| Unit name | Classical Physics 203 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHYS21030 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Bremer |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites | |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | School of Physics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Classical Physics comprises much of the core of physics, built on the foundations developed in the 19th century and underpinning many current developments. This unit builds on the foundations from level C and comprises Thermal Physics, Mechanics and Waves and Electromagnetism. The laws of thermodynamics are introduced and related to the statistical physics understanding of bulk phenomena through the Boltzmann distribution and the canonical distribution function. The effect of identical particles is briefly introduced. The mechanics of rigid bodies is discussed. General features of waves including dispersion are covered. Maxwell's equations in vacuo and in simple solids form the basis of a discussion of wave phenomena, including polarisation, diffraction from crystals and the effect of boundaries in the specific case of electromagnetic waves. Magnetic materials are also briefly discussed.
