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CODE 90693
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR FIS/03
LANGUAGE Italian
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER 2° Semester
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

"Elementi e Applicazioni di Fisica Moderna" (EAFM, code 90693) is a 6 credits (52 hours) worth class held during the second semester of the First or Second year of the "Laurea Magistrale" in Mathematics. Lectures are held in Italian, apart an explicit requirement do held them in english. Study material for subscribing students can be found on the AulaWeb website.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course provides a basic knowledge on various themes of modern physics, with particular reference to quantum mechanics and with aspects of the theory of special relativity. The goal is to stimulate the interest and understanding of physical phenomena associated with these topics, also highlighting important applications, particularly in the field of the structure of matter.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course provides basic knowledge of modern physics. At the end of the course the student will have acquired the skills necessary to understand the main phenomena of special relativity and the foundations of quantum mechanics by addressing these topics from both a historical and conceptual point of view.  This knowledge will be fundamental for those wishing to undertake the teaching of physics in high school.

 

TEACHING METHODS

Traditional: oral lectures and examples worked out by teachers.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

  1. Introduction to Special Relativity

    Short recapitulation about classical relativity, the electromagnetic waves equation
    The Michelson-Morley experiment
    Einstein postulates
    Lorentz transformations
    A brief introduction to relativistic dynamics
    Applications
     
  2. Quantum mechanics

    Wave-matter dualism for electromagnetic radiation
    Recapitulations about the interference of electromagnetic waves
    The photoelectric effect, the concept of photon
    Blackbody radiation
    Principle of complementarity, probabilistic interpretation
    Uncertainty relationship for photons

    Wave-matter dualism for matter 
    Atomic phenomena: emission spectra and the Bohr model
    The De Broglie hypothesis
    Interference effects among particles
    The Heisenberg uncertainty principle and wave packets

    The Schroedinger equation
    Stationary and time-dependent equation
    Probabilistic interpretation of the wave function
    Particle in a box
    Tunnel effect
    Application: scanning tunnel microscope and atomic force microscope

    Atomic models and particle statistics
    Hydrogen atom, spin, statistics
    The Pauli exclusion principle
    Fermi and Bose statistics
    Many-electron atoms
     

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

K. S. Krane "Modern Physics, 3rd edition" (Wiley)
V. A. Ugarov "Special Relativity" (MIR)

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

FABIO CAVALIERE (President)

MAURA SASSETTI

LESSONS

LESSONS START

The class will start according to the lecturing calendar approved by the "Consiglio di Corso di Studi".

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination will allow to assess the knowledge of the fundamental quantum and relativistic phenomena and the ability to identify their role in the explanation of natural phenomena and of the working principles of devices and technologies as discussed in the course.

Exam schedule

Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note
14/02/2025 09:00 GENOVA Esame su appuntamento
19/09/2025 09:00 GENOVA Esame su appuntamento

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