MODERN PHYSICS

PH 241                                                                                    No. of hrs/week = 04+03

                                                                                                No. of credits  = 05

Relativity:                                                                                                                           [12 hrs.]

The Principle of Galilean Relativity, Michelson-Morley experiment, Einstein’s Special theory of relativity – postulates and consequences, time dilation, length contraction, The relativistic Doppler-shift, Lorentz transformation Equations, Lorentz velocity transformation Equations, relativistic momentum and energy and their conservation.

Quantum Theory of Light:

Black body radiation, Derivation of Rayleigh – Jeans law and Planck’s law, Light quantization and the photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Pair production, photon-matter interactions.

         [7 hrs.]

Laser Basics: Absorption, Spontaneous emission, stimulated emission, Einstein’s A and B coefficients, essential elements of laser, Ruby laser, He-Ne laser, Charecteristics of laser light and applications. [3 hrs.]

X-Rays: Production of X-rays and their interaction with matter (Absorption of X-rays, Diffraction of x-rays, Bragg’s Relation, fluorescence) X-ray spectra and Moseley’s law.   [3 hrs.]

Atomic Structure: Composition of atoms, the Bohr-atom.                                                  [2 hrs.]

Quantum Mechanics:

Davisson-Germer experiment, matter waves, wave packet, The Heisenberg uncertainty principle, wave-particle duality.                                                                                     [4hrs.]

Wave function, Schrodinger – Equation, particle in a box [potential well of infinite depth], particle in a finite square well , particle through a potential barrier [ tunneling], simple harmonic oscillator.                                                                                                                            [7 hrs ]

Nuclear Structure

Properties of nuclei, Binding energy, nuclear forces, Nuclear models [Liquid drop model , semiempirical binding-energy formula, shell model(qualitative)] radioactivity, α –decay, β –decay, g-decay,Detectors of Nuclear radiations, Ionisation chambers, GM Counters and Scintillation detectors, Nuclear reactions                                                                          [10 hrs ]

Text / Reference:

Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, Part 5, 6th Edition (2004);        R.A.Serway and J.W.Jewette; Brooks / Cole, Div. Harcourt College Publishers.

Modern Physics -by Kenneth Krane

Modern Physics- by Serway, Moses, Moyer;

Introduction to Optics- by Frank L .Pedrotti & Leno S Pedrotti ( For Laser )

Introductory Nuclear Physics-by Kenneth Krane

MODERN PHYSICS (LABORATORY)

1. Determination of Planck’s constant and photoelectric work function of the photo cathode, by photoelectric effect experiment using photo emissive cell.
2. Determination of band-gap energy by resistivity measurement on semiconductors at different temperatures using four-probe method.
3. Study of various characteristics of p-n junctions.
4. X-ray characterization of cubic crystals by powder X-ray diffraction method.
5. Study of the characteristics of Geiger-Miller tube and GM-pulses.
6. Determination of dead-time and resolution-time of GM-tube by double source method.
7. Determination attenuation coefficients of lead/aluminium for gamma rays, using GM-counter.
8. Experimental verification of inverse-square law for gamma-rays, using GM-counter.
9. Determination of long half-life for beta-emission process in K-40 (KCl), using GM counter.
10. Study of counter statistics using GM-counter.
11. Calibration and energy analysis of the given gamma-source using g-ray spectrometer.
12. Characteristics X-ray spectrum of copper.

Daune –Hunt Law and Calculation of ‘h’.