Course Information

Course Information

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.

Code Φ-201
Title Introduction to Modern Physics I
Category A
ECTS 7
Hours 6
Level Undergraduate
Semester Winter
Teacher S. Trachanas, I. Karadamoglou
Program

Thursday, 14:00-17:00, Amphitheater X/P, Amphitheater ST
Course Webpage https://eclass.physics.uoc.gr/courses/PH201/
Goal of the Course

The 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.
Syllabus

Quantum 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 
 
Bibliography

R. A. Serway, C. J. Moses and C. A. Moyer, «Modern Physics»