TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Dates when topics are covered in class AND test and homework assignment due dates are SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  I will update this regularly, adding HW and reading assignments several lectures ahead of time.

Note that test dates may change by as much as ± TWO WEEKS

The homeworks are either from Mastering Physics (MP) or written (WH) and are to be handed in during class.  All Mastering Physics HWs are to be finished by 11:40 AM of the day they are due.  All HWs count towards your grade unless explicitly noted. In Mastering Physics, always answer numerical questions with 3 significant figures unless the problem specifically requests that you do otherwise. CAUTION:  Do not wait until the last minute to work and submit your Mastering Physics homework.  It is a computer-based system.  Things go wrong with computers.  I will not accept "computer problems" as an excuse for not being able to submit Mastering Physics homework on time.  

 

 

Date Due 

Reading Assignment/ 
Topics discussed that day

Homework Assignment Due Dates  

MP = Mastering Physics 
WH = Written Homework

#1
W, 22 JAN

Intro to course

#2
F, 24 JAN

Electromagnetic Waves; Maxwell's equations, Derivation of wave equation. Reading: Chap 32.1-32.2

#3
M, 27 JAN

Sinusoidal electromganetic waves, Energy and Momentum in electromagnetic waves. Reading: Chap 32.3-32.4

MP: HW #1

#4
W, 29 JAN

Energy and Momentum in electromagnetic waves, Standing electromagnetic waves. Reading: Chap 32.4-32.5

 

#5
F, 31 JAN

Nature of light; Reflection and Refraction, Total internal reflection. Reading: Chap 33.1-33.3

WH: HW #2 (Problems: 32.39, 32.40, 32.43, 32.45)

#6
M, 3 FEB

Dispersion, Polarization. Reading: Chap 33.4-33.5  

MP: HW #3

#7
W, 5 FEB

Scattering of light, Huygens's principle. Reading: Chap 33.6-33.7

#8
F, 7 FEB

Geometric Optics; Reflection and Refraction at plane surfaces, Reflection at spherical surfaces. Reading: Chap 34.1-34.2

WH: HW #4 (Problems: 33.49, 33.51, 33.61, 33.63)

#9
M, 10 FEB

Reflection at spherical surfaces, Refraction at spherical surfaces, Thin lenses. Reading: Chap 34.2-34.4

MP: HW #5

#10
W, 12 FEB

Thin lenses. Reading: Chap 34.4

#11
F, 14 FEB

Cameras, the Human eye. Reading: Chap 34.5-34.6

WH: HW #6 (Problems: 34.83, 34.85, 34.93, 34.105)

#12
M, 17 FEB

Magnifier, Microscopes and Telescopes. Reading: Chap 34.7-34.8

#13
W, 19 FEB

TEST 1: All Topics in Chaps 32-34

 

#14
F, 21 FEB

Interference; Interference and coherent sources, Two-source interference. Reading: Chap 35.1-35.2

#15
M, 24 FEB

Intensity in interference patterns, Interference in thin films. Reading: Chap 35.3-35.4

#16
W, 26 FEB

Interference in thin films, Michelson interferometer. Reading: Chap. 35.4-35.5

 

#17
F, 28 FEB

Diffraction; Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction, Single slit diffraction. Reading: Chap 36.1-36.2

MP: HW #7  

#18
M, 3 MAR

Intensity in single-slit pattern, Multiple slits, Diffraction grating. Reading: Chap 36.3-36.5

WH: HW #8 (Problems: 35.41, 35.47, 35.49, 35.57)  

#19
W, 5 MAR

X-ray diffraction, Circular aperture diffraction, Holography. Reading: Chap 36.6-36.8

#20
F, 7 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 1

MP: HW #9 

#21
M, 10 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 1

WH: HW #10 (Problems: 36.55, 36.57, 36.65, 36.69)

#22
W, 12 MAR

TEST 2: All Topics in Chaps 35-36

 

#23
F, 14 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 2 

Spring Break

 

#24
M, 24 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 2

 

#25
W, 26 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 3

 

                     

#26
F, 28 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 4

#27
M, 31 MAR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 5

WH: HW #11 (Problems: R1B.4, R1S.10, R2B.6, R2S.11)

#28
W, 2 APR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 6

#29
F, 4 APR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 7

MP: HW #12

#30
M, 7 APR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 8

WH: HW #13 (Problems: R4B.4, R4S.2, R5B.3, R5S.4)

#31
W, 9 APR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 9

 

#32
F, 11 APR

Special Relativity. Reading: Six Ideas - Chap 10

MP: HW #14

#33
M, 14 APR

Back to Young and Freedman book from here on ...

WH: HW #15 (Problems: R7S.6, R8B.2, R9B.9, R10S.9)

#34
W, 16 APR

TEST 3: Special Relativity

 

#35
F, 18 APR

Photons; Photoelectric effect, X-ray production. Reading: 38.1-38.2

#36
M, 21 APR

Photoelectric effect, X-ray production. Reading: 38.1-38.2

#37
W, 23 APR

Compton scattering, Pair production. Reading: 38.3 

 

#38
F, 25 APR

Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Reading: 38.4

MP: HW #16

#39
M, 28 APR

Particles Behaving as Waves; Electron waves, Nuclear atoms. Reading: Ch 39.1-39.2

WH: HW #17 (Problems: 38.32, 38.34, 38.35, 38.41)

#40
W, 30 APR

Bohr model of the atom, Laser. Reading: Chapter 39.3-39.5

#41
F, 2 MAY

Continuous spectra, Uncertainty principle (revisited). Reading: Chap 39.5-39.6

MP: HW #18

#42
M, 5 MAY

Quantum Mechanics; Wave functions and Schrodinger equation, Particle in a box. Reading: Chap 40.1-40.2

WH: HW #19 (Problems: 39.55, 39.69, 39.85, 39.87)

#43
W, 7 MAY

Potential wells, Potential barrirs and Tunneling. Reading: Chap 40.3-40.4

#44
F, 9 MAY

Harmonic oscillator. Reading: Chap 40.5  

MP: HW #20

F, 16 MAY

FINAL EXAM