Standard Course Syllabus
Physics 2710
Introduction to Modern Physics

Date Approved:  March 7, 2008 

Offered:  Spring Semester annually. 

Prerequisites for this Course: Physics SI2220, Math SI1220 

This course is a prerequisite for: Physics 4610.  Corequisite for Physics 3200

Credit Hours: Three.  Three hours of lecture per week. 

Example Texts: "Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers" by Taylor and Zafiratos.

Topics Covered: A thorough treatment of special relativity, including Lorentz transformations, energy-momentum conservation, and a variety of applications.  Experimental basis of quantum mechanics.  A thorough treatment of one-dimensional quantum mechanics, including bound state solutions, free particle solutions, tunneling, and interpretation of the theory.  Introduction to angular momentum, spin, the hydrogen atom, and the nucleus.   Selected applications of quantum mechanics to atoms, molecules, condensed matter, and/or elementary particles.  Selected topics of current research related to the above.

Skills Emphasized: Analyzing problems from the viewpoint of more than one frame of reference.  Visualizing and interpreting wave functions.  General problem solving.