Schedule:  Physics 340      Fall 2000 

The following is a tentative course outline by date. The examination and homework due dates will not change unless unforeseen events occur. The material to be covered may change slightly, depending on progress.

  

Class & 
Exam Dates

Topics

Readings

HW Due

Links

W  Sept 6 Introduction, Math Review             Math Review
Solution
F Class 1,  Sept 8 Heat and Temperature 19:1-8      
M Class 2,  Sept 11 First Law of Thermodynamics 19:9-10      
W Class 3,  Sept 13 Energy Flow 19:11 Set #1 HW#1 Solution
F Class 4,  Sept 15 Kinetic theory, R, N_A 20:1-5    
M Class 5,  Sept 18 Statistical Interpretation of
Temperature
20:8-11    
W Class 6,  Sept 20 Brownian Motion, Maxwell-Boltzman Distributions 20:6-7 Set #2 HW#2 Solution
Brownian Motion
F Class 7,  Sept 22 Thermodynamic cycles, engines, and efficiency 21:1-5    
M Class 8,  Sept 25 Thermodynamics, Entropy, and the Third Law 21:6 Set #3 HW#3 Solution
W Midterm 1: Sept 27 Chapters 19, 20, 21        
F Class 9,  Sept 29 Simple Harmonic Motion, Pendulums 16:1-7   Simple Harmonic Motion
M Class 10,  Oct 2 Damped and forced oscillations 16:8-9    
W Class 11,  Oct 4 Waves 17:1-7    
F Class 12,  Oct 6 Superposition, Interference 17:8-11 Set #4 HW#4 Solution
Superposition
M Class 13,  Oct 9 Sound 18:1-5    
W Class 14,  Oct 11 Musical Instruments 18:6    
F Class 15,  Oct 13 Beats and Standing Waves 17:12, 
18:7-8
Set #5 HW#5 Solution
Sonic Booms
M Midterm 2: Oct 16 Chapters 16, 17, 18         
W Class 16,  Oct 18 Maxwell's Equations and EM waves 34:1-3    E-M Waves
F Class 17,  Oct 20 Maxwell's Equations and EM waves (cont.) 34:1-3     
M Class 18,  Oct 23 Energy Transport and Polarization 34:4-6   Polarization 
W Class 17,  Oct 25 Reflection and Refraction 34:7-9 Set #6 Reflection and Refraction
HW#6 Solution
F Class 18,  Oct 27 Image formation and detection 35:1-4    
M Class 19,  Oct 30 Mirrors and Lenses 35:5-6,8    
W Class 20,  Nov 1 Optical instruments, telescopes and microscope 35:7 Set #7 HW#7 Solution 
F Class 21,  Nov 3 Optical Interference, Single and Double Slit 36:1-6   Frauenhofer Diffraction  
M Class 22,  Nov 6 Thin films, and Interferometers 36:7-8    
W Class 23,  Nov 8 Diffraction, gratings, x-ray 37:1-9     
F Class 24,  Nov 10 Atmospheric phenomena    Set #8 HW#8 Solution
Color Vision
M Class 25,  Nov 13 Review       
W Midterm 3: Nov 15 Chapters 34, 35, 36, 37           
F Class 26,  Nov 17 Michelson-Morley 38:1-4    
M Class 27,  Nov 20 Lorentz Transformations 38:7-8    Lorentz Transformations
W Class 28,  Nov 22 Time Dilation, Length Contraction 38:5-6 Set #9 HW#9 Solution 
F Nov 23-24 Thanksgiving Break        
M Class 29,  Nov 27 Velocity Transformations 38.9   CRLT forms
W Class 30,  Nov 29 Relativistic Momentum and Energy 38:11-12   Momentum and Energy
F Class 31,  Dec 1 Applications to Particle  Physics & Astrophysics 38:10 Set #10 HW#10 Solution 
M Class 32,  Dec 4 The Equivalence Principle and General Relativity Handout   General Relativity
W Class 31,  Dec 6 Experimental Tests of  General Relativity Handout   Experimental Tests
F Class 32,  Dec 8 Cosmology Handout   Cosmology
M Class 33,  Dec 11 Review Handout    Practice Questions
Solutions
W Midterm 4: Dec 13 Chapter 38      
T Final Exam: Dec 19 cancelled -> replaced by Midterm 4