PHY 3111Modern Physics I

Catalog

Prerequisite(s): MTH 2420 AND PHY 2331 with a C- or above In this course, students are introduced to the topics of modern physics including special relativity, the development of quantum physics, the Schroedinger equation, and an introduction to atomic physics. Modern Physics began at the turn of the 20th century when several experiments revealed inconsistencies with the classical theories of physics. Students follow the development of new models by Einstein, Bohr, Planck, Heisenberg, Dirac, and Schroedinger. This course is the first of a two-course modern physics sequence, designed for physics majors and physics minors (Modern Physics II covers multi-electron atoms, molecular physics, quantum statistics, solid-state physics, nuclear and particle physics).