640-142 Physics B

Students may only gain credit for one of 640-006, 640-122, 640-142, 640-152 and 640-162.

Students who have not completed the equivalent of VCE Specialist Mathematics Units 3 and 4 are encouraged to enrol in a Semester 1 mathematics subject to prepare for this subject.

Students who have successfully completed 640-121 are expected to enrol in 640-122 rather than 640-142. Any student considering a 640-121 to 640-142 sequence should first consult the Director of First Year Studies in Physics.

VCE Unit 3/4 Physics and Mathematical Methods or equivalent. VCE Unit 3/4 Specialist Mathematics or equivalent is recommended but not required. It will be assumed that students are familiar with the content of 640-141 Physics A.

This subject is designed for students with a sound background in physics. It aims to provide students with a deep understanding of a broad range of physics principles together with the application of these principles to physical and biological situations.

Students completing this subject will be able to

• explain the basic principles of electricity and magnetism, wave and particle nature of light, atomic and nuclear physics;

• apply these principles, together with mathematical reasoning, to situations in the physical and biological sciences; and

• acquire and interpret experimental data.

In addition students will be able to:

• participate as an effective member of tutorial, laboratory and study groups;

• communicate their understanding of physics orally and in written form in tutorials, lab classes and study groups; and

• manage their time commitments to this subject in order to be prepared for regular lab and tutorial classes as well as tests and examination.

The subject provides an introduction to electromagnetism: electrostatics, circuits, magnetism, electric and magnetic properties of matter, Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves; quantum theory: historical foundations, wave and particle properties of electrons and photons; and atomic and nuclear physics: atomic and nuclear structure, X-rays, radioactivity, and nuclear radiations, fission and fusion, nuclear power.

A 3-hour end-of-semester written examination (65%); tests totalling up to two hours and/or written assignments during the semester, up to an equivalent 2000 words (10%); laboratory work (25%). Students must complete both laboratory and assignment work satisfactorily to obtain a pass.

• D Halliday, R Resnick and J Walker, Fundamentals of Physics. 6th edn, Wiley, 2001.