Physics
Offered in even-numbered years
Mr Phillip Higgins
6 points * First semester * Four 1-hour lectures and one 4-hour laboratory per week * Gippsland/Distance * Prerequisites: GAS1383 and GAS1384 or permission of subject adviser
Objectives On the completion of this subject students will be able to solve electrical network problems using Kirchhoff's, Thevenin's and Norton's theorems; understand and quantify the relationship between voltage and current in resistive reactive AC circuits; describe the operation of and the use of analog meters, digital multimeters and oscilloscopes to analyse electrical circuit operation; design and analysis of regulated DC power supplies; classify and describe the operating characteristics of various sensors and transducers; utilise operational amplifiers in various circuit configurations; describe the Thomson and Rutherford models of the atom and be able to derive their corresponding scattering formulae; understand the concepts of nuclear cross-section, nuclear reactions, fission and fusion, nuclear statistics, and detection of ionising radiation; provide a better understanding of matter and the universe; understand the principles involved in the interaction of radiation with matter; appreciate and understand the concept of radiation protection; describe and understand the physical phenomena that led to the development of quantum mechanics; understand the concept of wave properties of particles; acquire skills in solving problems using Schrodinger equations and operators; apply quantum mechanics to various physical problems.
Synopsis This subject aims to consolidate and extend the fundamental physics and develop concepts and techniques in applied physics. The major part of this subject involves a study of electronics for instrumentation, quantum and radiation physics. Study guides are provided which aim to integrate the practical aspects of each topic into theoretical background, via practice problems and laboratory/discovery sessions.
Assessment Subject examination and assignments: 70% * Laboratory work: 30%
Prescribed texts
Diefenderfer A J and Holton B E Principles of electronic instrumentation 3rd edn, Saunders, 1994
Krane K Modern physics Wiley, 1983
Recommended texts
Beiser A Perspectives of modern physics McGraw-Hill, 1969
Brehm J J Introduction to the structure of matter Wiley, 1989
Faires R and Boswell G Radioisotope laboratory techniques Butterworth, 1981
Matthews P T Introduction to quantum mechanics McGraw-Hill, 1974
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