FY504: Classical Physics (10 ECTS)

STADS: 07008501

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: sannino@cp3.sdu.dk

Additional teachers
frandsen@cp3.dias.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
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Prerequisites:
None

Academic preconditions:
The first year of the bachelor must be followed.

Course introduction
Classical Physics provides an introduction to theoretical physics which details and broadens the knowledge of Mechanics already achieved during the first year of studies, and which furthermore trains the student in applying mathematical formalism to physical problems.

Qualifications
The course introduces the fundamental concepts of classical mechanics and their application on particles, particle systems, and continuous media. The participants will obtain familiarity with these concepts and competence in applying them on physical phenomena on all length scales. The course contains theoretical project work giving personal competence in collaboration with colleagues and in computational work.

Expected learning outcome
After completing the course the student will be able to:

• Apply the basic concept of Special Relativity
• Explain the physical principles behind Kepler's laws and Rutherford's picture on atomic structure.
• Explain the laws of motion which apply in non-inertial coordinate systems.
• Use Lagrange and Hamilton formalism to write down equations of motion
• Apply conservation of energy, momentum and angular momentum to rigid bodies
• Apply the dynamical laws controlling liquid motion, with and without friction.

Subject overview
Special relativity: Michelson’s experiment, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic kinematics and dynamics.

Particles and particle systems: Energy, momentum, angular momentum; center of gravity and moment of inertia.

Accelerated coordinate frames: Fictive forces, the Foucault pendulum.

Central conservative force fields: Kepler’s laws and the solar system, Rutherford scattering and atomic and subatomic phenomena.

Lagrangian mechanics: Lagrange and Hamilton equations.

Rigid bodies: Application of Newton’s laws of motion on extended bodies, the top, the precession of the Equinoxes.

Continuum physics: Deformation of solids, sound in gases, liquids and solids, ideal and viscous fluids.

Literature

• J.M. Knudsen and P.H. Hjorth: Elements of Newtonian Mechanics, Springer.
• Physics of Continuous Matter, Exotic and Everyday Phenomena in the Macroscopic World – March 22, 2011.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:

1. Mandatory weekly homework assignments. Evaluated by internal censorship on a pass/fail basis (2 ECTS). (07008522)
2. There is a midterm and a final 24 hours take home written tests, Danish 7-marksscale, internal examiner (4 ECTS). (07008512)
3. Oral examination. The exam takes a starting point in the weekly homework assignmnets and in 2 approved project reports written during the course. The grade is given according to the 7-point marking scale (4 ECTS).(07008502)

The final grade for the course is the average of the two partial results from b) and c) that are graded. The weekly homework assignments must be passed with a minimum grade of 02. The two exams must be passed together with a minimum of 02. Grade -3 or "absent" must not occur in any of the exams.

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The mode of exam at the reexamination may differ from the mode of exam at the ordinary exam.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 54 hours
Skills training phase: 36 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 36 hours

Educational activities Study phase: 32 hours

Language
This course is taught in English.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.