popper
Nobel
prizes - Millikan's
lecture
The electromagnetic spectrum
The ultraviolet dayglow spectrum
Cosmic
Rays
Frisch and Smith 1963 paper
Arthur C. Clarke's Three
Laws
Other Modern Physics Web sites
Univ
Virginia
Univ
Cincinnati - (for
engineers)
List
of
course
web
sites
Epistemology
and
Modern
Physics
Colorado
School
of
Mines
Listening to lectures is not enough. All processes of learning are somehow connected to active participation, and the learning of physics is no exception. Therefore, it is imperative that you work diligently at your own desk. However, this does not mean that you should only work alone. I encourage you to form study groups and collaborate with your classmates.
"Modern Physics" textbooks in the
ERAU library:
Modern
physics
for
scientists
and
engineers / Stephen T. Thornton,
Andrew Rex. - QC21.3 .T467 2006
Modern
physics
&
technology
for
undergraduates / Lorcan M. Folan
& Vladimir I. Tsifrinovich, Gennady P. Berman. - QC23.2 .F65 2003
The
six
core
theories
of
modern
physics / Charles F. Stevens. -
QC21.2 .S688 1995
Concepts
of
modern
physics / Arthur Beiser. 4th ed. - QC21.2 .B448 1987
Schaum’s
outline
of
theory
and
problems
of
modern
physics / Ronald
Gautreau, William Savin. - QC32 .G34 1999
"Modern Physics" textbooks in my
office:
Modern
physics, by Bernstein, Fishbane, and Gasiorowicz - office
Modern
physics, by Tipler and Llewellen - office
These textbooks are more advanced
and provide material for
further study:
Quantum
Physics, by Robert Eisberg and Robert Resnick - office
Elements
of
Nuclear
Physics, by Walter Meyerhof - office
The
following three books by Abraham Pais
give a detailed (i.e., advanced) history of modern physics:
Subtle
is
the
Lord, by Abraham Pais - QC16.E5 P35 2005 An excellent technical biography of
Albert Einstein.
Inward
Bound, by Abraham Pais - office
Niels
Bohr's
Times, by Abraham Pais - QC773 .P35 1991 - biography
Books with an historical and
philosophical perspective:
Pauli's Exclusion Principle,
by Michela Massimi - QC 174.17 .P3 M37 2005
The following books are at a
senior or first-year graduate level:
Modern
Elementary Particle Physics, by Gordon Kane - QC 793.2
.K36 1987
The
Ideas of Particle Physics, by Coughlan - QC 793.2 .D6 1991
Elementary
Particle Physics, by Kallen - QC 721 .K18
Elementary
Particles, by Hughes - QC 793.2 .H83 1985
Particle
Physics, by Martin and Shaw - QC 793.2 .M38 1992
Quantum
Mechanics, by Ernest Abers - QC 174.12 .A24 2004
The
Conceptual Development of Quantum Mechanics, by Max
Jammer - QC 174.1 .J26 1989 - for those interested in the philosophical
problems of QM.
Elementary Quantum
Mechanics, by Peter Fong - QC 174.1 .F63
Elementary Quantum
Mechanics, by Neville Mott - QC 174.1 .M64
Encounters with Einstein, by
Werner Heisenberg - Q 175 .H393113 1989 - A coneptual discussion of
particle physics and quantum mechanics.
These books have varying
degrees of technical information and
commentary:
Lise
Meitner
and
the
Dawn
of
the
Nuclear
Age, by Patricia Rife
- QC 774 .M4 R54 1999 -
biography
Lise
Meitner:
A
Life
in
Physics, by Ruth Lewin Sime - QC 774
.M4 S56 1996 - biography. An excellent book written by a
chemist.
The technical aspects can be
easily understood by a
physics major, and her story is incredibly compelling.
The
Classical
Atom, by Friedman and Sartori - QC 174.1 O7 - Discussions
of atomism from the 19th century and early 20th century.
Landmark
Experiments
in
Twentieth
Century
Physics, by George Trigg -
Good
Dover
paperback
that
explains
in
detail
modern
physics
experiments.
The
World
of
the
Atom, ed. Henry A Boorse and Lloyd Motz - QC 173.B56 (2 vols)
Excellent reprints
from Lucretius to Einstein concerning the existence of atoms and
subatomic particles.
From
X-Rays
to
Quarks, by Emilio
Segre - QC 7.S44 1980
Enrico
Fermi, by Emilio
Segre - QC 16 .F46 S4
Quantum
Profiles, Bernstein. QC 174.12 .B464 1991
Perspectives
in
Modern
Physics, Essays in honor of Hans Bethe's 60th
birthday, edited by R.E. Marshak - QC
774.B4
M3.
Mostly advanced articles,
but some nice reminscences and anecdotes.
An
Interpretive
Introduction
to
Quantum
Field
Theory
from
X-Rays
to
Quarks, Paul Teller - QC
174.45 .T45 1995
Call numbers are for the Jack R. Hunt
Library .
"office" indicates that it is available for loan in my office.
Problems are the cutting
edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call
forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and
our wisdom. It is only because of our problems that we grow mentally
and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human
spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve
problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our
children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting problems that
we learn.
- Morgan Scott Peck