Phys273 Fall 2002    *tentative* class plan  (last updated 12/12)
week
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
9/2

syllabus, harmonic oscillator
energy conservation, LC circuit
pendulum, "effective spring constant", physical pendulum
9/9
complex numbers
complex exponential, geometrical interpretation,  harmonic oscillator
examples, beats
damped oscillator
9/16
damped ocsillator
driven oscillator & resonance
transients, damped driven oscillator & resonance
transients, damped driven oscillator & resonance
9/23
power & resonance
RLC circuit, complex impedance
complex impedance, parallel RC circuit
series RC circuit,
power in AC circuits

9/30
coupled oscillators, superposition of normal modes, beats
examples of coupled oscillators & normal modes
string equation of motion
normal modes of string
10/7
boundary conditions and normal modes; idea of Fourier series
Young's modulus, compressional vibrations of a  rod, air
Bulk modulus of gas;
homework discussion
review
10/14
EXAM 1
went over exam
traveling waves, frequency, wavenumber, etc.
sound in gas, superposition of traveling waves
10/21
superposition & energy
plane waves, wave vector, energy density & intensity, spherical waves, 3d wave eqn
reflection from fixed and free ends
partial reflection & transmission

10/28
NO CLASS: physics bldg shut
reflected & transmitted waves, impedance matching
dispersion,
wavepackets
group velocity, waves on shallow & deep water
11/4
dispersion from differential equation, Schrodinger eqn, wavepackets, uncertainty relation
differential form of Maxwell's equations, continuity equation
electromagnetic waves
displacement current, generation of EM waves
11/11
radiation pressure, EM spectrum
speed of light in vacuo & matter, reflection & refraction, wavefronts & rays
Huygen's principle, total internal reflection
refraction in inhomogeneous media, Fermat's principle
11/18
Doppler effect for sound
review
EXAM 2
go over exam
11/25
Mach cone, Doppler for EM waves
polarization, filters, Malus' law
liquid crystal displays, polarization by reflection, by scattering, optical activity
Thanksgiving
12/2
circular polarization, interference
interference-thin films
interference-two spatially separated sources
NO CLASS: snow
12/9
two spatially separated souce interference, sound interferometer
Michelson interferometer, combined double/single slit interference patterns
 circular aperture, N slits, diffraction gratings, resolving power
diffraction grating, spectra, electron (matter wave) diffraction
12/16

REVIEW, 1-3 pm, Room 4102,4208, or 4220
REVIEW, 4-6 pm, Room 4102,4208, or 4220
FINAL EXAM