Modern
Physics 01:750:313 Fall 2023
Mondays and Wednesdays 2:00-3:20PM ARC 105
Lecturer:
Prof. Eva Y. Andrei
Email: eandrei AT physics.rutgers.edu
Grader: Siyou Guo Email:
sg1649 at scarletmail.rutgers.edu
<>Office Hours: by appointment
Overview:This
is a one-semester course providing an introduction
to
modern physics. The goal of the course is to help you understand how
physics has changed the way we view the world around us. You will
learn what happens when phenomena are probed at scales that are not
accessible to our senses: the very tiny, the very large or the very
fast. You will see how understanding the behavior of matter at
microscopic scales led to amazing technological applications that too
often we take for granted. We will spend roughly the first two-thirds
of the course developing
the two pillars of modern physics: the special theory of relativity and
quantum
mechanics. We will then highlight the basic ideas underlying several
areas of
current physics
research: atomic physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics and
elementary
particle physics. We obviously will not be able to cover these in
detail in a one semester course. The course will primarily provide an
introduction and overview. If you continue on in physics, you will see
these
topics in more depth in further undergraduate and graduate courses.
Pre-requisites:1:750:202
or 1:750:204
or 1:750:228 and 01:640:136 or 01:640:152 (CALC2)
Lecture
notes will be posted on Canvas under Modules
Webassign: We
will use webassign for homeork and grading. Links to homwork
assignments will be posted on Canvas under "Assignments" . A
guide to using webassin is here. To sign
up for the e-book and webassign go to MODULES
on the menu of your Canvas and
follow prompts for signing up. Detailed instructions can be
found here
https://www.webassign.net/manual/student_guide/common/create-acct.htm. A
discount for purchasing e-text or webassign may be available here.
i-clicker cloud: We will use i-clicker cloud (Mobile or Web) in class from day
one. Follow this link
for purchasing and
registering your i-clicker.
Following
a review of classical mechanics and electromagentism students
will learn how and why these classical concepts, which are based
on our everyday sensory experience, fail to explain phenomena that
occur at scales that evade our senses: the very small, the very fast
and the very large.
The very fast. The first part of the
course will be devoted to Einsteins special theory of
relativity. Students will learn the basic postulates of relativity
which are based on Michelson & Morley's discovery that the speed of
light is finite, and how they completely turned on their head our
understanding of basic concepts such as time, length, simultaneity,
momentum, mass, and energy. These ideas will be used to explain
phenomena such as the twin paradox, scattering of gamma rays,
pair production and annihilation,
The
very small. The second part of the course will be devoted to
Quantum Mechanics. Students will learn the basic postulates of quantum
mechanics which are based on the discovery of quantized atomic
spectra, the photoelectric effect and particle wave duality. They will
learn how by postulating a wave nature of matter, Schroedinger's
equation can be used to explain many atomic scale phenomena including
atomic spectra, x-ray production, tunneling through potential
barriers, why the periodic table contains 118 elements,
and why the very existence of these elements is
related to the value of the speed of light.
Applications of the very small and very fast
to the world around us. In the third part of the course
students will apply their knowledge of relativity and quantum mechanics
to understanding the concepts underlying atomic and molecular physics,
condensed matter physics, nuclear matter and energy, particle
physics and cosmology..
There
will be two 80-minute lectures per week in ARC 105, Busch Campus.
Attendance
and active participation in class is required. Each lecture will begin
with a reading quiz to assess your understanding of the assigned
reading topics.
Homework
will be assigned weekly in WebAssign.
There
will be two in-class exams and a final exam.
NO cellphones, no newspapers, no
non-course-related computer activities allowed in
class
Course materials are proprietary -
no sharing outside of class, no publishing on line any of
the course materials
All students are responsible for knowing and
adhering to the academic integrity policy.
Violations of
this policy may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic
dishonesty,
fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All
incidents of
academic misconduct shall be reported.
i-clicker
and class
participation (15%)
Homework
(25%)
Midterm
Exams (30% ) Final
Exam(30% )
Grade Components:
In-Class Activities and Participation
(15% of
grade):
Reading
Quizzes:At the beginning of
each class there will be a short iclicker quiz covering the
reading assignment. No quiz makeups. Make sure you arrive in time to
take the quiz.
In-class
clicker questions: During class there
will be questions for which you
enter your response using clickers.
Homework (25% of grade):
Assignments will be visible on the Canvas
website under MODULES or ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments due weekly before Wednesday's deadline at
11:59pm.
10% bonus for submissions received more than 24 hours
before deadline. No late submissions will be accepted.
Lowest homework grade will be dropped.
Exams (15%
each mid-term; 30%
final):
With this grading
system, the most
important requirement for getting a good grade is to do all the
homework assignments
and participate in class! Missing several weeks of class
and
homework could put you in danger of failing, no matter how well you do
on the
exams! Your lowest weekly homework score and your 2 lowest
in-class
participation scores will be thrown out. There will be
no
make-up homework or exams. These throw-outs are made to cover illness,
car trouble, forgotten
clickers,
participation in athletic events, etc... There will be no other
corrections made to grades other than for major medical or personal
emergencies. Also, try not to waste your homework or class
exemptions
early in the semester, because you may need them later if you get sick,
forget
your clicker, or for other reasons.
1. People understand concepts by seeing,
discussing,
and applying them, not by passively listening to explanations.
2. Understanding physics (& solving
problems that
develop understanding)is a learned
skill, like swimming or playing basketball or violin.
It takes time, effort,
and practice. Research says better retention if
sustained effort rather than cramming.
3. People learn best by sharing and getting
feedback
on their thinking
-- Student-student more
often than student-faculty.
4. Students learn most when they take the
responsibility for what is learned.
We
provide you with opportunities to help you learn:
The
amount you will learn depends on how much thought and practice you put
in,
distributed sensibly over the semester.
Before class
Read assigned chapter before class
Attempt
end of chapter conceptual questions
In class
Beginning
of class Reading Quizz - no makeup
Arrive
a few
minutes
EARLY to class and don't leave before end of class.
In
class participation - Iclicker
questions,
explore, analyze new concepts, develop basic ideas
and understanding.
NO cellphones, no
newspapers, no non-course-related computer activities allowed in
class
After
class
Master and
retain ideas through extensive use. Expect to spend 4-6 hrs/week on Homework
and reading.
Discuss concepts, ideas,
problems with peers. Collaboration
GOOD but submit your OWN homework
Resources
for student success
The faculty and staff at
Rutgers are committed to your success. Students who are successful tend
to seek out resources that enable them to excel academically, maintain
their health and wellness, prepare for future careers, navigate college
life and finances, and connect with the RU community. Helpful resources
include the Rutgers
Please visit the Rutgers
Student Tech Guidefor resources
available to all students. If you do not have the appropriate
technology for financial reasons, please email the Dean of Students (deanofstudents@echo.rutgers.edu
) for assistance. If you are facing other financial hardships, please
visit the Office of Financial Aid
Disability Accommodations:
Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities into all of the
University's educational programs. In order to receive consideration
for reasonable accommodations, a student with a disability must contact
the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are
officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide
documentation: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines
If the
documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your
campuss disability services office will provide you with a Letter of
Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and
discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as
possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form
on the ODS web site at: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered
<>Rutgers University takes academic
dishonesty very seriously. By enrolling in this course, you assume
responsibility for familiarizing yourself with the Academic
Integrity Policyand the possible
penalties (including suspension and expulsion) for violating the
policy. As per the policy, all suspected violations will be reported to
the Office of Student Conduct. Academic dishonesty includes (but is not
limited to):
Cheating
Plagiarism
Aiding others in committing a violation or allowing
others to use your work
Failure to cite sources correctly
Fabrication
Using another persons ideas or words without
attributionre-using a previous assignment Unauthorized collaboration
Sabotaging another students work
If in doubt, please contact the Professor. Also review
the Academic
Integrity Policyand Academic Integrity
Resources for Students
Use of external website resources (such as Chegg.com or
others) to obtain solutions to homework assignments or exams is
cheating and a violation of the University Academic Integrity policy.
Cheating in the course may result in grade penalties, disciplinary
sanctions, or educational sanctions. Posting homework assignments or
exams to external sites without the instructor's permission may be a
violation of copyright and may constitute the facilitation of
dishonesty, which may result in the same penalties as cheating.
The Rutgers honor pledge will be included on all major
assignments for you to sign: On my honor, I have neither received nor
given any unauthorized assistance on this examination/assignment.
Almost all original work is the intellectual property of
its authors. This includes not just books and articles, but the
syllabi, lectures, slides, recordings, course materials, presentations,
homework problems, exams, and other materials used in this course, in
either printed or electronic form. You may not copy this work, post it
online, or disseminate it in any way without the explicit permission of
the instructor. Respect for an authors efforts and intellectual
property rights is an important value that members of the university
community are expected to take seriously.
Report a Bias Incident If you experience or
witness an act of bias or hate, report it to someone in authority. You
may file a report online and you will be contacted within 24 hours. The
bias reporting page is here
Bias is defined by the University as an act, verbal,
written, physical, psychological, that threatens, or harms a person or
group on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, sexual
orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry,
disability, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership
status, atypical heredity or cellular blood trait, military service or
veteran status.
CAPS is a University mental health support service that
includes counseling, alcohol and other drug assistance, and psychiatric
services staffed by a team of professionals within Rutgers Health
services to support students efforts to succeed at Rutgers University.
CAPS offers a variety of services that include: individual therapy,
group therapy and workshops, crisis intervention, referral to
specialists in the community, and consultation and collaboration with
campus partners.
(848) 932-1181, 3 Bartlett Street, New Brunswick, NJ
08901, http://www.vpva.rutgers.edu/
The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance
provides confidential crisis intervention, counseling, and advocacy for
victims of sexual and relationship violence and stalking to students,
staff, and faculty. To reach staff during office hours when the
university is open or to reach an advocate after hours, call
848-932-1181.
Disability Services
(848) 445-6800, Lucy Stone Hall, Suite A145, Livingston,
54 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854, https://ods.rutgers.edu/
Rutgers University welcomes students with disabilities
into all of the University's educational programs. In order to receive
consideration for reasonable accommodations, a student with a
disability must contact the appropriate disability services office at
the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake
interview, and provide documentation: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/documentation-guidelines
If
the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations,
your campuss disability services office will provide you with a Letter
of Accommodations. Please share this letter with your instructors and
discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as
possible. To begin this process, please complete the Registration form
on the ODS web site at: https://ods.rutgers.edu/students/getting-registered
