PHS1842

Physics for the environment

D R Mills

4 points
* 36 lecture/problem class hours and 24 laboratory hours
* Second semester
* Clayton
* Prerequisites: VCE Physics 3/4, ENG1801 or PHS1800

Objectives Students are expected to understand the basic principles of optics and optical instruments, nuclear radiation and instrumentation, electrical transducers, amplifiers and basic electrical instruments, to be able to apply these principles to applications in the environment and to carry out reliable measurements, analyse data and present these in a scientific report.

Synopsis Ray optics, magnification, simple optical instruments, wave optics, interference and filters, diffraction, polarisation, lasers, scattering of light. Interaction of electromagnetic radiation and matter, photoelectric devices. Nuclear radiation, absorption, protection and detection, pollution monitoring. Waves, sound, noise and monitoring, Doppler effect. Instrumentation: filters and resonance, amplifiers. Transducers for temperature, sound, light, infrared imaging.

Assessment Examination 65%
* Laboratory 20%
* Tests 15%

Prescribed texts

Kane J W and Sternheim M M Physics 3rd edn, Wiley 1988