PHYS 252

PHYS 252-Spring 2006

Modern Physics

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

Lecture Notes

Lecture 1: modern physics, our topics, our books and their authors, quantum mechanics

Lecture 2: interference for waves and electrons

Lecture 3: wavelength and momentum

Lecture 4: uncertainty principle

Lecture 5: photons, the photoelectric effect

Lecture 6: probability amplitudes, particle in a box

Lecture 7: spectral lines, the size of the atom

Lecture 8: three principles of quantum mechanics

Lecture 9: free particle in a box, crystal diffraction

Lecture 10: identical particles

Lecture 11: fermions and bosons

Lecture 12: bosons like each other

Lecture 13: Bose-Einstein distribution

Lecture 14: black-body radiation

Lecture 15: quantization of angular momentum

Lecture 17: spin uncertainty principle

Lecture 18: different components of spin

Lecture 19: bases

Lecture 20: stationary states, spin precession

Lecture 21: tunneling

Lecture 22: the ammonia molecule

Lecture 23: ammonia molecule in an electric field

Lecture 24: masers/lasers

Lecture 24a: Bonus! review of states and amplitudes

Lecture 25: Schrodinger equation, finite-depth well

Lecture 26: the hydrogen atom

Lecture 27: Symmetry and positronium decay, the EPR paradox

Lecture 28: the ether (and lack thereof)

Lecture 29: special relativity

Lecture 30: Lorentz transformations, length contraction and time dilation

Lecture 31: Lorentz invariants

Lecture 32: energy-mass without relativity, addition of velocities

Lecture 33: relativistic momentum and energy

Lecture 34: general relativity

Lecture 35: gravity and clocks, curved spacetime

Lecture 36: Einstein's equation, black holes, the cosmological constant

Lecture 37: the expanding universe

Lecture 38: dark matter and energy, the cosmic microwave background

Lecture 39: the big bang