J.P. Jacobs-PHYS 141N - Spring 2009

J. P. Jacobs - PHYS 141N - Spring 2009


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Instructor's home page:
Contact the instructor: j.jacobs@umontana.edu
Regular office hours: Mondays and Fridays 1-3PM.

Taught Spring Semester - MWF 10:10 pm - Davidson Honor's College, DHC 119


Download the Syllabus for this course. (pdf format).
  • (***) Final grade sheet: Grades

    Links below have been disabled since the course has been concluded.



    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 2009


    Links will become active as the course progresses.
    Lectures (Lectures will be posted in pdf format (i.e., no animations) as they become available)
    Handouts
    Homework
    • (p1a) Pre-assignment 1a
    • (p1b) Pre-assignment 1b
    • (1) Galileo Excerpt. Includes Assignment 1, due Wednesday, January 28th at the beginning of class.
    • (2) Newton Excerpt. Includes Assignment 2, due Friday, January 30th 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, 1.11, and 1.12 (to hand in Monday, Feb 2nd at the beginning of class). First try to reason out the answers with qualitative arguments, then try to use the equations in the chapter to solve them. (Of course, your answers for the two methods should agree).
    • (4) Assignment 4: Chapter 1 handout. Due Wednesday Feb. 4th at the beginning of class. If you have time, start reading chapter 2 of Moore. Write down any questions you have about the material.
    • (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. 6th at the beginning of class). Be sure to give detailed explanations for how you arrived at your answers.
    • (6) Assignment 6: Chapter 2 handout. Due Monday Feb. 9th at the beginning of class.
    • (7) Assignment 7: Read chapter 3 of Moore. Write down any questions you have about the material. Chapter 2-3 handout. Due Wednesday Feb. 11th at the beginning of class.
    • (8) Assignment 8: Chapter 3 handout. Due Friday, 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 Friday with questions to discuss.
    • (9) Assignment 9: Chapter 4 handout. Due Wednesday, Feb. 18th at the beginning of class.
    • (***) Our first mid-term exam is on Friday February 20th, 2009. Exam coverage: chapters 1, 2, 3, and chapter 4 sections 4.1 and 4.2 only. You will be expected to use the metric equation on the exam.
    • (***) Cumulative grade sheet after Exam 1: Grades
    • (10) Assignment 10: Chapter 4 handout #2. Due Friday, Feb. 27th at the beginning of class.
    • (11) Assignment 11: Discussion questions from muon video (to hand in on Monday March 2nd) (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.
    • (12) Assignment 12: Read chapter 5. To hand in Monday March 2nd at the beginning of class: Problems 5.1 and 5.2.
    • (13) Assignment 13: Chapter 5 handout I. Due Monday March 2nd at the beginning of class.
    • (14) Assignment 14: Due Wednesday March 4th
      • Read "Clocks Around the World" handout
      • Start reading chapter 6.
      • Discussion questions to hand in on Monday: (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: Chapter 5 handout II. Due Due Friday March 6th at the beginning of class.
    • (***) 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 (Download for additional practice with two-observer spacetime diagrams).
    • (16) Assignment 16: To hand in on Monday, March 9th: Chapter 6 handout II. 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: To hand in on Monday, March 9th: Chapter 6 handout III. Due Monday, March 9th 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.
    • (18) Assignment 18: Chapter 6 handout IV. Due Wednesday March 11th 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.
    • (19) Assignment 19: Chapter 7 handout I. Due Friday March 13th at the beginning of class.
    • (20) Assignment 20: Chapter 7 handout II. Due Monday March 16th at the beginning of class.
    • (21) Assignment 21: Chapter 8 handout I (intervals and asteroid). Due Wednesday, March 18th at the beginning of class.
    • (22) Assignment 22: Chapter 8 worksheet II (Velocity transformation). Due date: Monday, March 23 at the beginning of class.
    • (23) Assignment 23: Detonator Paradox. Contemplate over the weekend and be ready to defend your point of view on Monday, March 23rd during class. Then hand in on Wednesday March 25th.
    • On Monday and Wednesday before the exam we will watch a 1-hour video on the possibility of time travel using Einstein's special theory of relativity.

      Remember we have an exam on Friday March 27th which covers chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, plus the "Muon" video and the "Clocks Around the World" handout.

    • (***) Spring Break: March 30 - April 3.

    • (24) Assignment 24: Read and study chapter 9. Chapter 9 lectures begin on Monday, April 6th.
    • (25) Assignment 25: Train/Runner paradox worksheet. Due date: Monday, April 6 at the beginning of class.
    • (***) Cumulative grade sheet after Exam 2: Grades
    • (26) Assignment 26: Chapter 9 worksheet. Due date: Wednesday, April 15 at the beginning of class. Also read and study chapter 10. Chapter 9 solutions
    • (27) Assignment 27: Chapter 10 worksheet. Due date: Wednesday, April 22 at the beginning of class. Also read and study chapter 11. Chapter 10 solutions
    • (***) Handout: Chapter 11 handout. Color version of elementary particle chart handed out in class.
    • (28) Assignment 28: Chapter 11 worksheet I Due date: Friday, April 24 at the beginning of class.
    • (29) Assignment 29: Chapter 11 worksheet II. Chapter 11 handout II. Due Monday April 27th. Chapter 11 solutions
    • (30) Handout: Chapter 11 worksheet III. Chapter 11 handout III. Due Wednesday April 29th.

      Remember we have an exam on Monday, May 4th which covers chapters 9, 10, and 11 plus the "Time Travel" Movie.

      Remember there will be no class on Friday, May 8th.
    • (***) Cumulative grade sheet after Exam 3: Grades

      Remember I will be in my office from about 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM on Tuesday May 12th for last minute questions on the material for the final (except 12:00-1:00PM).

      Final exam is on Wednesday, May 13th - 10:10 AM - 12:10 PM which covers all material for the semester.

    Exams


    ***Current to here**



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