Physics 202: Modern Physics
Spring Semester, 2015
Course Syllabus
Instructor: Prof. C. L. Chien (the middle initial is crucial)
Office:
Bloomberg 307
Tel:
410-516-8092
email:
clc@pha.jhu.edu
Office Hours: Mondays, 2-4 PM, or by appointment
TA:
Yongjie Xin
Office:
Bloomberg 421
Tel:
443-691-0286
e-mail
yongjie@pha.jhu.edu yongjiexin3@gmail.com
Office Hours: Fridays 1 - 3 PM
Course Website: http://www.pha.jhu.edu/courses/171_202 (to be determined)
Overview: Modern Physics is the fourth course in the four-semester introductory
sequence for physics majors. Its purpose is to provide an introduction to modern physics,
the development of quantum mechanics and its applications in atomic physics, nuclear
physics, solid-state physics, particle physics and other topics.
Prerequisites: Physics 171.201 or permission of the instructor; Calculus III.
Corequisites: Multi-variable calculus, some differential equations, linear algebra, partial
differential equations.
Class Schedule:
Lectures:
Conference:
Mon., Wed., Fri. 11-12AM
Tues. 1:30-2:20 or TBD
Bloomberg 274
Bloomberg 274
Required Textbooks:
1. K. Krane, Modern Physics, 2nd edition, Wiley (ISBN: 0-471-82872-6)
2. Eisberg and Resnick, Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and
Particles 2nd ed., Wiley (1985) (ISBN 0-471-87373-X)
Other Textbooks:
1. J. Bernstein, P. Fishbane, and S. Gasiorowicz, Modern Physics, Prentice Hall
(ISBN: 0-13-955311-8)
2. R. Harris, Nonclassical Physics, Addison Wesley (1998) (ISBN 0-201-83436-7)
3. P. Tipler and R. Llewellyn, Modern Physics (3rd Ed.) Freeman (ISBN:1-57259-164-1)
Modern Physics by Krane is the main textbook. The book by Eisberg and Resnick, for a
one-year course, is an excellent reference book and everyone should have a copy.
Tipler's book is very well written but less challenging.
Make-up classes:
Occasionally, I need to be out of town. We’ll find other hours for make-up classes, or I’ll
ask someone to take my class.
We need to settle the time for the other hours for make-up classes.
e-mail addresses: We communicate by e-mail. We need everyone’s e-mail address.
1
Requirements and Grading:
When
Weekly
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
TBA
Homework
Midterm exam
Final Exam
%of grade
25
25
50
Homework: Problems will be assigned from textbooks or other sources.
Homework will be assigned in class or posted on the web. You have at least one week to
complete before handing them usually on Tuesdays in conference. Solution sets will be
available in conference or on the course’s website shortly after the due date.
Policy on Collaboration: Doing the homework is crucial to learning the material in this
class. Working together can be useful and productive, and hence is not forbidden,
provided that all parties put in equal efforts. It is strongly recommended that you not
collaborate until you have each thought about and tried the homework. Outright copying
of other's homework is not allowed. If you do not put this effort in on your own, you will
not learn the material, and it will be readily apparent on the exams.
The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. In this
course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on
exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic
devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and
falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition.
Report any violations you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate
dean of students and/or the chairman of the Ethics Board beforehand. See the guide
on “Academic Ethics for Undergraduates” and the Ethics Board web site
(http://ethics.jhu.edu) for more information.
Sickness Precaution: Do not come to class if you have symptoms of infectious deceases.
Physics 171.202
Modern Physics, Spring 2015
Approximate Schedule
Week
0
Dates
Reading
Krane 1-2
Topics
Introduction and Special relativity
1
1/26-30
Krane 3 (ER 1,2)
2
Wave-particle duality of light
2
2/2-2/6
Krane 4 (ER 3)
Wave-particle duality of particles
3
2/9-13
Krane 6 (ER 4)
Rutherford/Bohr atoms
4
2/16-20
Krane 5 (ER 5,6)
Schrödinger Equation
5
2/23-27
Krane 7 (ER 7)
Hydrogen Atom
6
3/2-6
Krane 8 (ER 8,9)
Multi-electron atoms
7
3/9-13
Krane 8 (ER 10)
Multi-electron atoms
Mid-Term Exam: March 10 (Tuesday), 2015 (KRANE 3-7)
3/16-20
Spring Break
8
3/23-27
Krane 9 (ER 12)
Molecules
9
3/30-4/3
Krane 10 (ER 11)
Statistical Mechanics
10
4/6-10
Krane 11 (ER 13,14) Solid state physics
11
4/13-17
Krane 12 (ER 15)
Nuclear physics
12
4/20-24
Krane 13 (ER 16)
Nuclear reactions
13
4/27-5/1
Krane 14,15 (ER 17,18) Particles/Astrophysics
or contingency.
14
5/4-5/6
15.
Final Exam May 6-14, 2015
Reading Period
(EB) = Eisberg and Resnick
3