PHY 20: Modern Physics II         Spring 2013


Class Schedule: M W 9:30am-10:50pm Professor: Steve Liebling
Classroom: Pell Hall 202 Office:  Pell Hall 210
Text: Serway/Moses/Moyer's Modern Physics 3rd Edition
(Textbook site: http://www.brookscole.com)      Equation Sheet (PDF)
Office Hours: M W 11:00-12:00pm
Web: http://relativity.liu.edu/steve Phone: 299-3439
Pre-requisites: PHY 19; MATH 21 (or co-requisite) Email:
Course credit: 3 credit-hours

Course Description: This course is a continuation of Physics 19. Topics covered include collision theory, classical and quantum statistics, solid state physics, nuclear physics, elementary particles and the Dirac equation.

Course Objective: Students should be able to demonstrate the ability to reason through physical arguments as well as solve quantitatively problems within these areas.

Grading Policy:

Homework 25%
Test 1 25%  
Test 2 25%
Final Exam 25%
Extra Credit: There will be no extra credit or extra credit papers, Do the homework, and take the tests. As the semester progresses, there is less and less to be done to increase your grade.

Homework: Homework assignments will be presented in class and will generally consist of problems from the required text. Homework problems must be done in order to gain mastery of the material and skills necessary for the tests.

Tests: The class will have two tests as indicated on the syllabus. Each test will cover the material presented since the previous test (to be precise, much of what we will learn applies throughout all the chapters, however, the questions will be geared towards specifically covering material presented between the tests). The tests will be given during classtime.

Final: The final will be held during the time dictated by the Registrar during Exam Week.

Cheating: You are encouraged to work on homework problems with others, but what you turn in must be your own work in your own words. However, you must work alone on tests. On exams you may use only a calculator and writing utensils; I will give you a copy of the equation sheet linked above.

Other Resources: Tutors, library books, office hours, and supplemental texts. I'd also recommend the books from my course for nonscientists, especially the quantum mechanics and relativity books.

Syllabus: Below is the anticipated schedule of what we'll cover. Near the end of the semester, I generally have flexibility in what we cover. If you have a preference for what we might cover, please feel free to provide feedback.

Week 1 Jan. 23   Course Overview
Week 2 Jan. 28 Statistical Physics   Ch. 10  
Jan. 30   Ch. 10 
Week 3 Feb. 4   Ch. 10 
Feb. 6 Molecular Structure   Ch. 11  
Week 4 Feb. 11   Ch. 11  
Feb. 13 The Solid State   Ch. 12  
Week 5 Feb. 18 Presidents Day  Presidents Day 
Feb. 20   Ch. 12  
Week 6 Feb. 25   Ch. 12  
Feb. 27 TEST 1 TEST 1
Week 7 March 4 Nuclear Structure   Ch. 13 
March 6   Ch. 13  
Week 8 March 11 SPRING BREAK   SPRING BREAK  
March 13 SPRING BREAK  SPRING BREAK  
Week 9 March 18 Nuclear Physics Applications   Ch. 14 
March 20   Ch. 14  
Week 10 March 25   Ch. 14  
March 27   Ch. 14  
Week 11 April 1 TEST 2   TEST 2  
April 3 Elementary Particles   Ch. 15  
Week 12 April 8   Ch. 15  
April 10   Ch. 15  
Week 13 April 15. Cosmology   Ch. 16  
April 17   Ch. 16 (found online)  
Week 14 April 22   Ch. 16 (found online)  
April 24   Ch. 16 (found online)  
Week 15 April 29   Review 
May 3-9 (TBD according to Registrar) Scheduled Final Exam   Scheduled Final Exam  

Last updated January 22, 2013.
Steve Liebling (home)