Physics 222 introduces students to the basic principles of electricity,
magnetism, optics, and quantum and nuclear physics. After successfully completing this course students will have
acquired the fundamental knowledge to understand various physical phenomena and
their basis for practical applications. They will be able to apply
mathematics (vectors, algebra, trigonometry) to describe and analyze
physical properties and they will have practiced discussing physics with
classmates through active participation in the course.
Physics often serves as a support course for students studying in another
program. Physics 222 teaches students to look for the physical principles
that underlie complex technical and biological phenomena and to spot misleading
claims that defy the laws of physics.
The laboratory component is especially important. The experiments combine many different skills and
concepts and expose the students to the experimental basis of physics.
Students acquire skills in planning and performing experiments, in
analyzing experimental data and in estimating experimental uncertainties.
- Module 1: Electric forces and fields
- Coulombs law, electric
fields and field lines, polarization
- Module 2: Electric energy and potential
- Potential energy, potential difference,
conductors, capacitors
- Module 3: Steady electric currents
-
Steady electric current, resistance, electrical energy and power, Kirchhoff’s rules, RC circuits
- Module 4: Magnetic forces and fields
- Magnetic
fields, magnetic force, current loops, magnetism in matter
- Module 5: Induced fields
- Faraday’s law, motional emf, Lenz’s law, self-inductance, devices
- Module 6: Electromagnetic waves
- Field energy, production of EM waves, wave energy and momentum, polarization
- Module 7: Geometrical Optics
- Optical properties of matter,
reflection and refraction, dispersion, mirrors
- Module 8: Images formed by refraction
- Thin lenses, aberrations. the human eye, optical instruments
- Module 9: Wave optics
- Diffraction and interference, resolving power, interferometers
- Module 10: Quantum physics
- Modern physics, photons, matter
waves, quantum mechanics, wave functions
- Module 11: Atoms
- Angular momentum, spin, atoms, lasers
- Module 12: Nuclear physics
- Nuclear properties, nuclear decay, nuclear modes, nuclear energy, NMR