PHYS 252
Topic: Modern Physics

This physics course is designed for undergraduates who would like to complete a course in between regular semesters or in the summer. It will be offered May 14 - August 4, 2009. Some advantages of this course include

• You may take it from anywhere in the world.
• It is an acceptable science/technical elective for engineers.
• You must meet the assigned deadlines, but you are free to work at a faster pace to complete the course in less than the allowed time.

Course description: Physics 252 is a comprehensive study of modern physics that emphasizes concepts and problem solving. We are offering this distance learning course so you can take it from anywhere in the world where you have an Internet connection and a computer. This particular course offering is particularly appropriate for engineering students who have completed PHYS 142E and 241E and can be taken by science majors (including physics majors) who have taken various physics sequences: 231-2, or 151-2 and 251, or possibly 201-2 (with instructor permission). This course serves as a science/technical elective for engineering students.

This distance-learning course can be taken from your home, vacation place, Charlottesville or anywhere in the world. It is structured to allow you to complete all of the assignments without traveling to Charlottesville. Although there are completion deadlines, you may work at a faster pace and complete the course in a few weeks or few months. The organization of the course is based on the textbook. The website supplements the required textbook readings. See http://modern.physics.virginia.edu/course/index.html for more information about the course.

This distance-learning course will include

• relativity
• particle and wave properties of matter
• atomic structure and the quantum mechanical model of the atom
• solid state devices including transistors, solar cells, etc.
• nuclear physics including reactors
• cosmology and the origin of the universe.

Instructor: Stephen T. Thornton, Professor of Physics.

Dates: This is a distance-learning course taught entirely via the Internet. There is considerable flexibility for when the work is done, but it generally needs to be done between May 15 - August 4, 2009. Students may start the class as late as June 1. Flexibility will be allowed for those going on vacation, having jobs, or taking other workshops/courses during the summer. The Instructor can change the assignment deadlines for individual students who have a varied summer schedule. All assignments will be posted at the beginning of the course.

Tuition/Credit: Four undergraduate credits. Go to tuition for course costs.

Registration: Register online at Course Registration. Or, call 434-982-5252 and ask for Malinda Ashburn to register by phone. This must be done through the Charlottesville office of the UVa School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Grades:

Grades will be determined by the following (subject to change):

• Homework problems: 20%
• Chapter tests: 40%
• Final Exam: 40%

Textbook:

Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 3/e
Author: Stephen T. Thornton & Andrew Rex
Publisher: Brooks/Cole (Thomson Learning) Publishing
ISBN#: 0-534-41781-7.
See http://modern.physics.virginia.edu/course/materials.html for textbook purchase information.

NOTE: We will be using the 3rd edition of Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Thornton and Rex.