Only a comparatively small number of problems can be solved analytically in physics, and these are covered in "standard" physics courses. There are many more real-life problems that can only be solved numerically. Physics 305 addresses how to apply computers to solve some of these. Computers have become an essential tool in solving physics problems, and every physicist should know how to use them.

COURSE CONTENT: The course will cover the following topics: computer basics, using True BASIC, computer graphics, numerical methods, and applications to physical problems, including the coffee cooling problem, motion of falling objects, the two-body problem, oscillatory motion, the chaotic motion of dynamical systems, random processes, electrodynamics, numerical integration and Monte Carlo methods, percolation, and fractals.

COURSE GOALS: You should learn how to solve physics problems on a computer. This will help you to understand some old physics topics, like the simple harmonic oscillator problem, better. You will also learn some new physics, like chaos, percolation, and fractals; learn how to write and modify simple programs; learn about some useful tools like Mathcad and Excel; and become more proficient in the use of computers and general computer tools.

INSTRUCTOR: Fred Harris, Wat. 223

Phone: 956 2940

Email: fah@phys.hawaii.edu

LECTURE: 10:30 - 11:20, Monday and Wednesday, WAT. 415A

LAB: 12:00 - 2:50, Tuesday, WAT. 415A

There will be a laboratory assignment each week. Although there may not be sufficient time to complete the assignment, the lab period provides an opportunity to work through much of it and to ask questions to insure that you understand the assignment and can work as rapidly as possible.

OFFICE HOURS: 8:30 - 10:30, T,Th, and by appointment. Be sure to come in for help if you have questions or problems.

TEXT: An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods, Applications to Physical Systems, Second Edition; Harvey Gould and Jan Tobochnik, Addison Wesley Publishing Co.

PREREQUISITES: Physics 152 or 272 and Math 232 (OR CONCURRENT).

LAB NOTEBOOK: An important part of the course and the course grade is the lab notebook. Students will be expected to record the results of their investigations directly in ink in a lab notebook - NOT on scrap paper. This is proper laboratory etiquette and saves you time. If mistakes are made, neatly cross them out. In addition, all questions encountered in the exercises should be answered, and a one page summary should be written. See below for more on the summary.

LATE NOTEBOOKS: Notebooks will be due, unless otherwise announced, one week after the assignment, at the beginning of the lab. Late notebooks will lose 10%, and there will be an additional penalty of 10% per week. Late penalties may be waived if you have a valid excuse. Lab reports more than 4 weeks late are NOT ACCEPTED.

MIDTERMS: There will be two midterms as indicated on the course schedule. These will consist of questions and problems based on the lecture material, reading assignments, and on the exercises worked in the lab portion of the course. Be sure to understand these exercises. Read the comments from the instructor in your notebook when it is returned.

PROJECT: Students will be expected to develop a project of their own choosing (in consultation with their instructor) and to make a presentation of their results during the final exam period (May 17 at 9:45). Ideas for projects may be taken from the text but should come from chapters after Chapter 4. A written project proposal (one page maximum) is due on March 6. START TO WORK ON YOUR PROJECT EARLY.

WRITING INTENSIVE: Physics 305 is a writing intensive course. The writing intensive part of your grade will be based primarily on the answers to questions and summaries in your lab notebook and on your project proposal. These should be clearly written using good English. Summaries must be written using a word processor. Feedback on your writing assignments should be studied carefully in order to improve your grade on subsequent asignments. About 15% of the lab notebook grade will based on the lab summaries.

GRADING: The final grades will be determined from the class curve. The weighting to determine your final numerical grade:

lab notebook and Mathcad assignment- 50%

quizzes - 30%

project - 20%

COMPUTER ACCESS: Students may check out a key from the Department Office for access to 415A during the day (8:00 AM - 4:00 PM). Room 415A is only to be used for working on Physics 305. BE SURE THAT THE DOOR IS LOCKED AND ALL THE COMPUTERS ARE TURNED OFF ON LEAVING.

EMAIL: If you don't already have a UH computer account for email access, you should apply for one at the Computing Center. Be sure to give me your email address so I can notify you of any changes in the assignments or of any hints. You may contact me by email concerning problems or questions at fah@phys.hawaii.edu.

WWW: The WWW Home Page for this course may be reached via http://www.phys.hawaii.edu/~fah. This page has links to Gould's and Tobochnik's home pages, which have program listings as well as corrections and project ideas.

REQUIRED

COURSE MATERIALS: Lab notebooks (2), floppy disks, plastic ruler, scissors, and tape.

TRUE BASIC: The computer language used will be True BASIC since that is what is used in the text. The True BASIC compiler can be ordered for approximately $20. This will allow you to continue working on the lab assignments at home.

REFERENCES:

"True BASIC Primer", Wiliam S. Davis, Addison-Wesley.

"Structured BASIC Programming", John Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz, John Wiley & Sons.

"Structured Programming with True BASIC", by Goldstein, Moore, and Welcher, Prentice-Hall.

"Computational Physics", Steven E. Koonin, Addison-Wesley.

"Computers, BASIC, and Physics", H. Peckham.