PHYS 2600 Foundations of Modern Physics

4 semester hours

An introduction to special relativity (SR) and quantum mechanics (QM). Selected topics include (SR) frames of reference, Minkowski diagrams and space time structure, causality, Lorentz transformations, four-vectors and Lorentz invariants, relativistic conservation laws. (QM) failures of classical theory, wave- PHYS - 14 particle duality, models of the hydrogen atom, emission spectra, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, wave functions and probability, the Schrodinger equation.

Lecture, 3 hours; Laboratory, 2 hours.

Prerequisites: PHYS 2100 or PHYS 2550 ; MATH 246 or concurrent enrollment.

University Core fulfilled: Explorations: Nature of Science, Technology, and Mathematics