Physics 320: Modern Physics - Fall (12) 2012

Instructor: Mark Taylor

Office: Gerstacker 118
Phone: 569-5241
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Office Hours:

MWF 4:15-6:00; Tues. 1:30-6:00, Thurs. 1:30-4:00; Sunday 3:00-6:00

Also feel free to stop by at other times, call me, or send me email.

Physics Study Session:

Thursday evening 6:30-9:30 in Gerstacker 123

Meeting Times:

MWF 8:30-9:50; Colton 15

Textbook:

"Modern Physics", 2nd edition, by Randy Harris

Course Overview:

This course will provide an introduction to the fundamental concepts of "modern" physics.  In particular we will study the theories of special relativity, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics.  These new theories, developed primarily in the 20th century, are conceptually more difficult to grasp than those of classical physics since they are not in accord with our everyday physical intuition.  Thus we must develop a new intuition based on the equations of this new physics.  In the laboratory part of this course you will have the opportunity to carry out some of the classic experiments that stymied the "old physics" and demanded the invention of a "new physics".

Links to PDF files:

Problem Sets

Experiments:

Downloadable Software: