PHY 215 Summer 2025
Michigan State University
Personnel
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Course Coordinator:
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Richard J Hallstein, Tibor F Nagy |
Course Description
Topics: special relativity, thermodynamics, atomic and quantum physics, nuclear physics. This course is an independent study course, involving readings and problem solving. The homework problems and quizzes will be given online using LON-CAPA.Prerequisites
Physics 2: (PHY 184 or PHY 184B or LBS 272 or PHY 294H or PHY 234B or equivalent) and Differential Equations: (MTH 234 or MTH 254H or LBS 220 or equivalent).Office Hours
At any time through the discussion board of LON-CAPA.Project Information
Honors option is not available for this course.Exam Information
We will have online quizzes every Friday. The quizzes will be 30 minutes long. You can start taking the quizzes at any time between 8 AM and 10 PM EDT on Fridays. We will have a 120 minutes long final exam online on LON-CAPA, on August 11th, Monday between 1:00 and 5:00 PM EDT.Deadlines
Students with Disabilities: MSU is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Requests for accommodations by persons with disabilities may be made by contacting the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at 517-884-RCPD or on the web at rcpd.msu.edu. Once your eligibility for an accommodation has been determined, you will be issued a verified individual services accommodation (VISA) form. Please present this form to your instructor at the start of the term no later than the end of the first week of class. Requests received after this date may not be honored.Grading Information
Relative weights: homework: (1/3), quizzes: (1/3), final exam: (1/3).
Grading scale:
4.0 >= 92%,
3.5 >= 84%,
3.0 >= 76%,
2.5 >= 68%,
2.0 >= 60%,
1.5 >= 52%,
1.0 >= 44%,
0.0 < 44%
The Spartan Code of Honor: As a Spartan, I will strive to uphold values of the highest ethical standard. I will practice honesty in my work, foster honesty in my peers, and take pride in knowing that honor is worth more than grades. I will carry these values beyond my time as a student at Michigan State University, continuing the endeavor to build personal integrity in all that I do.Readings
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Wk | Due_date_ | Assignment
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01 | May 18 Su | Syllabus, Ch.1
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02 | May 25 Su | Ch.2 Sec.1-9 Special Relativity I
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03 | Jun 01 Su | Ch.2 Sec.10-14 Special Relativity II
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04 | Jun 08 Su | Thermodynamics 1.
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05 | Jun 15 Su | Thermodynamics 2.
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06 | Jun 22 Su | Thermodynamics 3.
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07 | Jun 29 Su | Ch.3 Quantum Theory
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08 | Jul 06 Su | Ch.4 Structure of the Atom
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09 | Jul 13 Su | Ch.5 Wave Properties of Matter
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10 | Jul 20 Su | Ch.6 The Quantum Theory
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11 | Jul 27 Su | Ch.7 The Hydrogen Atom
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12 | Aug 03 Su | Ch.8 Many-Electron Atoms
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13 | Aug 10 Su | Ch.12-13 Nuclear Physics
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14 | Aug 11 Mo | Final: 120 minutes online, 1-6 PM EDT.
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Textbook
Stephen T. Thornton, Andrew Rex, Carol E. Hood: Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers. 5th edition: 9781337919456. Cengage Publishing. (4th, 3rd, 2nd editions will all work for us. 4th edition: 9781133103721, 3rd edition: 9780534417819.)
We will use LON-CAPA, MSU's own free and flexible web-based course management system. If your book has a course management system bundled with, don't open it and don't try to access it, because we will not use it.
Scientific calculator. Graphing calculators are allowed, but they are not required. The recommended calculator is the TI-30X IIS for $10-14.