Physics 114
Fall 2011
Relativity, Cosmology, and Quantum Physics
Instructor:
Prof. Arthur Zajonc
226 Merrill Science Center
542-2033
agzajonc@amherst.edu
Office Hours: Wednesdays 2-5pm or by appointment
Traditional cosmology from the ancient Near East to the Renaissance concerned the patterns in
the heavens, the motion of stars and planets, treating their motions as given by the gods, or an
embodiment of perfection motion beyond the earthly realm. With the rise of classical physics in the 16th
century, a new chapter began. The motions of the planets and stars were to be understood by the same
physical laws as those operative here on earth. The uniformity of the material substance and the forces
that operate on matter now extended throughout the entire universe. Yet the accomplishments of
Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Newton reigned supreme for only a limited time. By the onset of the
20th century, Einstein’s relativity theory and the new laws of quantum physics transformed the way we
understand science and the reality around us, including the cosmos.
The course will focus especially of the two theories of quantum mechanics and relativity, with
special application to cosmology. Peter Coles little book Cosmology: A Very Short Introduction, will
provide the central plot for the course, but we will take extended excursions into relativity theory and
quantum mechanics as they come up in the story of the universe. The examples and application we
make will most often refer to the physics of stars, galaxies, and the universe including recent discoveries
of dark matter and dark energy.
While no other courses are required as prerequisites, I will make extensive use of geometry and
algebra throughout the course, but nothing beyond what you have seen in high school. Grades will be
based on problem assignments, two in-class tests, and one essay.
I have also found that brief contemplative exercises can help strengthen student attention and
focus, as well as support learning. We will, therefore, make regular use of them.
Books (available at Amherst Books):
1. Peter Coles, Cosmology: A Very Short Introduction
2. Albert Einstein, Relativity: The Special and General Theory
3. Albert Einstein, Sidelights on Relativity
4. N. David Mermin, Space and Time in Special Relativity.
5. Daniel Styer, The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics
Of interest:
 On Kepler’s Planetary Music see http://www.calderononline.com/trabajos/kepler/harmonicemundi.swf
This take a couple minutes to load but it is work the wait.
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If you get hooked on the missing 96% of the universe, read The 4% Universe: Dark Matter, Dark
Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality, by Richard Panek.
The First Three Minutes by Steven Weinberg
Inflationary Universe, Alan Guth
Syllabus (changes likely)
Sept. 6 & 8
Overview and Retrospect
The Cosmos: Babylonian myth, Greek geometry, Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler
Reading: Coles, Chapter 1
Sept. 13 & 15
Galileo Universe and Newton’s Dynamics:
The concepts of space, time, mass and gravity according to Newton and Einstein.
Electromagnetic and gravitational waves.
Reading: Coles, Chapter 2
I suggest that you watch a 20 min video on LIGO:
http://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/mmg_disp.cfm?med_id=58443&from=vid.htm
Sept. 20 & 22
Light from the cosmos: Light, its spectra, their origins, and what we can learn through
spectra about stellar physics and cosmology. Standard candles and supernovae.
Reading: Coles, Chapter 3, 4, 5
Sept. 27 & 29
Rotation of Galaxies and Dark Matter. Hubble Law and the expanding universe.
Redshifts: Doppler, relativistic, gravitational, cosmological.
Readings:
Coles, Chapter 6, 7, 8
Einstein Part 1, sections 1-6
October 4 & 6 The concepts of space, time, and the speed of light. Einstein’s two postulates and the
relativity of simultaneity.
Reading:
Einstein: Part 1, sections 7- 10
Mermin: Ch. 2 – 5
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I will be traveling on October 6th, but I would like to ask that you listen to the Fermi Lab lecture by Prof.
Alexei Filippenko of UC Berkeley on “Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe.” It is a fabulous public talk,
given at Fermilab on May 20, 2011 by one of those who discovered the accelerating expansion of the
universe by studying Type 1a supernovae. You will find it at the address below (fool around with the
controls, for example swap the video and slide, or zoom on video or slide, to get the display you like.)
http://vmsstreamer1.fnal.gov/Lectures/LectureSeries/110520Filippenko/index.htm#
October 13
The Lorentz Transformation, time intervals (time dilation), spatial distances (length
contraction)
Reading:
Oct. 20 & 22
Light as the limit velocity. The Clock “paradox”. E = mc2 . The geometry of space-time
Readings:
Oct. 4 & 6
Einstein: sections 11- 16
Mermin: Ch. 6-13
Einstein: Ch 17
Mermin: Ch. 14-17
The General Theory of Relativity. Gravitation The equivalence principle.
Einstein Ch. 18-20
Mermin: Ch. 18-19
Oct. 13
Bending of light. From Eddington to gravitational lensing.
(Oct 11 is break)
Einstein Ch. 21-22
Handout
Oct 18 & 20
The cosmos according to Einstein. Inflation, the Big Bang and all that
Reading:
Oct 25 & 27
Introduction to quantum mechanics. History and foundations
Reading:
Nov. 1 & 3
Styer, Appendices A and B, Ch 1-3
Measurement, probability and Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen
Reading:
Nov. 8 & 10
Einstein, Ch. 30-32
Handout
Styer, Chapters 4-7
Quantum interference
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Reading:
Nov. 15 & 17
Quantum applications: cryptography and computation
Reading:
Nov. 22 & 24
Styer, Chapters 8-12
Styer, Ch 13 and handout
Thanksgiving break
Nov. 29 & Dec. 1 The quantum vacuum and the inflationary model of the universe.
Reading: Selected chapters of Alan Guth’s, Inflationary Universe
Dec 6 & 8 & 13
Special topics as time and interest permit
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