PHYSICS 215
Thermodynamics
and Modern Physics
Lecturer:
Bernard Pope
Lectures:
3:00 – 3:50 p.m., MTWTh, Room 1420 BPS
Office Hours:
3233 BPS Building,
884-5582
popeb@msu.edu
to be arranged.
Textbooks: Physics for Scientists and Engineers,
Fishbane, Gasiorowicz and Thornton, (FGT)
(chapters 17-20) or equivalent.
Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers,
Thornton and Rex, 3rd edition.
Course Info:
Course information will be posted at
http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/PHY215/.
Homework: There will be a weekly homework assignment.
Homework will be due on Tuesdays (for the previous week’s
assigned material). Late homework will not be accepted.
Solutions to the previous week’s homework problems will be
posted on the course web site.
This week’s homework will be due next Thursday (9/8)
Reading:
Students are expected to read the chapters
listed in the course schedule prior to each lecture. In-class
quizzes will often require an understanding of the contents
of the chapter. A re-reading of the chapter after the
lecture is recommended.
Quizzes:
There will be unannounced quizzes during
lectures, using the iClicker system. Completing the in-class
clicker questions can earn you up to 5% extra credit. You will
get 2 points for a correct answer and 1 point for an
incorrect answer. A total of 80% of the total clicker points
will give you the full 5% extra credit. You cannot get more
than 5% extra credit.
Exams:
There will be three Midterm exams and one
Final exam. All exams are closed book.
Grades:
The final grades will be calculated from the
homework assignments (25%), the three midterms (15%
each) and the final exam (30%).
Plan to spend about 12 hours per week on Physics 215:4 hours lectures, 4 hours homework, 4 hours reading.
Course Schedule
Physics 215
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Course Schedule
Dates
Wed 8/29 - Thur 8/30
Monday, Sept 3
Tue 9/4 - Thur 9/6
Mon 9/10 - Thur 9/13
Mon 9/17 - Thur 9/20
Thursday, Sept 20
Mon 9/24 - Thur 9/27
Mon 10/1 - Thur 10/4
Mon 10/8 - Thur 10/11
Mon 10/15 - Thur 10/18
Thursday, Oct 18
Mon 10/22 - Thur 10/25
Mon 10/29 - Thur 11/1
Mon 11/5 - Thur 11/8
Mon 11/12 - Thur 11/15
Thursday, Nov 15
Mon 11/19 - Wed 11/21
Thursday, Nov 22
Mon 11/26 - Thur 11/29
Mon 12/3 - Thur 12/6
Tuesday, December 11
Topics
Introduction, Heat
No class (Labor Day)
Kinetic Theory
Thermodynamics
The Birth of Modern Physics
First Midterm Exam
Special Relativity
Photons
Atomic Structure
Waves
Second Midterm Exam
Quantum Theory
The Hydrogen Atom
Many-Electron Atoms
Nuclear Properties
Third Midterm Exam
Nuclear Interactions
No class (Thanksgiving)
Elementary Particles
Cosmology
Final Exam, 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Chapters in Book
FGT 17
Fall 2012
Homework
Assignment
Set 1, Due Thur 9/6
FGT 18
FGT 19, 20
Thornton & Rex 1
Covers Weeks 1-4
Thornton & Rex 2
Thornton & Rex 3
Thornton & Rex 4
Thornton & Rex 5
Covers Weeks 5-8
Thornton & Rex 6
Thornton & Rex 7
Thornton & Rex 8
Thornton & Rex 12
Covers Weeks 9-12
Thornton & Rex 13
Set 2, Due Tue 9/11
Set 3, Due Tue 9/18
Set 4, Due Tue 9/25
Thornton & Rex 14
Thornton & Rex 16
Covers entire course
Set 14, Due Tue 12/4
Set 5, Due Tue 10/2
Set 6, Due Tue 10/9
Set 7, Due Tue 10/16
Set 8, Due Tue 10/23
Set 9, Due Tue 10/30
Set 10, Due Tue 11/6
Set 11, Due Tue 11/13
Set 12, Due Tue 11/20
Set 13, Due Tue 11/27