NOTE: The information in this page could be changed after an official announcement in class. Please pay attentions to announcements in class and constantly check this webpage for updated information.


Instructor: TeYu Chien (簡德宇)
Lecture Time and Place:TR 9:35am-10:50am; Classroom Building 314
Office: Physical Science Building 224
Office Hours: TRF 1pm-2pm
Office Phone: 766-6534
Website: http://physics.uwyo.edu/~teyu
Email: tchien@uwyo.edu

Teaching Assistant: Ying-Hao Chien
Office: Physical Science Building 103D
Office Hours: R 11am-12pm; and F 3:30pm-4:30pm
Email: ychien@uwyo.edu

Important Dates:
  • Advising Week: March 28th - April 1st
  • Last day to withdraw from classes: April 7th
  • Last day to withdraw from the university: April 22nd
Required Materials
  • Text: Modern Physics, Sixth Edition, by Paul A. Tipler/Ralph A. Llewellyn
  • Poll Everywhere for interactive in-class activities and attendance: You need to register at http://www.polleverywhere.com. See instruction below.
Goals:This course is designed to give science and engineering majors instruction in the fundamental principles of modern physics, including Relativity, Quantum Physics, Atomic Physics, Statistical Physics, Molecular Spectra, and Solid State Physics.

Prerequisites:PHYS 1220 or PHYS 1320 or equivalent

Topics to be covered:
  1. Relativity
  2. Quantum Physics
  3. Atomic Physics
  4. Statistical Physics
  5. Molecular Spectra
  6. Solid State Physics
  7. Nuclear Physics (optional)
  8. Particle Physics (optional)
  9. Astrophysics and Cosmology (optional)
Partial credit: Partial credit will be given to solutions of the problems that are partially completed, have minimal algebra mistakes, wrong sign, or units. The steps in the solution must be presented, skipping steps means skipping points that you can earn, and no grade will be given to a problem showing only a solution (such as a number) without showing the intermediate steps to get there.

Exams: Homework will contain mostly quantitative problems, whereas lectures will deal with largely conceptual, multiple-choice questions. Hence, the exams will contain both quantitative and conceptual problems. The exams will be closed book and closed notes. I will provide a "cheat sheet" with useful formulas and constants. No make-up exams will be given. All exams are mandatory and no grade will be dropped or replaced. There will be two exams: mid-term and final.
Exams dates and times:
Time and PlaceCovered Chapters
Mid-term3/10/2016 (Thursday), Place: CR 142, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pmChapters 1-5
Final5/10/2016 (Tuesday), CR 314, 10:15 am - 12:15 pmChapters 6-10

Homework:We will have homework for each chapter whenever we finish one chapter. Students may work in groups to discuss the homework, however, be sure to write the homework alone to prevent from plagiarism. Students involved with plagiarized homework will be investigated. Homework considered as plagiarism will be graded as zero point, even you are the original copy. No homework grade will be dropped. The deadline for each homework assignment is typically in the beginning of the class one week after it is assigned. Be advised not to wait till the last minute and use the office hour frequently. It is your responsibility to hand-in your homework before the deadline. Late homework will miss 10 % of points per day, and accumulative.

Bonus Homework: We will have one bonus homework, which will be hands out in the last week of the class. The due day will be on the final exam day right at the beginning of the exam. No late submission is allowed for the bonus homework.

Quiz:Quiz will be a short conceptual question asked in lecture through polleverywhere, but not every lecture. The quiz will not be included in grading, but will be count for attendance. The time for the quiz will be based on the progress of the lecture. So be sure to attend the lecture to take the quiz. The quiz will be conducted through Polleverywhere, please see below about how to sign it up correctly.

Attendance:Attendence will be counted with the quiz through the Polleverywhere. The attendance will be calculated based on the total number of votes made through the Polleverywhere through the semester (include both Quiz and Think About It). It is your responsibility to make sure you are in the polleverywhere system (by checking with me) and your vote is successfully inputed every time.

Register your cell phone number at http://www.polleverywhere.com
We will use cell phones or laptops for Q/A and other in-class interactions/practices. Register your cell phone or laptop. We will interactively discuss conceptual topics, and you will be able to vote on the answers to questions using your cell phones (or laptops). To register:
  • Go to http://www.polleverywhere.com
  • Create an account. I need to be able to determine who you are, so use your uwyo email address to register, and your FULL name
  • De-select "I am an educator"
  • Select "United States" (not "United States - Education")
  • Once your account has been created, register your cell phone number (ignore this if you will use a laptop).
  • Go under "Settings" to add the number (with your area code). Follow instructions to certify your cell number.
  • Please allow me to see your name: Under "Settings" choose "Voter Registration". Select "Register as a voter". On the next page you should enter my email ("tchien@uwyo.edu").
  • Go to http://www.polleverywhere.com/teyu
  • Bring your cell phone or laptop to each class.
  • Standard text messaging rates may apply.
Disability Statement:If you have a physical, learning, or psychological disability and require accommodations, please let me know as soon as possible. Contact University Disability Support Services in SEO, room 330 Knight Hall.

Academic honesty:Academic dishonesty is defined in University Regulation 802, Revision 2 as “an act attempted or performed which misrepresents one’s involvement in an academic task in any way, or permits another student to misrepresent the latter’s involvement in an academic task by assisting the misrepresentation.? And there are rules and procedures to handle such cases, and serious penalties will be imposed. Note that a student who copies and a student who let’s another student copy are both covered by the university rules.

Grading
  • Exams: 50% (mid-term and final, 25% each)
  • Homework: 40%
  • Attendance: 10%
  • Total: 100%
  • Scale: A: (> 90%); A-: (86.66-89.99%); B+: (83.33-86.66%); B: (80-83.33%); B-: (76.66-79.99%); C+: (73.33-76.66%); C: (70-73.33%); C-: (66.66-69.99%); D+: (63.33-66.66%); D: (60-63.33%); F: (< 60%)
Early Alert:In late March, you can view a progress report in WYOWEB for your classes. When you click on the Students tab in WYOWEB, you will see Quick Links on the left side bar, go to EARLY ALERT grades. You will see either a P for pass, or a D or F grade for each of your courses. If you have withdrawn from the class you will see a W. Be sure to talk to your instructor if you have a D or F grade. Remember, this is a progress report—not a final grade! This is an ideal time to visit with your instructor and/or your advisor to talk about your options and avenues for support in the class (call 766-2398 for the Center for Advising & Career Services).

General expectations
  • Attend and participate in each lecture and do homework on time.
  • You are required to read each chapter before and after it is discussed in class.
  • Live up to your responsibility to understand the material presented. If you have difficulty of understanding it, please get good use of office hours.
  • Take notes during lectures as appropriate.
  • Complete reading assignments and homework.
  • Be ready for exams.
  • Work in compliance with the university code of academic honesty.
  • Ask questions. There are no stupid questions.
  • Have fun.
Schedule:
DateTopicReading (chapter, section)Homeworks, and other Notes
January
WEEK 1
T 26Introduction - Setting Up the Stage. [register for Poll Everywhere]syllabus; Set up the stage
R 28Relativity 1Sections 1-1 to 1-3; Chapter 1
February
WEEK 2
T 2Relativity 1Sections 1-4, 1-5, and 1-6HW 1 hands out
R 4Relativity 2Section 2-1, Chapter 2; Chapter 2 in pptpoll everywhere assessment begins
WEEK 3
T 9Relativity 2Sections 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4
R 11Relativity 2Section 2-5HW 1 due; HW 2 hands out
WEEK 4
T 16Quantization of Charge, Light, and EnergySections 3-1, and 3-2, Chapter 3
R 18Quantization of Charge, Light, and EnergySections 3-3, and 3-4
WEEK 5
T 23The Nuclear AtomSections 4-1, and 4-2, Chapter 4HW 2 due; HW 3 hands out
R 25The Nuclear AtomSections 4-3, 4-4, and 4-5
March
WEEK 6
T 1The Wavelike Properties of ParticlesSections 5-1, and 5-2, Chapter 5
R 3The Wavelike Properties of ParticlesSections 5-3, 5-4, 5-5, and 5-6HW 3 due; HW 4 hands out
WEEK 7
T 8The Wavelike Properties of Particles; The Schrödinger EquationSections 5-7, 6-1, and 6-2HW 5 hands out
R 10Review LectureChapters 1 through 5
R 10Mid-TermChapters 1 through 5Place: CR 142, 5-7pm.
WEEK 8
T 15No Lecture - Spring Break
R 17No Lecture - Spring Break
WEEK 9
T 22The Schrödinger EquationSections 6-3, 6-4, and 6-5HW 4 due
R 24The Schrödinger EquationSection 6-6; Chapter 6HW 6 hands out
WEEK 10
T 29Atomic PhysicsSections 7-1, 7-2, and 7-3; Chapter 7
R 31Atomic PhysicsSections 7-4, 7-5, 7-6, 7-7 and 7-8HW 6 due; Bonus HW: HW 7 hands out
April
WEEK 11
T 5Statistical PhysicsSection 8-1
R 7Statistical PhysicsSections 8-2, and 8-3HW 5 due; HW 7 due
WEEK 12
T 12Statistical PhysicsSections 8-4, and 8-5HW 8 hands out
R 14Molecular Structures and SpectraSections 9-1, 9-2, and 9-3
WEEK 13
T 19Molecular Structures and SpectraSections 9-4, and 9-5HW 8 due
R 21Molecular Structures and SpectraSection 9-6HW 9 hands out
WEEK 14
T 26Solid State PhysicsSections 10-1, 10-2, and 10-3
R 28Solid State PhysicsSections 10-4, 10-5, 10-6 and 10-7HW 9 due
May
WEEK 15
T 3Solid State PhysicsSections 10-8, and 10-9Bonus HW hands out
R 5Review LectureChapters 6-10
WEEK 16Final Week
T 10Final ExamChapters 6-10CR 314, 10:15 am - 12:15 pm; Extra Credit due


Any comment/suggestion, please contact TeYu Chien