PHYS 1212: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II – Syllabus and Study Guide

Course Overview

This course, PHYS 1212: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II, is designed for science and engineering majors. It covers advanced topics in physics, including optics, electricity, magnetism, and related mathematical concepts. The course emphasizes problem-solving, conceptual understanding, and the application of physical principles to real-world scenarios.

Course Structure and Requirements

• Prerequisites: Completion of introductory physics and calculus courses (e.g., PHYS 1211/1211L, MATH 2250/2260).

• Textbook: Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Randall D. Knight, 5th Edition (Pearson).

• Clickers: Required for in-class participation.

• Labs: Mandatory; lab reports must be submitted as directed by lab TAs.

Major Topics and Weekly Schedule

The course is organized into weekly modules, each focusing on a specific area of physics. Below is a summary of the main topics and their subtopics, as outlined in the course schedule.

Geometrical (Ray) Optics

Geometrical optics deals with the behavior of light as rays, focusing on how light interacts with mirrors and lenses.

• Reflection: The bouncing of light off surfaces, governed by the law of reflection.

• Plane Mirrors: Flat mirrors that produce virtual images.

• Spherical Mirrors: Concave and convex mirrors, image formation, and ray tracing.

• Refraction: The bending of light as it passes from one medium to another, described by Snell's Law.

• Total Internal Reflection: Occurs when light cannot exit a medium and is reflected entirely within it.

• Lenses: Converging and diverging lenses, ray tracing, and the lens equation.

Example: Calculating the image position for an object placed in front of a concave mirror using the mirror equation.

Key Equations:

• Law of Reflection: $\theta_i = \theta_r$

• Snell's Law: $n_1 \sin \theta_1 = n_2 \sin \theta_2$

• Mirror Equation: $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$

• Lens Equation: $\frac{1}{f} = \frac{1}{d_o} + \frac{1}{d_i}$

Optical Instruments

This topic explores devices that use lenses and mirrors to form images, such as microscopes, telescopes, and magnifying glasses.

• Magnifying Glass: Uses a convex lens to produce a magnified virtual image.

• Microscope: Combines two lenses to achieve high magnification of small objects.

• Telescope: Designed to view distant objects by collecting and focusing light.

Example: Determining the angular magnification of a simple magnifier.

Wave Optics

Wave optics considers the wave nature of light, explaining phenomena that cannot be described by ray optics alone.

• Interference: The superposition of two or more waves, leading to constructive or destructive interference.

• Diffraction: The bending of light around obstacles or through slits, producing characteristic patterns.

• Single-Slit Diffraction: Light passing through a narrow slit spreads out and forms a diffraction pattern.

• Diffraction Grating: An array of slits that disperses light into its component wavelengths.

Key Equations:

• Double-Slit Interference: $d \sin \theta = m \lambda$

• Single-Slit Diffraction: $a \sin \theta = m \lambda$

Electricity: Coulomb's Law and Electric Field

This section introduces the fundamental concepts of electric charge, electric force, and electric fields.

• Coulomb's Law: Describes the force between two point charges.

• Electric Field: A region around a charged object where other charges experience a force.

Key Equations:

• Coulomb's Law: $F = k_e \frac{|q_1 q_2|}{r^2}$

• Electric Field: $E = \frac{F}{q}$

Electric Current and Ohm's Law

This topic covers the flow of electric charge in conductors and the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance.

• Electric Current: The rate of flow of charge, measured in amperes (A).

• Ohm's Law: Relates voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R).

Key Equation:

• Ohm's Law: $V = IR$

Magnetism

Magnetism explores the properties of magnets and magnetic fields, as well as their interaction with electric currents.

• Magnetic Field: A vector field surrounding magnets and electric currents.

• Force on a Moving Charge: A charge moving in a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to both its velocity and the field.

Key Equation:

• Magnetic Force: $F = qvB \sin \theta$