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 Texts: Twentieth Century
Physics, by Reynolds
From X-Rays to Quarks, by Segre
Recommended Texts: University
Physics, 11th edition, by Young and Freedman.
Modern
Physics, 2nd edition, by Krane.
Modern Physics, 3rd edition, by
Thornton and Rex.
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
(derivation of
Bragg's Law)
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
