How to prepare for
year one of the
B.Sc. Physics
by part-time evening study
University College London
Department of Physics & Astronomy
Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
This Document
This document is intended to help students prepare for the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening
study. Many of the things it says are obvious, but I have thought it sensible to say them
anyway.
You may also be interested in the summer preparation courses run by Queen Mary, University
of London which include courses on Maths and Physics. The courses run from the start of July
until the end of August and if you have some free time over the summer you may find them
helpful. If you would like more information contact Sue Dunn at:
Learning Development and Continuing Education Unit
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road
London
E1 4NS
Telephone: 020 7975 5376
e-mail: s.m.dunn@qmul.ac.uk
Web: http://www.learndev.qmul.ac.uk/wp/wpsumprog.html
Malcolm Coupland
6/3/2002
Contents
Time........................................................................... 3
Money........................................................................ 5
Timetables 2002/2003 ............................................... 7
1B28 - Thermal Physics............................................. 9
1B70 - Physics Laboratory and Computing I ........... 12
1B71 - Mathematics for Physics .............................. 13
1B72 - Waves and Modern Physics......................... 18
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Time
Time is precious and will become increasingly so as you embark on this
course. In several years of conversations with students, their constant
refrain is that there is "not enough time". This is absolutely right, but
unfortunately there is generally rather little that any of us can do to increase
the amount of available time. So the best strategy for coping with this
course involves thinking about how you can best use the amount of time
available. It is of course a balancing act: balancing work (for money), work
(at the university), work (at home) and relaxation.
Notice that you will need time outside lecture hours to review what has been going on and
think about whether you understand it or not. Each course description later in this document
includes an estimate of the workload involved in each course. Looking at these tables you will
notice that we estimate that you will need to allocate roughly as much time again for private
study as you spend attending lectures. How will you find this time?
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Will you get up early one day? Or several days?
Will you work late?
Will there be some time at weekends?
Can you find a peaceful place to study?
Can you study while travelling to and from work?
Can you do some reading at lunch time?
When will prove good times to arrange tutorials?
The timetables for the course are shown later in this document, but roughly speaking they look
like this:
THURSDAY
6:00
Course A
Laboratory
Class
Course B
SATURDAY
Laboratory
Class
6:50
7:15
Course B
Course A
Note that you will only be taking one laboratory class each week. At the start of the year this is
on Thursdays, then near to the Christmas vacation the class might split into two groups
depending on the number of students: one continuing on Thursdays, the other switching to
Tuesdays.
Try making up your own timetable with your other commitments pencilled in. I've put three
blank timetables over the page for you to experiment with. They assume that you will be
taking a laboratory class on a Thursday which will indeed be the case at the start of the course.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Classes
Classes
Wednesday
Thursday
Classes
Classes
Wednesday
Thursday
Classes
Classes
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Early morning
Morning
Lunch
Afternoon
Early evening
Classes
Late evening
Middle of the
night?
Monday
Tuesday
Early morning
Morning
Lunch
Afternoon
Early evening
Classes
Late evening
Middle of the
night?
Monday
Tuesday
Early morning
Morning
Lunch
Afternoon
Early evening
Classes
Late evening
Middle of the
night?
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Money
As detailed under the Fees section of the Birkbeck Prospectus, this course costs either:
• around £800 per annum if you are self-financing; or
• A larger amount (the "full fee") if you are sponsored by your employer (but see the
Prospectus for details of discounts).
There may be financial assistance available if you are on income support or if you become
unemployed through no fault of your own while studying.
Now £800 is a good deal of money. But the "true cost" of the course is
much greater, roughly £8000 per annum, and the difference between what
you pay and what the University receives is paid by the government. This
shows just how important the community as a whole (as expressed by
government policy) views the endeavour of higher education for adults.
Two ways in particular that you can ensure that you get the full value
from the course are:
.
1. When you are lost in a lecture: ask questions. This course is put on for you and the lecturers
are used to answering questions.
2. Make sure you attend tutorials and try to make sure that you get something out of them.
For example, try bringing at least one question to the tutorials for tutorial staff to answer.
What else do you need to buy?
Calculator
Most course modules will require an electronic calculator, especially the practical course. Any
basic calculator that calls itself “scientific” (not “programmable”) will suffice initially.
However, you are only allowed certain models of calculator in the examinations; these are
currently the Casio FX83WA (battery powered version) and the Casio FX85WA (solar powered
version) which cost around £7. Such calculators can do many very useful things but only if you
learn how to use them, so make sure that you spend half an hour going through the
instruction booklet. In particular be sure you have mastered the necessary “statistical”
operations which will be described in the introductory lectures for the practical course. Do not
put yourself in the position of wasting valuable time in the laboratory merely struggling to use
your calculator. Each year some students insist on investing large amounts in sophisticated
programmable/graphical calculators. I have yet to find a student who thought they had
obtained good value from such devices.
Stationery
Stationery for the course (paper, pens, rulers, files etc.) can be obtained relatively cheaply from
the University of London Students Union Shop on Malet Street at the south end of the UCL
campus. For the laboratory course you must use dedicated laboratory notebooks and these will
be made available to you in the laboratory class. They cost £2 each for soft back and £4 each for
hard back. Your first notebook must be obtained from us since it has special pages inserted.
Thereafter you are free to obtain your own notebooks but they must have alternate pages of
lined paper and millimetre graph paper.
Computers
It is not essential for you to buy, own, or have access to a computer. However, if you do have
such access then it will be of great value to you on this course, in particular for doing the
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
computer programming tasks and writing your reports. Having an e-mail account at home
also greatly simplifies communications with the course tutor and other members of staff.
Textbooks
The most expensive items required for the course are textbooks. The textbooks required for
each course are listed under each course description. Most titles are available in the DMS
Watson UCL Science Library. You will be shown where this is in the induction week which
begins Monday September 23, 2003. Many of the recommended books can be bought through
the Department at a sizeable discount and you will receive a list during the first few weeks of
the term.
1B28 Thermal Physics
There is no single book that covers all aspects of this wide ranging course. The book with
the right physical approach is:
• The Properties of Matter by Flowers and Mendoza, published by Wiley.
Additionally the lecturer refers to:
• Physics by Serway and Beichner, published by Saunders College.
Interested students may also find solace in
• Understanding the Properties of Matter by de Podesta, published by UCL Press.
1B70 Laboratory Physics
No specific books are required but at the start of the course you will be given advice about
books in the introductory lectures which cover (a) how to handle uncertainties in
experiments, (b) how to use Word, the word processing application, and (c) how to write
computer programs in Visual Basic.
1B71 Mathematics
There are a large number of books available which cover most of the work required for this
course. Our recommendations are as follows:
Engineering Mathematics
by K.A. Stroud
Fourth Edition, Published by Macmillan
ISBN 0-333-62022-4
Approximate cost £20
This book is ideal for pre-term work and
for many, if not most, of the course topics.
However, an additional book is necessary
to cover the full 2-year mathematics
syllabus and our preferred book is…
Mathematical Methods in Physical Sciences
by Mary L. Boas
Third Edition published by John Wiley (WIE);
ISBN: 0471044091
Approximate cost £19 when purchased
through the department. Ask for details.
This
book
is
an
excellent
and
comprehensive text which will serve all
your mathematical needs throughout the
degree course and well beyond
An alternative to Boas which is slightly less comprehensive is Mathematical Methods for
Science Students by G. Stephenson (2nd edition), 1988, Addison Wesley Longman Higher
Education; ISBN: 0582444160. Approximate cost £22.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
1B72 Waves & Modern Physics
Much of the material is covered in Physics by Serway and Beichner, published by Saunders
College.
An alternative book is Fundamentals of Physics by Halliday, Resnick and Walker (Wiley).
An excellent and more advanced treatment of the modern physics part of the course is
given in Concepts of Modern Physics by Beiser (McGraw-Hill).
Timetables 2002/2003 (provisional)
Term 1: 1st Year Classes: 2002
Term runs from ................................. Monday September 23 to Friday December 13 (12 weeks)
Week 1: Induction Week .................. Monday September 23 to Thursday September 26
(normally attendance is required on only one or two evenings)
Weeks 2 to 12: Teaching Weeks ....... Monday September 30 to Thursday December 12
6:00
THURSDAY
1B71
Mathematics
6:50
7:15
From 20th
November:
Alternative
Laboratory
Class
1B28
Thermal
Physics
1B28
Thermal
Physics
SATURDAY
Laboratory
Class
1B71
Mathematics
Term 2: 1st Year Classes: 2003
Term runs from ...................................... Monday January 13
Weeks 1 to 3: Teaching Weeks .............. Monday January 13
Week 4: First Term Discussion Classes .Monday February 3
Weeks 5 to 12: Teaching Weeks ..........Monday February 10
Week 13: Second Term Discussion Classes. Monday April 7
6:00
6:50
7:15
THURSDAY
1B72
Waves &
Modern
Physics
1B72
Waves &
Modern
Physics
Alternative
Laboratory
Class
1B71
Mathematics
to
to
to
to
to
Friday March 28 (11 weeks)
Thursday January 30
Thursday February 6
Thursday April 3
Thursday April 10
SATURDAY
Alternative
Laboratory
Class
1B71
Mathematics
Note that the lecture courses and discussion classes in term 2 usually extend into the Easter
vacation. The Laboratory classes end on 27 March.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Term 3: 1st Year Classes: 2003
Term runs from .......................................... Monday April 28 to Friday June 13 (7 weeks)
Week 1: Revision classes ........................... Monday April 28 to Thursday May 1
Weeks 4 to 7: Examinations
(the exact timing of examinations is decided towards the end of term)
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
1B28 - Thermal Physics
Lecturer
Dr Alex Schluger
Office location
C105 Kathleen Lonsdale
Brief CV
I was an undergraduate at Latvia State University (Riga, USSR) in 19711976 graduating with a Higher Education Diploma in Physics, and then
joined the radiation chemistry laboratory of the Chemical Faculty,
Latvia State University as a junior research assistant. I was involved in theoretical studies of
radiation induced processes in alkali halides and oxides and during my work in the lab
prepared the Candidate of Science (PhD) Thesis which I successfully defended at the
Committee of the L. Karpov Physico-Chemical Research Institute in Moscow in 1981. I
continued my work on defect induced processes in insulators at the Chemical Faculty, Latvia
State University as a senior research assistant and presented the results of this work as a
Doctor of Science Thesis to the same Committee at the L. Karpov Physico-Chemical Research
Institute in 1987. I was awarded the Doctor of Science (Chemical Physics) degree in 1988. I then
organised a Department of Chemical Physics of Condensed Matter at the Latvia State
University in 1988 and was the Head of that Department (which was subsequently
transformed in 1992 into the Institute of Chemical Physics) till 1997. I was elected a Professor
of Latvia University in 1994. I came to London in 1991 as a visiting research fellow of the Royal
Society at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. In 1992 I was awarded a Fellowship of the
Canon Foundation in Europe and worked as a research fellow at the Royal Institution till 1995
when I joined the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London as a
Senior Research Fellow.
My research interests have been the development and application of theoretical methodologies
for calculations on defects in solids and at surfaces, with particular emphasis on embedded
cluster techniques. A significant part of my efforts were focused on atomistic theory of the
geometric and electronic structure of point defects in insulators and semiconductors, and on
the understanding of the mechanisms of electronic and ionic processes in ionic crystals. I
developed theories of the mechanisms of photo-induced processes at ionic surfaces and
models of self-trapped excitons and hole polarons in solids and at surfaces, especially in
relation to ultrafast processes induced by electronic excitation. During the last several years I
was strongly involved in the development of theoretical models of atomic force microscopy on
ionic surfaces. I am a co-author of one book and a co-editor of another book on theoretical
methods of defect studies in solids.
Brief Description of Course
A half course unit (0.5 CU) 1st Year course in the Physics of Matter
Aims
•
To show how the three primary states of matter are the result of competition between
thermal energy and inter-particle forces.
•
To obtain predictions from the kinetic theory, and at a later stage to derive and apply the
Maxwell – Boltzmann distribution and
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
•
To introduce and apply the laws of classical thermodynamics.
Objectives
On successful completion of 1B28 a student will be able to:
•
understand what is meant by an ideal gas.
•
derive Boyle's Law from the simple Kinetic Theory and obtain the mean energy of each
degree of freedom using the Gas Law.
•
obtain expressions for the mean collision and diffusion lengths from simple Kinetic Theory.
•
explain the structure of real gases, liquids and molecular, covalent, ionic and metallic solids
in terms of inter atomic/molecular interactions and the co-ordination number.
•
understand phase changes and the significance of the triple and critical points.
•
explain how certain macroscopic quantities like latent heat, surface tension and the critical
point may be related to parameters of the microscopic inter atomic/molecular potential.
•
understand the concepts of the thermodynamic state and state variables, equilibrium,
temperature, equations of state and state functions in Classical Thermodynamics, and in
particular understand the First Law of Thermodynamics and the concepts of heat, internal
energy and work.
•
define the various latent and specific heats.
•
understand Cp and Cv for ideal and real gases, and how Cv varies with temperature.
•
understand what is meant by an ideal adiabatic process and obtain the equation of state,
why fast processes can approximate closely to an ideal adiabatic process and understand
the free adiabatic expansion as an example of an irreversible process.
•
be able to derive the efficiency of the Carnot cycle (and other simple cycles such as the Otto
and Stirling cycle) and understand the ideal operation of engines, refrigerators and heat
pumps.
•
understand the concept of entropy and its relationship to disorder.
•
derive from thermodynamic arguments the form of the Maxwell - Boltzmann distribution
and obtain the normalised velocity and speed distributions in an ideal gas. Also the student
should be aware of the ubiquity of this distribution in systems in thermal equilibrium.
Syllabus
•
•
•
•
•
Atoms and molecules as the building blocks of matter. The mole and Avogadro's Number.
The mean separation of atoms/molecules in gases, liquids and solids, at STP. (1 lecture).
The perfect gas. Derivation of Boyle's Law, from simple Kinetic Theory. The mean kinetic
energy per degree of freedom from the ideal gas equation. Collision and diffusion lengths
in gases. (3 lectures)
Real gases. The Lennard - Jones potential as a parameterisation of inter-atomic/molecular
forces. The Van der Waals equation of state and explanation of the terms that modify the
ideal gas equation. (1 lecture)
The structure of liquids. Surface tension. (1 lecture)
Molecular, covalent, ionic and metallic solids. The concept of cohesive energy (without
detailed calculations). Some examples of simple solid structures. (2 lectures)
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Phase change, latent heats, triple point and critical point, p-V and p-V-T diagrams. Insight
into the above from the microscopic understanding. (2 lectures)
Thermodynamic state, state variables, and thermodynamic equilibrium. The
thermodynamic definition of temperature and the ideal gas temperature scale. Heat,
internal energy and work. The First Law of Thermodynamics. Reversible processes. The
specific heats of an ideal gas and variation with temperature. The specific heats of a real
gas. Derivation of the equation of state for an ideal adiabatic expansion. Fast processes as
approximations to ideal adiabatic expansion. Free adiabatic expansion as an example of an
irreversible process. (6 lectures)
Heat Transfer mechanisms. The heat conduction equation and the Stefan-Boltzmann
relation for thermal radiation. (2 lectures)
The Carnot cycle. Other ideal cycles, engines, refrigerators and heat pumps, efficiencies and
performance coefficients. (3 lectures)
Entropy, disorder, the arrow of time and the Second Law of Thermodynamics. (2 lectures)
Plausible derivation of the form of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. Normalised
velocity and speed distribution for molecules in a gas. Spatial distribution of particles in
thermal equilibrium. Thermal fluctuations in measuring devices. (4 lectures)
Kinetic theory of gases
Pre-Term Work for Thermal Physics
No specific pre-term work is required for this course. Any reading related to the topics of the
course will be helpful but nothing specific is required.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
1B70 – Physics laboratory and Computing I
Course Coordinator
Dr. Malcolm Coupland
Office location
Room B4 in Laboratory 3 on the third floor of the main building
Brief CV
I got my BSc in Physics from Southampton University in 1968 and
continued there as a research student in experimental particle physics.
My first research assistant post in 1972 was at Queen Mary and Westfield
College in London, where I stayed until 1977, working first at CERN on an experiment to
measure the polarization asymmetry in proton-antiproton annihilation and then at the
Rutherford Laboratory making similar measurements for kaon-proton interactions. I then took
up my first post at UCL, returning to CERN to work on the experiment measuring large angle
hadron elastic scattering differential cross-sections.
In 1979 I was appointed as lecturer, and later senior lecturer, at Birkbeck College. There I
continued to do research in collaboration with my colleagues in the experimental particle
physics group at UCL, working on a number of experiments at CERN designed to measure the
hadro-production of charm and bottom flavours. From 1982 till 1994 I was involved with the
OPAL experiment at the LEP accelerator in CERN, at which point I decided to pull out of
experimental particle physics in order to pursue some theoretical ideas.
In September 1997 the Physics Department at Birkbeck College was closed, so I lost my post
there, but as part of the arrangements for transferring the evening degree programme to UCL I
was offered, and accepted, my present half-time teaching post here. Currently I organise the
first year practical course for the evening students, as well as giving lectures in the evenings
and developing projects for the third year teaching laboratory.
Brief Course Description
A half unit (0.5 CU) foundation course in laboratory skills featuring experimentation, data
analysis and computing.
Aims and Objectives
Forms the first part (with Physics laboratory and Computing II 2B70 as second) of an introductory
course in laboratory and related skills. Concepts met in the experimental component illustrate
aspects of the theoretical parts of the degree.
Summary of the Course content
A foundation course of experiments performed individually together with a lecture course on
the treatment of experimental data and basic computer programming. An introduction to
report writing and presentation using word processing software.
Pre-Term Work for Laboratory Physics
No explicit pre-term work is required for this course. When asked what he would like students
to do over the summer Dr. Coupland replied: “Ask them to read Scientific American and New
Scientist magazines to improve their scientific general knowledge”.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
1B71 - Mathematics for Physics
Lecturer
Peter Van Reeth
Office location
Room A13
Brief Description of Course
A whole course unit (1.0 CU) basic mathematics course for all physics courses in the BSc (parttime) Physics degree
This course aims to:
•
•
•
provide the mathematical foundations required for all the first level and some of the
second level courses in the part-time Physics programme;
prepare students for the second level PHYS2B72 Mathematics course;
give students some practice in mathematical manipulation and problem solving.
Objectives
After completing this full-unit course students should be able to:
• differentiate simple functions and use the product and chain rules;
• integrate simple functions and be able to use substitution and integration by parts;
• find numerical approximations for definite integrals;
• manipulate real three-dimensional vectors, evaluate scalar and vector products, find the
angle between two vectors in terms of components;
• construct vector equations for lines and planes and find the angles between them;
• express vectors, including velocity and acceleration, in terms of basis vectors in polar
coordinate systems;
• understand the concept of convergence for an infinite series, be able to apply simple tests to
investigate it, and evaluate the radius of convergence of a power series;
• expand an arbitrary function of a single variable as a power series (Maclaurin and Taylor),
make numerical estimates, and be able to apply l’Hôpital’s rule to evaluate the ratio of two
singular expressions;
• represent complex numbers in Cartesian and polar form on an Argand diagram.
• perform algebraic manipulations with complex numbers, including finding powers and
roots;
• apply de Moivre’s theorem to derive trigonometric identities and understand the relation
between trigonometric, hyperbolic and logarithmic functions through the use of complex
arguments;
• differentiate up to second order a function of 2 or 3 variables and be able to test when an
expression is a perfect differential;
• change the independent variables by using the chain rule and, in particular, work with
polar coordinates;
• find the stationary points of a function of two independent variables and show whether
these correspond to maxima, minima or saddle points;
• evaluate the gradient of a function of three variables and work out the change in the
function when these variables change by small but macroscopic amounts;
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
perform line integrals of vectors, be able to test for conservative forces and handle the
corresponding potential energy;
set up the limits when integrating in 2 and 3-dimensions and evaluate the resulting
expressions;
change integration variables, especially to polar coordinates;
find the general solutions of first order ordinary linear differential equations using the
methods of separation, integrating factor and perfect differentials, and find particular
solutions through applying boundary conditions;
find the solutions of linear second order equations with constant coefficients, with and
without an inhomogeneous term, through the particular integral complementary function
technique;
evaluate a 3×3 determinant and use it to solve linear simultaneous equations;
carry out manipulations on simple matrices, including inversion and finding the
eigenvalues.
evaluate means and standard deviations for discrete and continuous probability
distributions.
Syllabus
The time allocation for each topic, indicated by hours in square brackets below, includes that
for worked examples and solutions to relevant previous examination questions.
Preliminary
Differentiation of: polynomials, trigonometric and inverse functions, logarithms, products and
quotients.
Integration: as reverse of differentiation, by rearrangement, by substitution (change of
variable), by parts, some special methods.
Numerical Integration
Definite integrals, approximate integration, integration by series expansion, trapezium rule,
Simpson’s rule.
Vectors
Definition, addition and subtraction, scalar and vector multiplication.
3rd order determinants, vector and scalar triple products, vector equations.
Vector geometry - straight lines and planes.
Vector differentiation, vectors in alternative coordinate systems: plane polar; cylindrical and
spherical polar.
Series
Infinite series, tests for convergence, differentiation of infinite series and convergence.
Power series, Taylor and Maclaurin series expansions (functions of one variable) and
L’Hôpital’s rule.
Complex Numbers
Geometrical representation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division. Cartesian, polar
and exponential forms. De Moivre’s theorem, powers and roots. Complex equations.
Functions
Elementary functions: exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and hyperbolic. Complex
arguments.
Partial Differentiation
Definition, surface representation of functions of two variables, exact difference and total
differentials. Chain rule, change of variables, 2nd order derivatives.
Stationary Points
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Maxima, minima and saddle points for functions of two variables. Taylor and Maclaurin series
for functions of two variables and definition of stationary points.
Vector Calculus
Directional derivatives, gradient for functions of two and three variables. Grad, div and curl
definitions. Conservative and solenoidal field definitions.
Multiple Integrals
Line integrals, area and volume integrals, change of coordinates by substitution and Jacobean
(without proof).
Differential Equations
Ordinary first order: variables separable, integrating factor and exact differential solutions.
Ordinary 2nd order: homogeneous and inhomogeneous including solutions with equal roots.
Determinants
Definition, evaluation by expansion, alternating sign rule, manipulation rules for rows and
columns, reduction of order, solution of linear simultaneous equations.
Matrices
Addition, subtraction and multiplication, unit matrix, matrix inversion, solution of linear
simultaneous equations, eigenvalues and eigenvectors.
Probability
Definition, coins and dice, normalisation, mean value, variance, standard deviation, normal
distribution, discrete and continuous distributions
Pre-Term Work in Mathematics
The text that we recommend for pre-term work in Mathematics is Engineering Mathematics by
K.A. Stroud. This book is over 1000 pages long and so represents excellent value for money at
only around 2p per page. In other words, it is cheaper to buy than to photocopy. The book has
a pleasant straightforward style and will prove to be a valuable resource in years to come. It
covers most, but not all, of the topics in the first year Maths Course 1B71.
The text of the book is broken up into a number of Programmes (roughly equivalent to chapters
in a normal book) and each programme consists of a number of frames. Each frame develops
the programme topic a little, providing a gradual progression from the simplest exercises to
the most difficult.
The first 10 programmes are called Foundation Topics and it is to these that you should pay
most attention. Just about everything there should be familiar to you at some level even if it is
only a distant memory at present. However, by focusing on the basic topics required and
reading ahead to the topics you will cover during the course, you will be helping to build firm
foundations for your learning while keeping an eye on the general context of the material.
On the following page is a table listing all the Foundation Topics in Stroud. Those which are
shaded are not considered absolutely necessary, but may help you in certain topics. The topics
of integration and differentiation will both be covered in the course. However, rather little
time will be spent on reviewing the basics of both concepts. For this reason it is recommended
that you make sure that you are at least basically familiar with the material under these
headings.
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Reference
Foundation Topics with Frame Numbers
Page xx
Programme F1
Page 3
Frames 1 to 42
Useful background information
Number systems
Types of numbers (1 to 3)
Number Systems (Binary, Decimal etc…) (4 to 20)
Changing Base (21 to 40)
Revision & Test (41 & 42)
Arithmetic and Algebra
Basic laws of Arithmetic (1 to 9)
Transposition of Formulae (10 to 18)
Algebra (19 to 29)
Factorisation (30 to 44)
Revision & Test (45 & 46)
Polynomial evaluation & factorisation
Polynomial notation & evaluation (1 to 7)
Remainder & factor theorems (8 to 21)
Quartic polynomials (22 to 33)
Revision & test
Indices & logarithms
Indices (1 to 6)
Standard form (7 to 11)
Logarithms (12 to 22)
Indicial equation (23 to 28)
Revision & test (29 & 30)
Linear Equations and Simultaneous Linear Equations
Linear Equations (1 to 6)
Simultaneous Linear Equations (7 to 19)
Test (20)
Polynomial equations
Quadratic equations (1 to 16)
Cubic equations (17 to 24)
Quartic equations (25 to 32)
Revision & test (33 & 34)
Series
Sequences & Series (1 to 5)
Arithmetic Series (6 to 17)
Geometric Series (18 to 24)
Natural Number Series (25 to 32)
Binomial Series (33 to 37)
Infinite Series (38 to 47)
Revision & Test (48 & 49)
Partial fractions
Partial fractions (1 to 6)
Rules of partial fractions (7 to 41)
Revision & test (42 & 43)
Differentiation
Slope of a straight line graph (1 to 2)
Slope of a curve at a given point (3 to 8)
Algebraic determination of the slope of a curve (9 to 11)
Differential coefficients of powers of x (12 to 15)
Differentiation of polynomials (16 to 21)
Second differentials (22 to 23)
Standard Differentials (24 to 25)
Differentials of products and quotients (26 to 32)
Differentials of functions of a function (33 to 39)
Revision & Test (40 & 41)
Integration
Integration (1)
Standard integrals (2 to 5)
Functions of linear function in x (6 to 8)
Integration of polynomial functions (9 to 14)
Integration by partial fractions (15 to 21)
Areas under curves (22 to 27)
Integration as summation (28 to 33)
Revision & Test (34 & 35)
Programme F2
Page 23
Frames 1 to 46
Programme F3
Page 47
Frames 1 to 33
Programme F4
Page 61
Frames 1 to 30
Programme F5
Page 79
Frames 1 to 20
Programme F6
Page 93
Frames 1 to 34
Programme F7
Page 109
Frames 1 to 49
Programme F8
Page 135
Frames 1 to 43
Programme F9
Page 153
Frames 1 to 41
Programme F10
Page 181
Frames 1 to 35
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Comments
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Essential
Will be covered in the course
Will be covered in the course
Will be covered in the course,
but the concepts involved are so
important that you should be
familiar with most of this
material before starting.
Will be covered in the course,
but the concepts involved are so
important that you should be
familiar with most of this
material before starting.
Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
17
Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
1B72 - Waves and Modern Physics
Lecturer
Professor Keith A. McEwen
Office location
Room C103B on ground floor of the Kathleen Lonsdale building
Brief CV
As an undergraduate at Pembroke College, Cambridge, I took the
Natural Sciences Tripos with Part II Physics, graduating in 1966. I
stayed on in Cambridge to take my PhD. Working in the Royal Society
Mond Laboratory (the low temperature section of the Cavendish Laboratory), I used the de
Haas-van Alphen effect to determine the Fermi surface of the alkaline earth metals. From 197073, I was a Research Fellow at the H. C. Oersted Institute of the University of Copenhagen.
There I developed a long lasting enthusiasm for the magnetism of the rare earth metals, which
I also studied by neutron scattering at Risoe National Laboratory. I then returned to the UK to
take up a Lectureship at the University of Salford, where I developed techniques for growing
single crystals of the rare earths. In 1980 I was seconded to the Institut Laue-Langevin in
Grenoble, France. I returned again to the UK in 1986 to become Professor of Experimental
Physics and Head of Department at Birkbeck College. In October 1997, I moved, with the
Birkbeck Condensed Matter Physics group, to UCL.
My research interests are centred on the magnetism of magnetic materials, particularly
fundamental studies of the rare-earth, actinide and heavy fermion type systems. Macroscopic
measurements in London are complemented by an extensive programme of neutron scattering
studies at ISIS and ILL, and also the facilities at Risoe and Berlin. I have published about 120
papers in this field.
Brief Description of Course
A half course unit (0.5 CU) 1st Year course in Waves and Modern Physics in the B.Sc. (parttime) Physics degree.
Outline Syllabus
Waves
Oscillations
The Wave Equation
Acoustic Waves
Electromagnetic Waves
Reflection of Waves
Refraction of Waves
Waves in more than 1 Dimension
Moving Sources & Receivers
Interference
The Michelson Interferometer
Diffraction
Modern Physics
Structure and Scale in the universe
Quarks, Nuclei, Atoms and Molecules
Four Forces
The Need for Quantum Mechanics
Wave mechanics
The Need for Special Relativity
Relativity
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Preparing for year one of the B.Sc. Physics by part-time evening study
Pre-Term Work for Waves &Modern Physics
None.
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