forked from tachycline/PHYS362
-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
Syllabus.tex
executable file
·185 lines (160 loc) · 8.21 KB
/
Syllabus.tex
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{charter}
\usepackage{fullpage}
\begin{document}
\centerline{\Large Quantum Mechanics I}
\vskip0.1cm\centerline{\large Marietta College Physics 362, Fall 2016}
\vskip0.1cm\centerline{Dr. Cavendish Q. McKay}
\vskip 0.25cm
\centerline{Syllabus}
\vskip0.1cm\hrule\vskip0.5cm
\begin{description}
\item[Course details:] TTh 1:00 -- 2:15 PM; Rickey 104
\item[Texts:] {\bf Introduction to Quantum Mechanics},
Griffiths, Pearson/Prentice Hall 2005.
\item[Contact information:] RSC/AHP 143, 376-4871,
\item[Office hours:] MWF 9:00--10:00 and 11:00--12:00, or any other time my office
door is ajar.
\item[What this course is all about:] {\ } \newline In Modern Physics,
you were exposed to some of the basics of quantum mechanics. In
this course, we will revisit many of those ideas with more depth and
a greater degree of mathematical sophistication. We will begin the
semester by covering some of the basics about probability which we
will need to make sense of the standard interpretation of quantum
mechanics. Then we will consider what Schr\"odinger's equation
says about a single particle in a variety of one dimensional
potentials. Most of the potentials we will look at can be solved
(with some effort) analytically, but we will also discuss some
techniques for numerical solutions when the analytic approach fails.
Once we have looked at these specific cases in one dimension, we
will prepare to move into the three dimensional world by building a
more formal, abstract framework within which we can understand
quantum mechanical principles. (Yay! Formalism! Abstraction!)
Finally, we will study the hydrogen atom in three dimensions. The
spherical symmetry of the hydrogen atom will lead us naturally into
a discussion of angular momentum.
Throughout the semester, we will make use of computational tools in
solving problems. The focus is not intended to be on programming as
a discipline; you should instead think of the computer as a
sophisticated calculator with a big keyboard. Part of the goal of
this approach is to help you distinguish between the cases where the
the use of a computer can be very helpful, marginally helpful, not
particularly helpful, or actively harmful.
\item[Outcomes:] By the end of this course, students should be able to
\begin{itemize}
\item Prepare a useful and correct solution to any of the quantum
mechanical problems we have covered over the course of the
semester.
\item Lead a discussion about a homework problem at the board.
\item Use sympy or a similar computer algebra system in solving
physics problems.
\item Be able to judge when it is appropriate to use a computer in
solving a physics problem.
\end{itemize}
\item[Evaluation:] Homework, exams, and class discussion will
contribute to your grade. Each student will have the opportunity
several times during the semester to lead the class in discussing a
problem. Your performance in leading these discussions will be
graded according to a rubric explained in detail in a separate
handout, and will account for 15\% of your final grade. There will
be two midterm exams (each worth 15\% of your final grade) and a
final exam, worth 20\%. Homework problems will be due at the
beginning of each class period. When these problems are returned to
you, you will assemble them in a homework portfolio (explained in
detail in a separate handout) which will be graded at the end of the
semester. The homework problems count for 20\% of your final grade;
the portfolio is an additional 15\%. You will be able to use your
portfolio (and only your portfolio) as a reference during exams.
Some of the assigned problems are marked as ``computational''
problems. You are expected to use sympy (a freely available python library for doing algebra and calculus on a computer) to write
your solutions to these problems. I will spend some class time on
teaching you to use sympy, and will also point you toward some
online resources you can use to learn more. I will distribute to you
all of my solutions to the computational problems (after you have
turned them in, of course).
Summarizing:
\begin{tabular}{lcr}
Leading discussion of board problems & 15\% &\\
Homework problems & 20\% &\\
Homework Portfolio & 15\% &\\
Midterm 1& 15\% & \\
Midterm 2& 15\% & \\
Final Exam & 20\% & Friday, May 1, 8:30 AM\\
\end{tabular}
\item[Policies:] {\ } \newline
\begin{itemize}
\item I will endeavor to return homework to you the class period
after you turn it in to me. Therefore, no late homework will be
accepted.
\item Exams must be taken at the scheduled time unless a documented
excuse is presented. If possible, arrangements for a make-up exam
should be made prior to the scheduled exam time.
\item Students who believe that they may need accommodations due to
a documented disability should contact the Academic Resource
Center (Andrews Hall, Third floor, 376-4700) and the instructor as
soon as possible to ensure that such accommodations are
implemented in a timely manner. You must meet with the ARC staff
to verify your eligibility for any accommodation and for academic
assistance.
\item The following statement is an excerpt from the {\bf Marietta
College Undergraduate Programs, 2010-2011 Catalog}, page 121:
\begin{quotation} Dishonesty within the academic community is a very
seriouss matter, because dishonesty destroys the basic trust
necessary for a healthy educational environment. Academic
dishonesty is any treatment or representation of work as if one
were fully responsible for it, when it is in fact the work of
another person. Academic dishonesty includes cheating,
plagiarism, theft, or improper manipulation of laboratory or
research data or theft of services. A substantiated case of
academic dishonesty may result in disciplinary action, including a
failing grade on the project, a failing grade in the course, or
expulsion from the College.\end{quotation}
\item I reserve the right to adjust this syllabus should it become
necessary.
\end{itemize}
\end{description}
\newpage
\hspace*{-1cm}\begin{minipage}{\textwidth}
\centerline{Approximate schedule}
\vskip0.1cm\hrule\vskip0.5cm
\begin{tabular}{llr}
Date & Topic & Assigned problems ({\underline{underlined}} problems are computational)\\[0.5ex]
T 30 Aug & Introduction, Probability& \\
Th 1 Sep & Normalization, Uncertainty & 1.1, {\underline{1.3}}, 1.4, 1.11 {\underline{1.5}}, 1.6\\
T 6 Sep & Computational issues, Schr\"odinger equation & 1.7, {\underline{1.9}}, 1.12, 1.15, 1.16,\\
Th 8 Sep & Infinite Square Well & {\underline{1.17}}, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3\\\
T 13 Sep & & {\underline{2.4}}, 2.5, 2.7, 2.8, 2.38\\
Th 15 Sep & Harmonic Oscillator & 2.39, 2.10, {\underline{2.11}}, 2.12\\
T 20 Sep & Free Particle &2.13, {\underline{2.15}}, {\underline{2.17}}, 2.21 \\
Th 22 Sep & Delta Function Potential & 2.23, 2.24, 2.27\\
T 27 Sep & Finite Square Well& 2.20, 2.26,2.29, {\underline{2.30}} \\
Th 29 Sep & Shooting & 2.34, 2.35\\
T 4 Oct & Review & {\underline{2.54}}, {\underline{2.55}}, {\underline{2.56}}\\
Th 6 Oct & Midterm Exam I& Portfolio check\\
T 11 Oct & Fall Break, No class& \\
Th 13 Oct & Hilbert Space & \\
T 18 Oct &Observables &3.1, 3.2\ \\
Th 20 Oct & & 3.3, 3.4, 3.5\\
T 25 Oct & Eigenfunctions of Hermitian operators &3.6, 3.7, 3.8 \\
Th 27 Oct & & 3.9, 3.10, {\underline{3.11}}\\
T 1 Nov & Uncertainty & 3.13, 3.14, 3.15, 3.17, 3.31\\
Th 3 Nov & Dirac Notation & 3.27, 3.21, 3.22, 3.23, 3.24\\
T 8 Nov & Review & 3.33, 3.34\\
Th 10 Nov &Midterm Exam II & Portfolio Check\\
T 15 Nov & Separation of Variables! &4.1, 4.2 \\
Th 17 Nov & & {\underline{4.3}}, {\underline{4.4}}, {\underline{4.5}} \\
T 22 Nov & Hydrogen & 4.6, 4.9, {\underline{4.10}}, {\underline{4.11}}\\
Th 24 Nov & & Thanksgiving, no class\\
T 29 Nov & &{\underline{4.12}}, 4.13, 4.14, {\underline{4.15}}\\
Th 1 Dec & Angular Momentum & 4.16, 4.17, 4.18, 4.19\\
T 6 Dec & Spin &4.21, 4.22, {\underline{4.23}},4.27, 4.28, \\
Th 8 Dec & & 4.29, 4.31, 4.34, 4.35\\
F 16 Dec& Final Exam & 3:00--5:30
\end{tabular}
\end{minipage}
\end{document}
%%% Local Variables:
%%% mode: latex
%%% TeX-master: t
%%% End: