Purpose

Physicists try to understand EVERYTHING, they do it by breaking things down to the smallest pieces possible. You are here to learn about how physicists view problems to help you be better engineers or to start you off as a physics major.

The first week we get to know each other, mostly you getting to know me a little and then I will get to know you all over the semester. We'll talk about what I expect from you and what you should expect from me. We will even do some physics!

The language that physicists use is mathematics, you have to learn to be strict with its vocabulary and grammar. To be in this class you should have passed 2100 & 2200 and maybe 3300, I expect at least this level of mathematical ability. Make point of reading Krane Ch 01 and check if anything is unfamiliar. In general I don't 3400 will surprise you with new tools BUT it will surprise you with new USES of the tools.

I will walk you through a problem solving method that I find minimizes panic in an exam. I will also show you how to write out problem answers so that you maximize your points and increase your understanding of physics.

Prerequisite Knowledge

As mentioned earlier Phys 2100 & 2200 concepts
Review Krane Chapter 01
Chapter 03 Review, notice that these are WAVE formulations
- Equations for plane waves, starts with differential equation then ansatz solutions for E and B
- Poynting vector and using it for power and intensity calculations
- Interference and Diffraction

Skills

The purpose of this week of our course is to help you practice the following skills that are essential to your success in this course / in school / in this field / in professional life beyond school:

Be able to calculate Power and Intensity using the Poynting Vector
Be able to calculate the atomic spacing of a crystal using X-ray scattering data and justify your method

Photoelectric Effect

Be able to describe the observed Photoelectric Effect
Be able to explain it using classical arguments, Poynting vector stuff
Be able to calculate expected electron KE's using classical arguments
Be able to explain the failure, prediction vs observed
Be able to explain what a photon is and how its energy and momentum are calculated.
Be able to explain Power and Intensity using the photon model
Be able to use the photon model to explain the Photoelectric effect
- threshold
- electron KE
- electron flux
Be able to calculate the calculate the electron kinetic energies and flux given a work energy, light color and light intensity

Blackbody Radiation

Be able to explain what thermal radiation is, in particular blackbody radiation
Be able to calculate the frequency given temperature or temperature given peak frequency
Be able to explain the derivation of the Rayleigh-Jeans Law and show its (limited) success and (spectacular) failure
Be able to explain the derivation of Planck's Formula
Be able to use Planck's Formula to calculate a spectrum of a black body

Compton Effect

Be able to explain the Compton Effect and what classical theory would predict for the interaction of light with an atom
Be able to explain the derivation of the equation for the wavelength of the scattered light and how the photon concept is critical.
Be able explain the Compton wavelength of the electron and why it can be treated as a constant. (This is NEW to me!)
Be explain the behavior of the scattered wavelength spectrum as function of angle

Other Photon Processes

Interaction of Photons with Atoms

Be able to explain the properties of emitted and absorbed photons in terms of energy levels

Bremsstrahlung

Be able to explain Bremsstrahlung
Be able to explain X-Ray production and how X-ray frequencies are achieved

Pair Production

Be able to explain what pair production is
Be able to explain photon energy requirement
Be able to explain necessity of conservation of momentum

What is a Photon

Wave Particle Duality

Be able to explain the correspondence principle

Schedule

Introduction

We will go over all the "housekeeping" of the class

Introduce Classical vs Modern "clash"

Review Chapter 3.1 Stuff

Then go through each section of Chapter 03

✓ Prepare for Class

The plan is that each chapter will have a pre lecture assignment, a reading assignment, a video to watch and, of course, HOMEWORK

Make sure and do the review work mentioned earlier
Read through Chapter 03 Krane's Modern Physics
Video Lectures (Playlists in Module)
1. I just (08/17) found this great lecture that helps with Krane 3.1 Wavelike Properties of Radiation
2. You will see a "PhysicsOMG" Playlist. They cover sections 3.2 & 3.3 but have other helpful stuff as well. Check it out and watch the videos as necessary
3. There are other videos from MIT mostly and they are very good but you may find them a little intimidating. The link brings you to a Table of Contents of the videos
  1. The Lecture 3 Section overlaps the PhysicsOMG list. It adds Compton Scattering. You should watch L3.2 Units of h and Compton wavelength of particles before L3.3 Compton Scattering
  2. Return to PhysicsOMG (X Rays) for Bremsstrahlung and XRay Production in Krane 3.5
  3. Then is a stand alone video for pair production, best I could find so far.
  4. MIT QM L1.4 and L1.5 should be watched for Krane 3.6. L1.4 could introduce Krane Ch 03 but I think it is more useful after Krane 3.1-3.4. L1.5 addresses the Wave-Particle Duality
Watch Videos, Contribute to discussions -> Easy Points!
Print or download to your laptop/tablet the lecture slides

⇩ In-Class

After Class ⇨

This would be a good time to review your lecture notes
Copy into the test taking section of your notebook any items that Dr H recommends should be there during class.
Work on homework problems should be done in your notebooks. You should have a fully written out solution for each type of homework problem in the test taking section of your notebook