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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Physics

640-241 Special Relativity

Credit Points:

6.25

Coordinator:

Dr L Allen

Prerequisite/s:

Physics 640-121 + 640-122 or 640-141 + 640-142 or 640-161 + 640-162 (before 1996: 640-120 or 640-140 or 640-160); Mathematics 618-111 or 618-121 or 618-142 (before 1996: 618-101). Note: credit cannot be gained for both 640-241 and either (the unit 640-221 listed in the 1995 and 1996 Handbooks) or (the unit 640-241 listed in the 1995 and 1996 Handbooks).

Pre/Corequisite/s:

Mathematics 618-112 or 618-122 or 618-200 or 618-211 (or before 1996: 618-102).

Timetable:

Semester 1

Contact:

18 lectures and 9 x 1-hour tutorials

Objectives:

By the completion of this course, the student should:

  • appreciate the difficulties faced by physics at the end of the 19th century, and understand the basic principles of Einstein's theory of special relativity;

  • be able to apply the principles of special relativity to simple problems, including the analysis of collisions and other phenomena involving high-speed particles.

Content:

Problems of 19th century physics; inertial frames; Einstein's postulates; Lorentz transformations; modifications to kinematics and Newtonian mechanics; causality and the speed of light as the limiting speed; four-vector formulation of kinematics and particle dynamics; spacetime interval; analysis of high energy collisions between particles; equivalence of mass and energy; experimental tests of special relativity; physical introduction to the Equivalence Principle and General Relativity.

Assessment:

A 2-hour end-of-semester written examination plus tests and/or assignments, set during the semester, which may account for up to 20% of the final marks.

Prescribed Texts:

  • Taylor E F and Wheeler J A, Spacetime Physics, 2nd ed. Freeman.
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Handbook 1997 : Faculty of Science : Physics 
Status:                   OFFICIAL 1997
Last Modified:            Wednesday March 12 3:36 pm
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Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au
Copyright © University of Melbourne 1997.