Phys 2021 Modern Physics  Spring 2014

Course Outline

Special Relativity
Physics at the end of 19th century. Michelson-Morley experiment.
Einstein's postulates. The Lorentz transformation.
Simultaneity, time dilation, length contraction.
Lorentz transformation as geometric effect. Spacetime diagrams.
The Doppler Effect.
Paradoxes.
Relativistic momentum and energy. Transformation of mass.

Quantum theory

Quantization of charge, light, and energy
Blackbody radiation. Planck's law.
The photoelectric effect
Compton effect

Atomic spectra
The Bohr model of atom. Quantization of angular momentum. Energy levels.
X-ray spectra. Auger electrons.

Waves. The wavelike properties of particles. Wave packets.
The probabilistic interpretation of the wave function.
The uncertainty principle.

The Schrodinger Equation in one dimension. Eigenstates.
The infinite and finite quantum wells. Harmonic oscillator.
Expectation values and operators
Transmission and reflection of waves. Barrier potential.

The Schrodinger Equation in 2D and 3D.

Atomic physics

The Hydrogen Atom. Wavefunctions.
Quantization of angular momentum and energy
Electron spin. Spin-orbital effects.
Wavefunctions for two or more particles
Energy states of atoms. The periodic table. Spectra of atoms.


Special topics (individual projects and lectures as time allows)

Statistical physics: classical and quantum statistics
The Bose-Einstein condensation

Spectra of molecules
Lasers

Free-electron gas in metals. Band theory in solids
Semiconductors
Superconductivity