This
web site contains relevant materials such as lecture
notes, advices, announcements, tutorial sets, links
etc. Please be noted that I have prepared a
bill-board type forum so
that students can participate in active discussion with
the lecturer/tutors and fellow students presumably on
topics pertaining to the 104E modern physics course in
particular or physics in general. The discussions will
be monitored.
Course
Description
This course is
intended to cover some of the standard concepts in
modern physics since 1900. It includes special theory of
relativity, particle
nature of light and wave nature of matter, introductory
quantum theory of atoms and introductory quantum
mechanics. The course aims to lay the foundational concepts for students who
would take up papers on quantum mechanics at a higher
level.
More
specifically, we would cover the following
topics:
SR: Failure of
Newtonian mechanics, Michelson-Morley experiment,
special relativity postulates, time dilation, length
contraction, twin paradox, Lorentz transformation, relativistic
dynamics, mass energy equivalence.
photoelectric
effect, Compton scattering, photons, Franck-Hertz
experiment, Thompson model, Rutherford model, the Bohr
atom, De Broglie waves,
electron diffraction, wave-particle duality of matter
and light.
Introduction to
wave mechanics: Schroedinger's
equation, wave functions, wave packets, probability
amplitudes, stationary states, the Heisenberg
uncertainty principle, and zero-point energies,
complementary principle.
Solutions to
Schroedinger's equation in one
dimension: infinite potential well, finite potential
well, tunnelling
effect.
Time
Planning
This course is
offered in the second semester for science students in
the USM -- a 14-week term
at USM that runs from 10 Nov 2003 until 14 Feb
2004. Exam will follow immediately in the following week
(beginning 16 Feb 2004).
To make way for
the national service that is to take place (for the
first time) in 2004, some adjustments to the semester
calendar has been made. This results in the bad news
that there will be no break between the demi-semesters, nor will there be
any study week allocated for revision before the exam.
Please plan your timetable
and revision schedule wisely and smartly by
taking note of this.
Course
Prerequisites
The modern physics course
is one of the few undergraduate physics paper conducted
in English. Hence students must prepare to take the
challenge of familiarising
themselves with the rather "unusual" teaching
environment which is conducted in English. Despite there
is no formal prerequisites (prasyarat kursus) for this course, students
are assumed to have been familiar with elementary
calculus, differential
equations, and Newtonian mechanics. And of course
they are required to understand, to read and to write in
English.
Consultation
hours
There is no
specific timeslots allocated for consultation with the
lecturer as he of dedicated
willingness to offer consultation and advice to
students who wish to engage in discussion with him
anytime. However, in order to avoid inconvenience
students are advised to call up (ext 3674) or email him
(tlyoon@usm.my) before
rushing into his office. His door is always open to
you.
General
Comments
Modern physics is one of
the most interesting subject in
undergraduate physics. Most of the concepts introduced,
such as Einstein's notion that space and time is a
relative concept, and that microscopic particles are
intrinsically behaving like waves (as expounded in quantum theory), are both
intellectually intriguing and somewhat
counter-intuitive.
Textbooks
The following textbooks
are required or strongly recommended. There exist many
good textbooks on the topics of modern physics. I have
decided to select the following
as my main reference texts. Lecture material
shall be based on them. It is strongly advised that student should not be
contented with the lecture material supplied from the
lecturer alone. They should make reference to these
suggested texts and do the reading on a consistent
manner. As I only take over the course from Prof. Lim
Koon Ong for the first time, past
year questions at its best can only serve as a
insufficient guide to ``predict'' my style in setting
exam questions. You gonna
prepare to think in an intellectual manner in order to comprehend the essential
concepts I wish to convey in this course. To people who
are expecting to make only mechanical memorisation and pass with
flying colour, please be
prepared for disappointment.
1) Kenneth Krane, Modern Physics, John. Wiley
& Sons, 2nd edition (August 1995)
(required)
2) Modern Physics
(Saunders Golden Sunburst Series) International edition,
by Raymond A. Serway, Clement
J. Moses, Curt A. Moyer (required)
3) Introduction to the
Structure of Matter: A Course in Modern Physics, by John
J. Brehm (Author), William J.
Mullin, John Wiley & Sons; (January 1989)
(advanced)
Others:
4) Elementary Modern
Physics, by Richard T. Widner
and Robert L. Sells, Allyn and
Bacon Inc., third edition (advanced,
suggested)
5) Concepts of Modern
Physics, Arthur Beiser,
McGraw-Hill; 6th edition (simple)
6) Physics, Cutnell and Johnson, John Wiley
& Sons (International Edition), 6th edition
(simple)
More advanced
text:
6) Quantum Physics of
Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles by
Robert Eisberg, Robert Resnick, John Wiley & Sons; 2nd
edition (advanced, suggested for enthusiasts)
7) Introduction to
special relativity, by Robert Resnick, John Wiley & sons
(readable and well explained, suggested for
enthusiasts)
Problem
Sets
