PHYS4191 Theoretical Physics 4 (2011/12)

Details of the module's prerequisites, learning outcomes, assessment and contact hours are given in the official module description in the Faculty Handbook - follow the link above.  A detailed description of the module's content, together with book lists, is given below.  For an explanation of the library's categorisation system see http://www.dur.ac.uk/physics/students/library/.

Content

Quantum Mechanics

Dr S. Franco

18 lectures + 4 examples classes in Michaelmas Term

Syllabus: Fundamental concepts of Quantum Mechanics: state vectors, operators, eigenvalues and expectation values, commutation relations, uncertainty principle, time evolution  postulates. Operator methods: simple harmonic oscillator, angular momentum, spin.  Motion in a central potential.  Identical Particles. Scattering theory.

Textbooks:

Additional: An Introduction to Quantum Theory, F.S. Levin (CUP)
Additional: Introductory quantum mechanics, R. L. Liboff (Addison-Wesley)
Additional: Modern Quantum Mechanics, J.J. Sakurai (Addison-Wesley)
Required: Quantum Mechanics, B.H. Bransden and C.J. Joachain (Longman)
Additional: Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, D.J. Griffiths (Pearson/Prentice Hall)

Special Relativity and Electromagnetism

Prof P. Richardson

18 lectures + 4 examples classes in Epiphany Term

Syllabus: Principle of Relativity. Lorentz transformation. Elementary tensor calculus, summation convention, covariant and contravariant 4-vectors, Minkowski metric, Levi-Civita and Kronecker tensors. Covariant electrodynamics. 4-potentials and gauge invariance. Field tensor. Maxwell's equations in tensor form. Wave equation. Retarded potential.

Textbooks:

Required: Introduction to Special Relativity, W. Rindler (OUP)
Additional: Introduction to the Relativity Principle, G. Barton (Wiley)
Additional: Modern Problems in Classical Electrodynamics, C.A. Brau (OUP)

Revision

2 lectures in Easter Term, one by each lecturer.

Teaching methods

Lectures: 2 one-hour lectures per week.

Examples classes: These provide an opportunity to work through and digest the course material by attempting exercises and assignments assisted by direct interaction with the lecturers and demonstrators. Students will be divided into groups, each of which will attend one one-hour class every two weeks.

Extended essay: Students undertake a Special Essay Project in Physics with a submission deadline in the fourth week of the Epiphany Term. The essays should be approximately 3000 words in length, and it is strongly recommended that they should be word-processed and printed single-sided on A4 paper.
The subject matter is to be chosen with the advice of the course lecturers who will provide a list of suitable topics. The aim should be to pick a topic which has a high physics content appropriate for Level 4, which is accessible to the student and can be readily researched, and which can be discussed satisfactorily within the word count limit. The technical level should be advanced, rather than introductory.
Students should discuss with the lecturer the qualities expected in the essay, but an indication of these is given in the mark proforma used for assessment. The proforma will be made available to students for their information at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term. The written essay is summatively assessed.
The marked essays along with the completed proformas (giving the marks awarded for the essay) will be returned to students before the end of the Epiphany Term.

Problem exercises:  See http://www.dur.ac.uk/physics/students/problems/