Overview

To develop students' understanding of selected topics in optical physics, special relativity, nuclear physics and particle physics, particularly those areas relevant to modern applied science. Through the development of this understanding and its application to relevant problems, this unit aims enhance students problem solving skills and capabilities.

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Describe and interpret a variety of optical phenomena arising from light interacting with matter
  • Apply physical principles to the analysis of problems involving wave propagation, interference, diffraction, and Fourier optics
  • Describe and interpret the fundamental concepts underpinning special relativity, nuclear and particle physics
  • Apply physical principles to the analysis of problems in special relativity, nuclear and particle physics
  • Design experimental procedure, analyse experimental data and synthesize results using physics knowledge
  • Communicate ideas and conclusions drawn from assigned problems and from experiments to a technical audience

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
On-campus
Class
2.00 12 weeks 24
On-campus
Lab
3.00 6 weeks 18
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
8.00 12 weeks 96
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 10 - 30% 1,2,3,4,6 
ExaminationIndividual 40 - 60% 1,2,3,4 
Laboratory ReportIndividual 10 - 30% 1,2,5,6 
Online QuizzesIndividual 10 - 30% 1,2,3,4 

Content

  • Light Propagation: Rayleigh scattering, the Fresnel equations, refractive index, reflectance and transmittance, total internal reflection and evanescent waves
  • Addition of waves: interference, coherence, polarization, birefringence, dichroism.
  • Diffraction: Huygens-Fresnel principle, Fraunhofer diffraction and applications, Fresnel diffraction and applications.
  • Fourier Optics: Lens as a Fourier transformer, Fourier transforms and diffraction.
  • Special Relativity: frames & events, Einstein’s postulates, Lorentz transformations, space-time diagrams, energy & momentum, relativistic phenomena.
  • Nuclear Physics: properties of nuclei, nuclear binding energy, liquid drop model, shell model, radioactive decay, fission & fusion.
  • Particle Physics: the standard model, fundamental forces, conservation laws, force propagators, Higgs particles, neutrino oscillations.

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.