Appendix C: Syllabuses of 2000-level modules
This list of module offerings is for illustrative purposes only and does not constitute a guarantee of the specific modules or module content to be offered in future years.
PH2011 Physics 2A
Mechanics (18 lectures) Dr Lucy Hadfield
Dynamics of a single particle: Newton's laws of motion, inertial reference frames. Momentum, conservation of momentum in absence of external forces. Central force problems: velocity and acceleration of particles in plane polar coordinates. Work, energy and power. Conservative forces, relation between force and potential energy. Friction. Torque. Conservation of angular momentum.
Gravitation: Newton's gravitational force law, potential energy for point source. Kepler's laws for planetary motion.
Dynamics of a system of particles: Centre of mass. Internal and external forces. Translational equation of motion. Torque. Angular momentum and kinetic energy of a rotating system. Rotational equation of motion. Rigid bodies. Moments of inertia. Parallel and perpendicular axis theorems.
Oscillations in Physics (7 lectures) Dr Pavlos Manousiadis
Introduction to oscillations. Mathematical description of oscillations. Circular motion and simple harmonic motion (SHM). Energy in SHM. Examples of SHM: spring-mass systems, pendulums, other oscillating systems. Damped oscillations. Types of damping, Q factor. Forced oscillations. Resonance. Examples of resonant systems. Coupled oscillations and normal modes.
Thermal Physics (11 lectures) Dr Helen Cammack
Temperature, pressure and translational kinetic energy. The thermodynamic temperature scale. The notion of thermal equilibrium. Degrees of freedom. Reversible and irreversible processes. The zeroth law. Ideal gases. Mean Free Path and Maxwell Speed Distribution. Types of thermometer. Thermal expansion (linear, area and volume), interatomic forces and Lennard Jones Potential, crystal structure, elasticity. Equations of state.
Work, heat and the First law of thermodynamics. Heat capacity and phonons. Heat transport, conduction, convection and radiation. Phase changes and latent heat. Adiabatic processes, free expansion of a gas.
Entropy and the second law of thermodynamics. Direction of time. Heat engines, heat pumps, refrigerators, efficiency. Entropy from a statistical viewpoint.
Special Relativity (6 lectures) Prof Steve Lee
Inertial frames and Galilean relativity. The Galilean transformation equations. The postulate of special relativity. Clock synchronisation and the relativity of simultaneity. Length contraction, time dilation, and the Lorentz transformations. Proper time, invariants, and space-time diagrams. Transformation of velocity. Relativistic Doppler effect.
Mathematics Revision Dr Irina Leonhardt
Trigonometry, dimensional analysis, complex numbers, vectors, functions, graphs, differentiation and integration, differential equations, and Taylor series.
Laboratory work Dr Cameron Rae
Direct entry to second year students initially follow a focused laboratory skills development programme that includes: precision and accuracy, error propagation, data analysis and graphical representation, experimental technique and laboratory notebook keeping. All students explore aspects of physics in a practical manner, broaden competence in various forms of experimental and diagnostic instrumentation and will develop data handling and interpretation skills.
PH2012 Physics 2B
Electricity and Magnetism (21 lectures) Dr Bruce Sinclair
Basic electrostatics: Coulomb's Law, electric field E, electric field from discrete and continuous distributions. Electric potential V, relation between E and V, examples.
DC circuit theory: Electric current and drift velocity of charge-carriers. Electric potential and Kirchoff’s laws. Input and output impedance of circuits, equivalent circuits. Gauss' law and capacitors: Electric flux, Gauss' law, use to solve fields around high-symmetry charge distributions, electrostatic shielding, capacitors, role of dielectric materials in capacitors.
Magnetic effects of currents: Forces on charges moving in a magnetic field, Biot-Savart law and application to long straight wire and coil, force between two current carrying wires and the definition of the units of current, Ampere's law and examples.
Electromagnetic Induction: Faraday's law, Lenz's law, induced electric fields, self and mutual inductance.
Electricity and magnetism unified via relativity (qualitative). Magnetic materials.
Classical Waves (12 lectures) Dr Pavlos Manousiadis
Waves on stretched strings, the wave equation, wave velocity, transmission of energy, sound waves and light waves, the Doppler effect in sound, superposition of waves, standing waves, Fourier series, interference, Bragg scattering, beats, phase, dispersion, phase and group velocity, reflection and transmission of waves at an interface or boundary, the e-m spectrum, polarisation.
Quantum Physics (18 lectures) Dr Helen Cammack
Photoelectric effect and photodetectors. Optical devices and single-photon experiments. Probabilistic measurements, expectation values. Entanglement and the physical interpretation of quantum mechanics. Wave functions and the Schrödinger equation in one dimension. Operators and eigenvalues. The uncertainty principle. Infinite- and finite-depth square well potential. Quantum tunnelling.
Laboratory work Dr Cameron Rae
All students explore aspects of physics in a practical manner, broaden competence in various forms of experimental and diagnostic instrumentation and develop analysis skills. Explore the science behind passive, pn-junction and op-amp devices and their incorporation in circuit designs while developing practical skills in electronics and develop computational skills through work with microcontrollers. Develop scientific writing skills.
AS2001 Astronomy & Astrophysics 2
Stellar Structure and Evolution (11 lectures) Prof Kenny Wood
The determination and distribution of stellar masses, radii and luminosities; the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, mass-luminosity law and Vogt-Russell theorem. Sources of stellar energy, nucleosynthesis of hydrogen, helium and carbon. Star formation and evolution; the ages of star clusters; supernova events and the synthesis of heavy elements. Final states – white dwarfs, neutron stars (pulsars) and black holes. The evolution of binary stars – Roche lobe overflow, accretion discs and novae.
Exoplanetary Science (11 lectures) Dr Rowan Smith
Building on earlier work in the module, this course looks at the formation of planets in circumstellar accretion discs and the implication for internal structures of gas-giant and terrestrial-like planets. Theoretical models and observational techniques are discussed.
Galactic Astronomy (10 lectures) Dr Anne-Marie Weijmans
This course will investigate the distribution and motions of stars, gas and dust within our own galaxy in order to determine its dimensions and overall properties. Properties of other galaxies will be discussed. Topics include: galactic coordinate systems; the solar motion and distribution of stellar velocities; differential galactic rotation, the rotation velocity at the Sun and the distance to the Galactic Centre; rotation curves of the Milky Way and other galaxies; galaxy masses and "dark" matter.
Observational Techniques (11 lectures) Dr Rita Tojeiro
This course provides an introduction to topics relevant to planning and interpreting astronomical observations, including: modern telescopes and telescope design; instruments and detectors for multiwavelength astronomy, including CCDs; atmospheric seeing and extinction; active and adaptive optics; photometry; spectroscopy; aperture synthesis imaging; essential coordinate systems
Laboratory Work
AS2101 Astrophysics
As AS2001, but without the laboratory work and the Observational Techniques lectures.