Courses Catalogue

Syllabus of the course: Introduction to Modern Physics I


In this web page we provide the syllabus of the course Introduction to Modern Physics I, offered by the Department of Physics.
The list of the courses offered during the current accademic year is available here.
The list of all courses offered by the Department of Physics is available here.

CodeΦ-201
TypeA
ECTS7
Hours6
SemesterWinter
InstructorS. Trachanas, I. Karadamoglou
ProgramThursday, 14:00-17:00, Amphitheater X/P, Room 1,2,3
Web pagehttps://eclass.physics.uoc.gr/courses/PH201/
Goal of the courseThe course is addressed to second year students. It's goal is to introduce the students to the basic principles of quantum mechanics and its implications to the physical word. Emphasis is given to the modern description of the interaction between matter and radiation and its applications.
SyllabusQuantum description of electromagnetic radiation. The Blackbody radiation, the explanation of Planck, Photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Light and Gravity
Quantum description of matter. The planetary model for the atom, the theory of Bohr, the wave-particle duality of de Broglie
The formulation of quantum physics, the wavefunction and Schroedinger's equation. Motion of a particle in a box. The statistical meaning of the wavefunction and the quantum-mechanical observables. The uncertainty principle
Simple applications. The harmonic oscillator, the one-dimentional step potential, the tunneling effect and its applications
Quantum mechanics in three dimensions. The hydrogen atom, Zeeman effect, the Ster-Gerlac experiment, Spin and Pauli's exclusion principle, The atomic structure of matter
Statistical Physics. Maxwell-Bolztman distribution, Quantum statistics, Bose-Einsten and the photon gas, FErmi-Dirac statistics and the free electrons in metals
Light absorption, spontaneous and stimulated emission - Population inversion and the functioning of lasers - Applications
BibliographyR. A. Serway, C. J. Moses and C. A. Moyer, «Modern Physics»

University of Crete - Department of Physics  - Voutes University Campus - GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece
phone: +30 2810 394300 - email: chair@physics.uoc.gr