INSTRUCTOR: Dubravka Rupnik

Office: 281 Nicholson Hall
Email: rupnik@phys.lsu.edu
Telephone: 578-8400
Office Hours: MWF 9:40-10:30 am, or by appointment. Also try email, any time. Click here to see my weekly schedule.

The first exam was given on Wednesday September 30 during class. The exam was on all the material covered in the first five homework sets (except on the probability interpretation of the wave function).

NOTE: The second exam will be given on Friday November 13 during class. The exam will be on all the material covered in homework sets 6 through 11.

TOPICS: This class will give an introduction to special relativity, quantum mechanics, and statistical physics. We will discuss the consequences of these principles in the structure of atoms, molecules, nuclei, and bulk matter. We will assume no prior knowledge of these topics. The course is aimed at students who have completed two semesters of introductory physics (1201-1202 or 2101-2102) and who have basic calculus skills in differentiation and integration.

SCHEDULE: A preliminary schedule for lectures and reading assignments can be found here (html). Check it frequently as it will be updated during the semester.

Study session info: Click here to see information on study sessions.

TEXTBOOK: We will use "Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers", 3rd edition, by Rex and Thornton.

LECTURES: You are strongly encouraged to attend the lectures, and to have at least skimmed the assigned reading material prior to the lecture. The lectures aim to highlight and explain the most important parts of the material, and we (you!) will frequently work problems together in class.

SCORES: Click here to see how the score so far is being calculated.

Extra material:

Aug. 24: In class activity on Lorentz transformation, Aug. 28: In class activity on length contraction, Aug. 31: In class activity with example using Lorentz transformation, Sept. 2: Derivation of kinetic energy and momentum conservation, Sept. 4: In class activity on Q value in a reaction, Sept. 4: In class activity on conservation of energy and momentum, Sept. 11: In class activity on Compton scattering, Sept. 16: Computer activity on hydrogen spectrum - includes a homework problem.   If you are interested in more detailed instructions and explanations related to this activity, I encourage you to look here.   (The tutorial is a part of the Visual Quantum Mechanics software, developed at Kansas State University), Sep. 21: Phase, group velocity, Sept. 23: Uncertainty principle, minimum kinetic energy in hydrogen ground state, Sept. 25: Computer activity on wave packets, Oct. 2: What is a reasonable wave function?, Oct. 5: Computer activity on free particle wave functions, Oct. 21: Computer activity on tunneling, Oct. 14: Computer activity of bound state wave functions (square well), Oct. 30: Computer activity on hydrogen atom wave functions, Nov. 4: In class activity on normal Zeeman effect, Nov. 6: In class activity on single electron atoms, Nov. 20 In class activity on exploring condition for particle distinguishability, Nov. 23 In class activity on Fermi-Dirac statistics

HOMEWORK: Starting with the second week, a homework assignment will be due (almost) every Wednesday at the beginning of class. Solutions will be available online after class and late submissions will not be accepted. The homework assignments and solutions will be posted below as they are available (password protected, username and password will be given in class).

Homework 1 sol, Homework 2 sol, Homework 3 sol, Homework 4 sol, Homework 5 sol, Homework 6 sol, Homework 7 sol, Homework 8 sol, Homework 9 sol, Homework 10 sol, Homework 11 sol, Homework 12 sol

Advice on homework: Working the homework problems is one of the best ways to learn the material and assess your own progress - don't put it off until the last minute but allow yourself time to get stuck, try again, and seek help. You are allowed and encouraged to work together on the homework solutions, but you must submit individual solutions that you have worked out and written up by yourself and which are not a close copies of someone else's.

EXAMS: There will be two in-class exams given during the semester, the dates of which are indicated on the schedule. The exams will be closed-book but you will be supplied with a formula sheet. The exams will consists of short/conceptual questions and problems, which will be similar in level to homework problems. Since partial credit will be given for the problems, it is essential that you show all work and give explanations and intermediate steps. Exams must be taken when scheduled - no make-up exams will be given at alternate times.
The formula sheets and exam solutions will be here during the semester.

GRADING: The final grade in this course will be determined from exams, homework, and in-class activity (with computer simulations) as follows:

In class exams  -  100 points each	200 points
Final Exam  -  200 points	200 points
Homework  -  100 points	100 points
In class activities and computer simulations  -  50 points	50 points
TOTAL:	550 points