Every student is expected to present at least one talk on a topic of his or her choice in physics. Required for physics majors in their junior and senior years. The public is invited. Offered Spring 2001 and alternate years. The mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics is developed and applied to potential wells, the harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom.
Dirac notation is introduced and used in the description of angular momentum and electron spin.
Peterson 407, 408. An introduction to research in physics through theoretical and experimental investigation of an original problem. Reporting research work at seminars and professional meetings is encouraged. Vector spaces and linear operators, with applications. Fourier series, boundary value problems, orthogonal functions.