Contact person
The responsible contact person for the course is Dániel Varjas, please c.c. him (varjas.daniel@ttk.bme.hu) on any communication with the lecturer or the other instructor.
Teams Access
The course has an associated team in the institutional Microsoft Teams, for which the access code is distributed to registered students via the Neptun system. We communicate via Neptun and Teams, and you can access most resources (lecture notes, homeworks) here .
Lecture plan (approximate)
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Relativity: The Principle of Relativity; The Lorentz Transformation; Spacetime and Causality;
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Relativistic Energy and Mass: Conservation of Relativistic Momentum and Energy.
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The quantum theory of light: Blackbody Radiation; The Quantum of Energy; Photoelectric Effect; Compton Effect.
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Quantum mechanics: Bohr’s Correspondence Principle; Wave Groups and Dispersion;
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The Wave–Particle Duality; Schrödinger's equation.
-
Quantum mechanics in one dimension: Born Interpretation; Quantum Oscillator; Expectation Values; Observables and Operators; Wavefunction for a Free Particle; Wavefunctions in the Presence of Forces; Tunneling Phenomena.
-
Quantum mechanics in three dimensions: Atomic Hydrogen and Hydrogen-like Ions. Quantization of Angular Momentum.
-
Atomic structure: Zeeman Effect;Spin–Orbit Interaction; Exclusion Principle; Electron Interactions and Screening Effects.
-
Advanced topics in quantum mechanics: Time dependece and transition rates, Perturbation theory.
-
Molecular structure: Bonding Mechanisms, Molecular Spectra, Vibrations.
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Nuclear structure: Binding Energy and Nuclear Forces; Nuclear Models; Radioactivity; Decay Processes.
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Nuclear reactions and applications: Reaction Cross Section; Interactions Involving Neutrons; Nuclear Fission; Nuclear Reactors; Nuclear Fusion; Interaction of Particles with Matter; Radiation Damage in Matter; Radiation Detectors; Uses of Radiation.
-
Elementary particles: The Fundamental Forces in Nature; Positrons and Other Antiparticles; Classification of Particles; Conservation Laws: Baryon Number, Lepton Number; Strange Particles and Strangeness; The Eightfold Way; Quarks; Electroweak Theory and the Standard Model.
-
Cosmology: The Theory of the Big Bang, The Age of the Universe, The Standard Model of Cosmology
Textbook
Stephen T. Thornton, Andrew Rex: Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers
5th edition, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-337-91945-6
Course Requirements
Mini tests
There is a 5-minute mini test at the start of every practice session (except the first one and the extra session on March 11). The problem will be the same as one of the basic homework problems for that week, but with different numbers. The grading is only based on the final numerical answer, 4 points for correct, 0 for incorrect. A maximum of 40 points (of the possible 48) will be included in the final score for the class.
Attendance
Attending at least 70% of the lectures (20 out of 28) AND 70% of practice sessions (10 out of 14) is necessary for signature. If you can't attend for a good reason (illness, other important unforeseen event) please let us know in advance, or as soon as possible, so we can credit your attendance.
Midterm exams
There are two written problem-solving tests during the semester, each for 50 points:
|
Test |
Time |
Place |
Max. Score |
|
Test 1 |
March 26 8:15-9:55 |
K150 |
50 |
|
Test 2 |
May 14 8:15-9:55 |
K150 |
50 |
There will be opportunity to retake each of the tests:
|
Test |
Time |
Place |
Max. Score |
|
Test 1 Retake |
April 9 8:15-9:55 |
K350 |
50 |
|
Test 2 Retake |
May 26 10:15-11:55 |
TBA |
50 |
Homework
There will be no graded homework. We will give homework for recommended self-study, 4 problems each week will be marked "basic", one of these will be on the mini test the following week with modified numerical values.
Condition for signature
Attending at least 70% of Lectures and practices + passing both midterm exams separately (individual threshold: 40%).
Final exam
-
The written exam starts with an entry question from the published list. Only those who answer correctly can commence to the rest of the exam.
-
Those who fail the exam, can take a repeat exam with the same rules.
-
Students must register for the exams in the Neptun system.
|
Test |
Time |
Place |
Max. Score |
|
Written final exam |
June 5 9:00-12:00 (tentative) |
TBA |
60 |
|
Written final exam retake |
TBA |
TBA |
60 |
Evaluation
The threshold for passing all of the tests (2 midterms and exam) is 40%.
The end result is calculated as the sum of the mini test, midterm, and final exam scores (40+50+50+60) graded using the following percentage limits:
|
Score (%) |
Evaluation |
Grade |
|
0-39.9 % |
fail |
1 |
|
40-54.9 % |
pass |
2 |
|
55-69.9 % |
average |
3 |
|
70-84.9 % |
good |
4 |
|
85- % |
excellent |
5 |
