PH 332 Syllabus

Fall 2008

 

Instructor: David Bannon  Office: Weniger 411  Phone: 737-8962  email: bannond@physics.oregonstate.edu

Office Hours: MTuWTh from 1:00 to 3:00 PM

 

WEEK    DATE     TOPIC                                                                   READING             LAB EXPERIMENTS

 

01            Sep 30    Introduction                                                          None                      No Labs

 

                Oct 02     Fundamental Properties                                      1.1 - 1.4

 

02            Oct 07     Reflection                                                              2.1 - 2.4                   2: The Law of Reflection

                                                                                                                                                3: Image Formation in a Plane Mirror

                Oct 09     Refraction                                                              2.5 - 2.6

 

03            Oct 14     Mirrors                                                                   3.1 - 3.3                   4: The Law of Refraction

                                                                                                                                                5: Reversibility

                Oct 16     Lenses                                                                   3.4 - 3.5

 

04            Oct 21     The Human Eye and Vision: Part I                    5.1 - 5.3                   6: Dispersion and Total Internal Reflection

                                                                                                                                                8: Light and Color

                Oct 23     Optical Instruments                                             6.1 - 6.4

 

05            Oct 28     The Human Eye and Vision: Part II                   7.1 - 7.3                   7: Converging Lens

 

                Oct 30     Color                                                                      9.1 - 9.6

 

06            Nov 04   Review for Midterm                                            None                      18: Introduction (to be done as pre-lab)

                                                                                                                                                21: The Telescope

                Nov 06   Midterm Exam from 11:00 AM to 11:50 AM in Wngr 153

 

07            Nov 11   Interference                                                           12.1 - 12.3               9: Two-Slit Interference

                                Optional Outline due at 11:00 AM in Wngr 153                          15: The Diffraction Grating

 

                Nov 13   Diffraction                                                             12.4 - 12.5

 

08            Nov 18   Polarization: Part I                                                13.1 - 13.4               10: Polarization

 

                Nov 20   Polarization: Part II                                               13.5 - 13.6

 

09            Nov 25   Modern Physics: Part I                                       15.1 - 15.3               No Labs (Thanksgiving Week)

                                Term Paper due at 11:00 AM in Wngr 153

 

                Nov 27   Thanksgiving Holiday

 

10            Dec 02    Modern Physics: Part II                                      15.4 - 15.5               Make-Up Week

 

                Dec 04    Review for Final                                                   None

 

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, December 11th from 9:30 AM to 11:20 AM in Wngr 153

 

Website: http://www.physics.oregonstate.edu/~bannond/COURSES/ph332/

 

Labs meet in Wngr 334.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR PH 332

 

Baccalaureate Core: This course is part of the baccalaureate core and fulfills the requirement for study related to science, technology and society. This course will require students to think critically and creatively, to synthesize ideas and information when evaluating major societal issues, and promote understanding of interrelationships among disciplines.

 

Student learning outcomes:

 

After completing the course, the students will be able to define light, color, vision, speed or velocity, wavelength, frequency, period, amplitude, intensity, wavefronts, polarization, the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, x-rays, gamma rays, cosmic rays), blackbody, geometrical optics, light rays, reflection, mirrors, The Law of Reflection, refraction, lenses, index of refraction, Snell's Law of Refraction, critical angle, total internal reflection, dispersion, images, real vs. virtual, upright vs. inverted, convex vs. concave, converging vs. diverging, focal length, image distance, object distance, magnification, optical power, diopters, chromatic aberration, spherical aberration, cornea, iris, pupil, retina, rods and cones, optic nerve, objective, eyepiece, refracting telescope magnification, Weber's Law, monochromatic light, intensity distribution, complementary colors, chromaticity diagrams, interference, constructive, destructive, path difference, interference pattern, diffraction grating, Snell's Law of Diffraction, spectrometer, Huygens' Principle, diffraction, resolving power, scattering, Rayleigh scattering, polarization, unpolarized light, polarizer, analyzer, photoelectric effect, photons, atomic energy levels, emission and absorption spectral lines, lasers, Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity, Einstein's Theory of General Relativity and The Doppler Effect.

 

After completing the course, the students will be able to solve numerical and symbolic problems which involve frequency and period; speed, frequency and wavelength; The Law of Reflection; index of refraction, true speed and apparent speed; Snell's Law of Refraction; critical angle and indices of refraction; The Lens or Mirror Equation; magnification, image and object distances, image and object heights; optical power and focal length; path difference for two sources of light and an observer; Snell's Law of Diffraction; resolving power and angle of separation; resolving power and wavelength difference; and Malus's Law.

 

Critical Thinking Skills:

 

After completing the course, the students will be able to remember and recite information related to light, vision and color, and apply this information according to the rules and principles listed above.

 

Prerequisites: None. However, a basic understanding of algebra, logarithms, exponents and trigonometry is necessary.

 

Required Texts: Seeing The Light by Falk, Brill and Stork (Wiley, 1986) and Physics 332 Laboratory Manual.

 

Laboratory: Original work and attendance are required. Read the lab instructions before coming to lab. Lab reports are due by the end of the lab period. The lab instructor will grade the lab reports and return them to you at the beginning of the next lab. If you miss a lab, then try to make it up that week. If you can't, then there will be a make-up week at the end of the term. You can make up at most two labs during the last week.

 

Help Room: Physics TAs will hold their office hours in the Help Room, Weniger 145. A schedule is posted on the door of the room. If you are not able to get the help that you need in this room, then please come to the instructor's office hours.

 

Exams: There will be one midterm and a final. The final will be comprehensive, i.e. it will cover the entire course. The midterm will be given on Thursday, November 6th during the usual lecture time. The final will be given on Thursday, December 11th from 9:30 AM to 11:20 AM. Exams are closed book and closed notes. A formula sheet will be provided by the instructor for each exam, so you do not need to memorize any formulas from the course. Please arrive to the exam room five to ten minutes early and bring a calculator that has trigonometric (sine, cosine and tangent), logarithm and exponential function keys.

 

Term Paper: You will write a three-to-five page paper (typed, double-spaced) on one of the following topics (or a different one approved by the instructor): Solar Energy, The Greenhouse Effect, The Ozone Layer, Radar, Laser Technology, Optical Data Storage Devices, Infrared Vision, The Hubble Space Telescope, Adaptive Optics in Astronomy, Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy, Holography, Eclipses, Mirages, Rainbows, The Photoelectric Effect, Fiber Optics. 

 

Optional Outline: You may submit an outline of your paper, rough draft or other writing sample for the instructor to read, comment on and return to you at the beginning of the following lecture. It is recommended that you submit an outline, rough draft or other

writing sample for feedback before writing the final version of your paper.

 

Academic Integrity: All students are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity in their academic work. All graded work is to be done on an individual basis. Any incidence of academic dishonesty will be dealt with in accordance with OSU policies.

 

Students with Disabilities: Students with documented disabilities who need special accommodations should make an appointment with the instructor as soon as possible to discuss the accommodations.

 

Final Grades: Your final grade will be computed as follows: Midterm 20%, Final 40%, Term Paper 20% and Lab Reports 20%.

The grade scale is as follows:

 

                93 - 100% = A

                90 -   92% = A-

                87 -   89% = B+

                83 -   86% = B

                80 -   82% = B-

                77 -   79% = C+

                73 -   76% = C

                70 -   72% = C-

                67 -   69% = D+

                63 -   66% = D

                60 -   62% = D-

                  0 -   59% = F