SP327 – Twentieth Century Physics
Course Outline – Fall 2015
Instructor: Professor Debora M. Katz VERSION 20OCT15
Week 1
(24 – 28 Aug)
Week 2
(31 Aug – 4 Sep)
Week 3
(7 – 11 Sep)
Week 4
(14 – 18 Sep)
Week 5
(21 – 25 Sep)
Week 6
(28 Sep– 02 Oct)
Week 7
(5 – 9 Oct)
Week 8
(12 – 16 Oct)
Week 9
(19 – 23 Oct)
Week 10
(26 Oct – 30 Oct)
Week 11
(2 – 6 Nov)
Week 12
(9 – 13 Nov)
Week 13
(16 – 20 Nov)
Week 14
(23 – 27 Nov)
Week 15
(30 Nov – 4 Dec)
Week 16
(7 - 11 Dec)
Day
T
R
T
R
Lesson
1
2
3
4
Chapter
1
2
2
2
Section(s)
1–2
1 – 2; App A
3
4–5
T
R
6
7
2
3
7-8
1-3
M
T
R
—
—
5
—
—
2
—
—
—
—
T
R
10
11
4
4
T
R
14
15
T
—
—
T
R
T
R
T
R
T
R
T
R
R
T
R
T
R
T
R
T
R
8
9
3
4
—
—
6-7
—
—
4–6
1–3
12
13
—
—
5
5
—
—
3–5
6−7
1–3
4−5
—
—
16
17
5
5
8-9
11
6
6
1− 2
2−3
7
7
1–3
4–5
18
19
20
21
22
23
—
5
5
—
—
6
7
—
Topic
Course Introduction
Einstein’s Postulates and their Consequences
The Lorentz Transformation Equations
The Twin Paradox and The Doppler Effect
Labor Day Holiday: No Classes
Monday Schedule: No Class
The Velocity Transformation Equations and Relativistic Momentum, Energy
Relativistic Momentum, Energy and Dynamics, Basic; Ideas of General Relativity
Blackbody Radiation (App C -- optional); the Photoelectric Effect and X-Rays
Catch-up or Review
Test 1: Chapter 2 (Relativity)
The Compton Effect; Pair Production; and Wave or Particle?
Electron Diffraction; Properties of Matter Waves; The Free-Particle Schrödinger Equation
The Free-Particle Schrödinger Equation ; The Uncertainty Principle; Observers
The Bohr Model of the Atom; The Uncertainty Principle and Fourier Transforms
The Schrödinger Equation; Stationary States; Well-Behaved Functions
Classical Bound States; An Infinite Potential Well
Catch-up or Review
Test 2: Chapters 3 – 4 (Waves and Particles)
6
7
A Finite Potential Well;
A Simple Harmonic Oscillator
—
—
Catch-up or Review
Test 3: Chapter 5 (1-D Bound States)
3−4
6–7
—
Expectation Values, Operators, Uncertainty; Non-stationary States;
Well-defined Observables: Eigenvalues
The Potential Step; The Potential Barrier and Tunneling
Tunneling; Alpha Decay and other Applications of Tunneling
Applications of Tunneling; Particle-Wave Propagation
Thanksgiving: 26 – 27 Nov
The Schrödinger Equation in Three Dimensions; Degeneracy; Spectral lines in Hydrogen
The Schrödinger Equation for Central Forces
The Hydrogen Atom
Test 4: Chapters 6 – 7 (Unbound States; H atom)