PY1P20

Cohort: JF Science (Physics), JF Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials, JF Chemistry with Molecular Modelling

Credits: 10

The Material World

Lecturers: Professor W. Blau

Duration: Hilary Term, 18 lectures

Description:
Phases of matter and phase transitions. Solids: stress, strain, elastic and plastic deformations, crystal structure, glass, plastics. Fluids: pressure, density, Archimedes’ principle, surface tension, hydrodynamics, Bernoulli's equation, viscosity, laminar and turbulent flow. Gases: gas laws, kinetic theory, PVT diagrams. Heat and thermodynamics: thermal energy, heat, temperature, thermal expansion, conduction, convection, radiation, Stefan-Boltzmann law, laws of thermodynamics, heat engines.

Electromagnetic Interactions

Lecturers: Professor G. Cross

Duration: Hilary Term, 18 lectures

Description:
Electrostatics: electric charge, Coulomb's law, electric field, Gauss's law, electric potential energy, voltage, electric polarization, capacitance. Electricity: current, resistance, Ohm's law, electromotive force, power in electric circuits, Kirchoff's laws, RC circuits. Magnetism: magnetic pole, magnetostatic forces, magnetic fields, magnetic domains. Electromagnetism: force on a moving charge, magnetic torque, electric motors - DC and AC, field due to a moving charge, force between conductors. Electromagnetic induction: Faraday's law, Lenz's law.

Origin of Modern Physics

Lecturers: Professor S. Hutzler

Duration: Hilary Term, 9 lectures

Description:
The existence of atoms. Fingerprints of matter: spectra. The nature of light. The discovery of x-rays and electrons. Models of the atom. Divisibility of atoms: radioactivity.