| Semester 2, 2023 Online | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Mathematics, Physics & Computing |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Requisites
Co-requisite: (MAT2100 or ENM1600) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MSCN or GDSI or GCSC
Overview
Physics is about the natural laws governing our universe of matter, energy, space and time. Because physics deals with the fundamental laws of nature, it is a dynamic science helping us understand everything from the subatomic world of quarks to the behaviour of the universe as a whole, and from the momentary interactions of two atoms to the history of the cosmos. Physics teaches us that a small set of profound natural laws can be used to make sense of the complexities of the world around us. Physics is also the science underpinning much of our technology, and is embedded into the design of things we use every day. An understanding of physics can benefit professionals working in a wide range of careers. For example, science educators can explain natural phenomena to their students; engineers can learn the physical principles at work in technology; biomedical scientists can appreciate the physics underpinning everything from human movement to molecular interactions. Physics is literally universal in its application.
Physics is about the fundamental natural laws governing our universe. Taken as a whole, physics can be considered as the behaviour of just two fundamental quantities (space-time and mass-energy) in the presence of just four fundamental forces (gravitational, electromagnetic and strong and weak nuclear forces). Using physics, a small set of profound natural laws thus can be used to make sense of the complexities of the natural world, as well as the design and operation of our technology. Physics can be divided into different fields of study, with "classical physics" covering mechanics, acoustics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and optics, and "modern physics" encompassing relativity and the quantum mechanics of light of matter. This course is called Physics 2 as it examines the conceptual basis of electromagnetism, optics and modern physics and is a companion course to Physics 1, which covers mechanics, acoustics and thermodynamics. In this course students are provided with a comprehensive introduction to key concepts for physical science students, and obtain practice with relevant calculus based problem solving and experiments.
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course students will be able to:
- Understand and explain key fundamental concepts in modern physics: electromagnetics, optics and quantum and nuclear physics;
- Identify and recognise the links between physics concepts;
- Interpret and sketch graphical representations of physics concepts;
- Execute, interpret and report on basic physics experiments;
- Solve numerical problems in physics.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Electromagnetism | 36.00 |
| 2. | Optics | 12.00 |
| 3. | Modern Physics | 12.00 |
| 4. | Problem-solving in physics | 20.00 |
| 5. | Experimental physics | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
(ISBN 978-0-730-38287-4.)
(ISBN 978-0-730-38286-7.)
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem Solving | No | 10 | 3,4 |
| Quiz A1 of 3 | No | 7 | 1,2,3,5 |
| Quiz A2 of 3 | No | 6 | 1,2,3,5 |
| Quiz A3 of 3 | No | 7 | 1,2,3,5 |
| Report B2 of 2 | No | 10 | 1,3,4 |
| Workbook B1 of 2 | No | 10 | 1,3,4 |
| Time limited online examinatn | No | 50 | 1,2,3,5 |