FY512: Modeling of physical systems (5 ECTS)

STADS: 07001201

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: steen@sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None.

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have good knowledge about the scientific method as well as mathematical models from the natural- and engineering sciences, e.g. from the first two years of study or equivalent.
• Be able to use a computer simulation tool as e.g. matlab.

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to formulate, evaluate and generalize mathematical models and computer simulations, which are critical to both physics and engineering and desirable for most other natural science areas.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses in the first two years of study, and gives an academic basis for understanding and applying mathematical modeling and computer simulation, which are crucial components of the natural- and engineering science competencies.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Provide competence to understand, formulate, implement, analyze, evaluate and generalize mathematical models and computer simulations. 
• Provide general knowledge about the challenges and opportunities professionals are confronted with in mathematical modeling and computer simulations.

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:

• Understand and evaluate how mathematical models and computer simulations are constructed and tested.
• Provide practical experience in the formulation and implementation of mathematical models and computer simulations.

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

1. Mathematical modeling and computer simulations as scientific tools. 
2. System formulation and observables; level of description and level of aggregation; object(agent)- and model based simulations; deterministic-, stochastic-, continuous- and discrete descriptions.
3. Simple differential equation and lattice simulations.
4. Examples of model formulations and simulations of complex systems from different scientific areas.
5. Examples of system design and optimization via simulations.
6. Simple time series analysis examples.
7. Interpretation of data and evaluation of model and simulation output.

Literature
There isn't any litterature for the course at the moment.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam
None

Assessment and marking:

1. Oral exam based on the mini-project made in the course. Internal censorship, assessment according to the Danish 7-mark grading scale. Half of the grade is determined from a short presentation and examination of the report, while the other half of the grade is determined from an examination of a course topic (randomly selected by the student). (5 ECTS). (07001202).

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter. The mode of exam at the re-examination 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: 14 hours
Skills training phase: 26 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 14 hours
 - Laboratory exercises: 12 hours

Educational activities

Educational form
Activities during the study phase:

• Formulation, implementation and testing of simple mathematical models and computer simulations.
• In the latter part of the semester there formulates, implements and tests a more comprehensive computer simulation, where the modeling and the results are summarized in a report (max 10 pages + appendix with computer code) submitted to the teacher. This work may be done in groups of up to three (3) students.

Language
This course is taught in English, if international students participate. Otherwise the course is taught in Danish.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.