J.P. Jacobs-PHYS 141N

J.P. Jacobs-PHYS 141N - Spring 2006

J. P. Jacobs - PHYS 141N - Spring 2006

Physics Department home page:
Instructor's home page:
Contact the instructor: j.jacobs@umontana.edu
Regular office hours: M 8-9AM, Tu 10-11AM, W 11-noon, Th 2-3PM, F 8-9AM.

Taught Spring Semester - MWF 10:10 pm - Davidson Honor's College, DHC 117

Download the Syllabus for this course. (pdf format).

Relativity (Honors Course), 3 credits. Offered spring semester. In this course, industrious students with a working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry and a modest exposure to calculus will gain deep insight into the counter intuitive nature of space and time and will acquire a greater appreciation for the power and beauty of theoretical physics. We will begin with a brief historical view of the study of motion including the works of Aristotle, Galileo, and Newton. We will explore the necessity of introducing relativity theory to match known experimental results. Einstein's special theory of relativity is introduced from a modern, geometrically oriented perspective, using space time diagrams throughout, and emphasizing the deep connection between time and space. We will carefully develop the Lorentz transformation equations and use them to explore several of the apparent "paradoxes" of the theory. Finally, we will apply the results of relativity theory to the practical real world problems of high-energy particle physics, where the use of relativity is essential. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the logical structure of relativity to show how the unexpected and counter intuitive consequences of the theory follow directly and inevitably from the principle of relativity ("the laws of physics are the same in all inertial reference frames"). Prerequisites: Working knowledge of high school algebra and trigonometry. Some exposure to high school physics and calculus is preferred.

Course Materials for Spring 2006

Links will become active as the course progresses. Marker for current links: ***Current to here***

Handouts

Corrections to textbook.

Homework

(1) Galileo Excerpt. Includes Assignment 1, due Wednesday, January 25th at the beginning of class.
(2) Newton Excerpt. Includes Assignment 2, due Friday, January 27th at the beginning of class.
(3) Assignment 3: Read chapter 1 of Moore. Write down any questions you have about the material. Answer end of chapter problems: 1.9, 1.10, 1.11, and 1.12 (to hand in Monday, Jan 30th at the beginning of class). First try to reason out the answers on your own, then try to use the equations in the chapter to solve them. (Of course, your answers for the two methods should agree). Drawing diagrams like the ones I used in class might help.
(4) Assignment 4: Chapter 1 handout. Due Wednesday Feb. 1st at the beginning of class.
(5) Assignment 5: Read chapter 2 of Moore. Write down any questions you have about the material. Answer end of chapter problems: 2.1 and 2.2 (to hand in Friday Feb. 3rd at the beginning of class). Be sure to give detailed explanations for how you arrived at your answers.
NOTE: NO CLASS ON MONDAY FEB. 6th
(6) Assignment 6: Chapter 2 handout. Due Wednesday Feb. 8th at the beginning of class.
(7) Assignment 7: Read chapter 3 of Moore. Write down any questions you have about the material. Answer end of chapter problems: Finishing up chapter 2: 2.9 and 2.10, and Starting chapter 3: 3.1 (to hand in Friday Feb. 10th at the beginning of class). Be sure to give detailed explanations for how you arrived at your answers. For the radar method problems please sketch a spacetime diagram.
(8) Assignment 8: Chapter 3 handout. Due Monday Feb. 13th at the beginning of class. In addition: (1) Write a story/situation mapping out a scenario in which 2 or more events occur (to hand in). Ask questions to illuminate the three kinds of time. Use the examples given in class as a template. (2) Read and study sections 1 - 4 from chapter 4. Come to class Monday with questions to discuss.
(9) Assignment 9: Chapter 4 handout. Due Wednesday Feb. 15th at the beginning of class. We have an exam on Friday. Exam coverage: chapters 1, 2, 3, and sections 4.1 and 4.2.
(10) Assignment 10: Chapter 4 handout #2. Due Friday Feb. 24th at the beginning of class. Also Read chapter 5 and bring questions on Friday.
(11) Assignment 11: To hand in Monday, Feb. 27th at the beginning of class: Problems 5.1 and 5.2.
(12) Assignment 12: Discussion questions from muon video/article (to hand in on Wednesday) (1) Briefly describe how muons are detected. (2) Briefly describe how we distinguish between a muon that goes through the detector without decaying to one that does decay in the detector. (3) How did the experimenters select only those muons that were traveling at a velocity of 0.994? (4) Why did the experimenters use less iron shielding at sea level than they did at the top of the mountain? (5) Describe some of the possible sources of error in the experiment. (6) In your own words, describe the significance of this experiment.
(13) Assignment 13: Chapter 5 handout I. Due Friday March 3th at the beginning of class.
(14) Assignment 14:
- Chapter 5 handout II. Due Monday March 7th at the beginning of class.
- Read "Clocks Around the World" handout.
- Read "GPS" handout.
- Start reading chapter 6.
- Discussion questions to consider: (1) According to the "Around the World" articles, the west-going clocks "gained" time the east-going clocks "lost" time, but according to relativity, shouldn't both sets of clocks run slow? (2) Why wasn't one clock sufficient; why did they fly 4 clocks at a time? (3) Explain what is the significance of the term "RΩ" in most of the equations. (4) Describe what is meant by the "average rate" method. (5) Describe what is meant by the "correlated rate change" method. (6) In your own words, describe the significance of this experiment.
(15) Assignment 15: Discussion questions to hand in on Wednesday March 8th: (1) According to the "Around the World" articles, the west-going clocks "gained" time the east-going clocks "lost" time, but according to relativity, shouldn't both sets of clocks run slow? (2) Why wasn't one clock sufficient; why did they fly 4 clocks at a time? (3) Explain what is the significance of the term "RΩ" in most of the equations. (4) Describe what is meant by the "average rate" method. (5) Describe what is meant by the "correlated rate change" method. (6) In your own words, describe the significance of this experiment.
(16) Assignment 16: Chapter 6 handout I. Done in class as an group. Be sure you can find the coordinates of the event using the diagram and the Lorentz Transformation equations. To hand in on Monday, March 13th: Chapter 6 handout II. Due Monday March 13th at the beginning of class. Be sure to find the solution with the graphical method and the Lorentz transformation equations. Show enough steps to make it clear what you are doing. Be careful of sign errors.
(17) Assignment 17: Chapter 6 handout III. Due Wednesday March 15th at the beginning of class. Be sure to find the solution with the graphical method and the Lorentz transformation equations. Show enough steps to make it clear what you are doing. Be careful of sign errors.

Remember we have an exam on Friday which covers chapters 4, 5, and 6, plus the "Muon" handout and the "Clocks Around the World" handout.

(18) Assignment 18: Chapter 7 handout I. Due Wednesday March 22th at the beginning of class.
(19) Assignment 19: Chapter 7 handout II. Due Friday March 24th at the beginning of class.
(20) Assignment 20: Chapter 8 handout I (intervals). Due Monday April 3th at the beginning of class.
(21) Assignment 21: Detonator Paradox. Due date Friday, April 7 at the beginning of class.
(22) Assignment 22: Chapter 8 handout II (asteroid). Due Wednesday April 5th at the beginning of class.
(23) Assignment 23: Chapter 8 handout III (2-D velocity transformation). Due date: Friday, April 7 at the beginning of class.
(24) Assignment 24: Read and study chapter 9. Bring questions to class on Monday April 10.
(25) Assignment 25: Chapter 9 handout. Due date: Friday, April 14 at the beginning of class. Also read and study chapter 10.
(26) Assignment 26: Chapter 10 handout. Due date: Friday, April 21 at the beginning of class. Also read and study chapter 11.
(27) Assignment 27: Chapter 11 handout I (Plus problems from the book: 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4. Due date: Monday, April 24 at the beginning of class.
(28) Handout: Chapter 11 handout II. Color version of elementary particle chart handed out in class.

Remember we have an exam on Friday which covers chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 plus the "Time Travel" Movie.

(29) Assignment 28: Chapter 11 handout III. Chapter 11 handout (b). Due Wednesday May 3rd.

***Current to here**

Exams

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