units

PHS3142

Faculty of Science

18 September 2017 28 April 2024

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This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2016 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

Monash University

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Faculty

Science

Organisational Unit

School of Physics and Astronomy

Coordinator(s)

Dr Alexis Bishop

Offered

Clayton

  • Second semester 2016 (Day)

Synopsis

This unit provides part of a major in theoretical physics. It consists of two 12-lecture sub-units, Advanced Quantum Mechanics and Computational Physics and a 12-hour seminar sub-unit. The key areas of study are:

  1. Advanced Quantum Mechanics: spin angular momentum, perturbation theory, scattering theory and the quantum theory of radiation;
  2. Computational Physics: discrete arrays to model the space and time evolution of functions or physical systems; a hands-on approach is used throughout to develop confidence and competency in using a computer to solve physical problems; includes a computer based assignment and short computational physics project; and
  3. Theoretical Seminar: seminar participation in theoretical problems, projects and presentations.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Describe concepts and perform calculations in Advanced Quantum Mechanics, which include both exact and approximate methods, such as perturbation theory, the variational approach, WKB and scattering theory;
  2. Use a high level computer language, such as MatLab, to solve computation problems, and model systems, applicable to a wide variety of problems in theoretical physics;
  3. Solve new problems in physics related to the core concepts of the unit by drawing on the theoretical underpinnings that illustrate the physics;
  4. Carry out research in contemporary physics, and present critically assessed summaries as scientific reports and presentations;
  5. Use qualitative and quantitative reasoning to produce approximate solutions to scientific questions involving advanced topics in physics.

Assessment

Examination (2 hours): 23%
Assignments and computational projects: 43%
Seminar contributions: 34%

Workload requirements

Each week:

  • One 1-hour lecture
  • One 1-hour tutorial class
  • One 1-hour lecture/computational laboratory session
  • One 1-hour seminar
  • Eight hours of independent study

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Alexis Bishop

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Astrophysics
Physics

Prerequisites

PHS3031