Fall 2007

Physics 15c. Wave Phenomena
Catalog Number: 8676
Markus Greiner (fall term) and Jennifer E. Hoffman (spring term)
Half course (fall term; repeated spring term). Tu., Th., 1:30-3, and three hours per week of conference and laboratory. EXAM GROUP: 15, 16
Forced oscillation and resonance; coupled oscillators and normal modes; Fourier series; Electromagnetic waves, radiation, longitudinal oscillations, sound; traveling waves; signals, wave packets and group velocity; two- and three-dimensional waves; polarization; geometrical and physical optics; interference and diffraction. Optional topics: Water waves, holography, x-ray crystallography. Solitons.
Note: Laboratory: Continuation of “zap” plus additional labs. Laboratories will be under the supervision of Thomas C. Hayes. This course, when taken for a letter grade, meets the Core area requirement for Science A.
Prerequisite: Physics 15a, Physics 15b, or written permission of the Head Tutor in Physics. Mathematics preparation at least at the level of Mathematics 21b taken concurrently is required. Some prior knowledge of complex numbers (for example as taught in Mathematics 1b) is helpful. Linear algebra and differential equations are used extensively. Students taking Mathematics 21b concurrently will likely find that some concepts are introduced in Physics 15c before they have seen them in Mathematics 21b. Some students may wish to postpone Physics 15c until they have completed Mathematics 21b.