Laboratories
Assignments
Lectures
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Final Exam - Wednesday, April 13, 2016
9am-11am in C2039.
The exam is open book.
All paper and electronic notes (including labs and assignments) are allowed during the exam.
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Objectives
The goal of this course is to integrate computational techniques that are used in physics
with the development of students' knowledge of classical mechanics.
The course will interweave computational techniques with mechanics by having
the students work with computers on mechanics problems during, and after, class.
There will be a mix of regular lecture plus computer activity by the students in a workshop environment.
The programming language will be Mathematica.
We will use Macs during class but the numerical
analysis can be performed on any platform.
First day handout
Topics: Numerical differentiation and integration; Plotting; Projectile motion; Gravitation; Oscillatory and wave motion; curve fitting;
data analysis of experimental measurements.
Details
Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm in Room C-2045
Laboratories: Thursdays from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm in Room C-2039
Required Software: The software to be used in the course, Mathematica, is available on the lab computers.
A student version is available for free from the Computer Purchasing Centre
www.mun.ca/cpc/licenses_stu/, or from
Mr. Fred Perry,
Systems Administator, Dept. of Physics and Physical Oceanography.
If you are eager to start learning, the makers of Mathematica have some useful online tutorials:
Recommended Textbook: Boccara, Nino (2007), Essentials of Mathematica with applications to mathematics and physics, Springer.
An electronic version is available through MUN's library system.
Course Material (approximate number of lectures)
- Overview (1)
- Review of mechanics problems (3)
- Projectile motion (2)
- Conservative (central) forces (2)
- Numerical differentiation and integration (2)
- Numerical solution of ordinary differential equations (2)
- Harmonic oscillators: simple, damped and driven, coupled oscillator (3)
- Wave equation (3)
- Curve fitting, working with data (2)
Some lecture periods will be devoted to in-class exercises and time to work on assignments.
Evaluation Scheme
- Laboratories: 10%
- Assignments: 20%
- Midterm Exam I (Tuesday, February 9 ): 10%
- Midterm Exam II (Tuesday, March 22): 10%
- Final Examination: 50%
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