PHYS 3310 Learning Outcomes
Last edit: 19 Jan 2010
Prof. Thomas Coan (x8-2497)         
coan@mail.physics.smu.edu
Office: 47 Fondren Science
At the conclusion of PHYS 3310, the competent student will be able,
in an exam-like setting, to:
- compute proper length and time intervals, and proper frequencies of
repetitive phenomena in different inertial reference frames;
- draw Minkowski diagrams of simple phenomena;
- calculate various four-vectors and transform them from one inertial
reference frame to another;
- calculate velocities and momenta of final state particles
in two-body elastic and inelastic collisions;
- calculate a particle four-momentum and its associated Lorentz-invariant quantity;
- determine the equation of motion of a one-dimensional damped simple
harmonic oscillator;
- calculate eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes for simple systems of
coupled oscillators;
- calculate normal modes and energy content of a waves in a continuous,
homogeneous system;
- calculate reflection and refraction effects at boundaries of
dielectrics and metals;
- calculate interference patterns from a simple
multiple slit barrier.
The competent student will also be able, in a written paragraph, to:
- explain the two basic postulates of special relativity;
- explain what an inertial reference frame is and a practical way to tell if you are in one.
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