Physics 15c Syllabus

Physics 15c Syllabus Spring 2002 http://www.courses.fas.harvard.edu/~phys15c/

Teaching Staff Lecturer Masahiro Morii ([email protected]) Office: Lyman 239. Phone 495-3279

Laboratory Thomas Hayes ([email protected]) Office: Jefferson 252D. Phone: 495-4740

Teaching Fellow Antonio Copete ([email protected]) Office: Jefferson 266. Phone: 495-4480

Course Assistant Carol Davis ([email protected]) Office: Jefferson 237. Phone: 496-1041

Prerequisite • •

Physics 15b or 153 (or a written permission of the Head Tutor) Mathematics 21b taken concurrently

Textbooks • •

Introduction to Wave Phenomena, A. Hirose and K.E. Lonngren (required) The Physics of Waves, H. Georgi (recommended)

Subjects Harmonic oscillation; forced oscillation; coupled oscillators; mechanical waves; sound; sound in solid, gas; reflection and standing waves; 2- and 3-dimensional waves; Doppler effect; electromagnetic waves; radiation; interference and diffraction; geometrical optics.

Lectures The lectures will generally follow the structure of the required textbook (Hirose & Lonngren). Materials from the recommended textbook (Georgi) will be used when appropriate. Lecture notes with sufficient details will be supplied in such cases. The lectures are videotaped and will be made available online along with the lecture slides. Students are nonetheless required to attend the lectures. Active participation is encouraged during the lectures. Questions are welcome at any time. The lecturer may ask question in the course of the lectures. Be prepared.

Sections Two sections will be offered. Students will be split into two groups according to their preferred day and time. (See the Student Survey sheet.) The section assignment and the actual day and time of the sections will be announced shortly.

Homework Problem sets will be distributed at Thursday lectures. Reports are due at the beginning of the lecture on the next Thursday. The reports must be turned in either at the lecture or in the plastic bin outside the door of the lecturer’s office. The solutions to the problems are distributed at the lecture on the day the reports are due. Students will be grouped into 3-4 person teams that work together on the problem sets. The grouping will be made according to their preferred partners (or the lack thereof) expressed in the Student Survey. Each student is nonetheless required to turn in his/her own report.

Examinations There will be two exams: mid-term and final. The mid-term exam is tentatively scheduled for March 7. It will be a 1-hour exam during the usual lecture time. The final will be a standard 3-hour exam. The date and the time will be announced later by the exam office.

Term paper Students are required to write a brief (5-10 pages) paper on a subject relevant to the course. The teaching staff will provide guidance in selecting a topic, which has to be decided on by March 25. The due date for the report is April 15.

Laboratory The laboratory will be supervised by Thomas Hayes. The web page is http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~thayes/15c/ The day/time of the labs will be decided and announced shortly after the sectioning so as to avoid conflicts as much as possible. There are 8 assignments to be completed. The reports, one for each assignment, will be graded pass/fail. Students are allowed to write one extra report for each failed assignment.

Grades Grades will be based on the weighted average of • Homework (30%) • Mid-term (15%) and final (30%) exams • Term paper (10%) • Laboratory (15%)