PHYS283 OPTICS AND MODERN PHYSICS
| Course Code: | 2300283 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 4 (4.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 5.0 |
| Department: | Physics |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Prof.Dr. İBRAHİM GÜNAL |
| Offered Semester: | Fall Semesters. |
Course Objectives
The first part of this course discusses the questions "what is light? and "how does light behave? Ray theory will be used to investigate the reflection and refraction in simple optical sytems containing lenses, mirrors and prisms. The interference, diffraction and polarization phenomena will be examined by using the wave theory of light.
The objective of the second part of this course is to enable students to have an appreciation of the concepts and methods of the 20th century physics so known as modern physics. The concept of relativity, the wave-particle duality, Bohr model of the atom, the nucleus and the introductory ideas of the quantum mechanics will be discussed.
Course Content
Optics: ray model of light; reflection and refraction; mirrors; thin lenses, simple optical instruments, waves, interference, diffraction, polarization. Modern Physics: special theory of relativity, particle properties of waves, wave properties of particles, Bohr model of atoms; introduction to quantum mechanics, nucleus and radioactivity.
Course Learning Outcomes
At the end of the semester student, who passed the course satisfactorily will be able to:
- Understand the behaviour of light : (a) in the region where geometrical optics is applicable (b) when it behaves like a wave.
- understand the basic working principles of siimple optical instruments like prisms, microscopes, telescopes, camera etc.
- explain the various phenomena seen in daily life like rainbows, mirages, colored soap bubles, blue sky etc. in terms of the physical properties of light.
- realize that classical physics is not good enough to explain the behaviour of;
(a) objects at relativistic speeds so that Special Theory of Relativity must be taken into account
(b) atomic particles so that the particle wave duality comes to the stage.
- corrolate the behaviour of atoms and radioactive elements to the related basic theories.