PHY1025 : Introductory Quantum Mechanics
- Offered for Year: 2023/24
- Module Leader(s): Dr Paul Branch
- Owning School: Mathematics, Statistics and Physics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
Aims
To introduce the principals of the quantum behaviour of particles and form a basis for a formal instruction of quantum mechanics at later stages.
Outline Of Syllabus
Black body radiation; the photoelectric effect; the instability of the atom; the Compton effect.
Discovery of Planck’s constant and quantization of energy.
Wave-particle duality. de Broglie waves, electron diffraction.
Spectra of hydrogen and other one-electron atoms.
The Rutherford and Bohr models of the atom.
Heisenberg's uncertainty principle.
The Schrödinger equation (non-relativistic).
Bound states and the potential well problem including the infinite square potential well.
Atomic structure: quantum numbers of hydrogen including spin.
Quantum tunnelling.
Applications of quantum mechanics in atomic physics.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | Revision Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Formal Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 30 | 1:00 | 30:00 | Preparation time for lectures, background reading, coursework review |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 38 | 1:00 | 38:00 | Completion of in course assignments/ examination revision |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Problem-solving classes |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures are used for the delivery of theory and explanation of methods, illustrated with examples, and for giving general feedback on marked work.
The teaching methods are appropriate to allow students to develop a wide range of skills, from understanding basic concepts and facts to higher-order thinking.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 120 | 2 | A | 60 | N/A |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | 10 | Problem-solving exercises assessment |
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | 10 | Problem-solving exercises assessment |
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | 10 | Problem-solving exercises assessment |
| Prob solv exercises | 2 | M | 10 | Problem-solving exercises assessment |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
A substantial formal unseen examination is appropriate for the assessment of the material in this module. The format of the examination will enable students to reliably demonstrate their own knowledge, understanding and application of learning outcomes. The assurance of academic integrity forms a necessary part of programme accreditation.
Exam problems may require a synthesis of concepts and strategies from different sections, while they may have more than one ways for solution. The examination time allows the students to test different strategies, work out examples and gather evidence for deciding on an effective strategy, while carefully articulating their ideas and explicitly citing the theory they are using.
The coursework assignments allow the students to develop their problem solving techniques, to practise the methods learnt in the module, to allow the students to tackle more complex (or longer) problems that would not be suitable for and examination and to assess their progress and to receive feedback; these assessments have a secondary formative purpose as well as their primary summative purpose.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PHY1025's Timetable