Foundations of Physics II: Optics and Statistical Mechanics

MWF 10.00-10.50 am, 30 Pacific Hall

Syllabus

Announcements:

• Final Exam Solutions .
• Final Exam Monday, March 17, 10.15-12.15 pm.
• Topics to study for the final exam (statistical mechanics) -- Final Version
• Midterm: Optics. Monday, Feb. 4 Review session: Thursday Jan. 31, 12.30-2.00pm.
• Topics to study for the midterm exam
• TA office hours: Tuesday 10-11am, in Willamette218, and Thursday 11-12am, in the drop in center (Willamette 147).
• Prof. Parthasarathy's office hours: Mon 9-10, W 11-12.
• Physics Department Colloquia (descriptions)

On-line Optics Texts: Please see the syllabus for comments on textbooks for the course. Some texts available on-line:

• Dan Steck's extensive notes for his optics course (UO Physics).
• An optics text from BYU.

Notes.

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 1: Introduction.

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 2: Diffraction.

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 3: Refraction.

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 4: Lenses. -- corrected, Jan. 25, 2008

• Slides on Diffraction and Angular Resolution, from lecture, Wed. Jan. 30, 2008.

• Notes on Resolution and Imaging, from lecture, Wed. Jan. 30, 2008.

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 5: Reflection and Transmission (Fresnel's equations).

• Notes on Optics: Chapter 6: A few contemporary topics in optics.

• Notes on the Binomial Distribution.

• Notes on Diffusion and Random Walks. -- corrected March 12, 2008.

• Handout on the "Laws of Thermodynamics."

Problem Sets and Solutions

• Problem Set 1 .

• Problem Set 2 .

• Problem Set 3 . -- Note that no late homework will be accepted.

• Problem Set 4 .

• Problem Set 5 .

• Problem Set 6 .

• Problem Set 7 . Revised Feb. 25, 2008

• Problem Set 8 .

• Problem Set 9 . -- Note that no late homework will be accepted.

• Solutions to Problem Set 1

• Solutions to Problem Set 2

• Solutions to Problem Set 3

• Solutions to the Midterm Exam

• Solutions to Problem Set 4

• Solutions to Problem Set 5

• Solutions to Problem Set 6

• Solutions to Problem Set 7

• Solutions to Problem Set 8

• Solutions to Problem Set 9