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Activities

The instructor gives a brief lecture about time dependence of energy eigenstates (e.g. McIntyre, 3.1). Notes for the students are attached.

Small Group Activity

5 min.

Static Fields Equation Sheet

Gauss's Law: \[ \oint \vec{E}\cdot \hat{n}\, dA = {1\over\epsilon_0}\, Q_{\hbox{enc}} \]

Ampère's Law:

\[ \oint \vec{B}\cdot d\vec{r} = \mu_0 \, I_{\hbox{enc}} \]

Potentials: \begin{eqnarray*} \vec{E}&=&-\vec{\nabla} V\\ \vec{B}&=&\vec{\nabla}\times\vec{A} \end{eqnarray*}


Maxwell's Equations: \begin{eqnarray*} \vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{E} &=& \frac{\rho}{\epsilon_0}\\ \vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{B} &=& 0\\ \vec{\nabla}\times\vec{E} &=& 0\\ \vec{\nabla}\times\vec{B} &=& {\mu_0}\, \vec{J} \end{eqnarray*}


Superposition Laws: \begin{eqnarray*} V(\vec{r}) &=& \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0} \int{\rho(\vec{r}')\, d\tau'\over \vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}'\vert}\\ \vec{E}(\vec{r}) &=& \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0} \int{\rho(\vec{r}')(\vec{r}-\vec{r}')\, d\tau'\over \vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}'\vert^3}\\ \vec{A}(\vec{r}) &=& \frac{\mu_0}{4\pi} \int{\vec{J}(\vec{r}')\, d\tau'\over \vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}'\vert}\\ \vec{B}(\vec{r}) &=& \frac{\mu_0}{4\pi} \int{\vec{J}(\vec{r}')\times (\vec{r}-\vec{r}')\, d\tau'\over \vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}'\vert^3}\\ V(B)-V(A)&=&-\int_A^B \vec{E}\cdot d\vec{r} \end{eqnarray*}



Position Vectors \begin{align*} \vec{r} &= x \hat{x} + y\hat{y} + z\hat{z}\\ &= s \hat{s} + z\hat{z}\\ &= r\hat{r} \end{align*}

The distance between two position vectors

  1. In cylindrical coordinates: \[\left\vert\vec r -\vec r^{\prime}\right\vert =\sqrt{s^2+s^{\prime\, 2}-2s\, s^{\prime}\cos(\phi- \phi^{\prime}) +(z-z^{\prime})^2}\]
  2. In spherical coordinates: \[\left\vert\vec r -\vec r^{\prime}\right\vert =\sqrt{r^2+r^{\prime\, 2}-2r\, r^{\prime}\left[ \sin\theta\sin\theta^{\prime}\cos(\phi-\phi^{\prime}) +\cos\theta\cos\theta^{\prime}\right]}\]

Rectangular Coordinates: \begin{eqnarray*} \vec{\nabla} f &=& \frac{\partial f}{\partial x}\,\hat{x} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial y}\,\hat{y} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial z}\,\hat{z} \\ \vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{F} &=& \frac{\partial F_x}{\partial x} + \frac{\partial F_y}{\partial y} + \frac{\partial F_z}{\partial z} \\ \vec{\nabla}\times\vec{F} &=& \left(\frac{\partial F_z}{\partial y}-\frac{\partial F_y}{\partial z}\right)\hat{x} + \left(\frac{\partial F_x}{\partial z} -\frac{\partial F_z}{\partial x}\right)\hat{y} + \left(\frac{\partial F_y}{\partial x} -\frac{\partial F_x}{\partial y}\right)\hat{z} \end{eqnarray*}


Cylindrical Coordinates: \begin{eqnarray*} \vec{\nabla} f &=& \frac{\partial f}{\partial s}\,\hat{s} + \frac{1}{s}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \phi}\,\hat{\phi} + \frac{\partial f}{\partial z}\,\hat{z} \\ \vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{F} &=& \frac{1}{s}\frac{\partial}{\partial s}\left({s}F_{s}\right) + \frac{1}{s}\frac{\partial F_\phi}{\partial \phi} + \frac{\partial F_z}{\partial z} \\ \vec{\nabla}\times\vec{F} &=& \left( \frac{1}{s}\frac{\partial F_z}{\partial \phi} - \frac{\partial F_\phi}{\partial z} \right) \hat{s} + \left(\frac{\partial F_s}{\partial z}-\frac{\partial F_z}{\partial s}\right) \hat{\phi} + \frac{1}{s} \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial s}\left({s}F_{\phi}\right) - \frac{\partial F_s}{\partial \phi} \right) \hat{z} \end{eqnarray*}


Spherical Coordinates: \begin{eqnarray*} \vec{\nabla} f &=& \frac{\partial f}{\partial r}\,\hat{r} + \frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \theta}\,\hat{\theta} + \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \phi}\,\hat{\phi} \\ \vec{\nabla}\cdot\vec{F} &=& \frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial}{\partial r}\left({r^2}F_{r}\right) + \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}\left({\sin\theta}F_{\theta}\right) + \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial F_\phi}{\partial \phi} \\ \vec{\nabla}\times\vec{F} &=& \frac{1}{r\sin\theta} \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial \theta} \left({\sin\theta}F_{\phi}\right) - \frac{\partial F_\theta}{\partial \phi} \right) \hat{r} + \frac{1}{r} \left( \frac{1}{\sin\theta} \frac{\partial F_r}{\partial \phi} - \frac{\partial}{\partial r}\left({r}F_{\phi}\right) \right) \hat{\theta} \\ && \quad + \frac{1}{r} \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial r}\left({r}F_{\theta}\right) - \frac{\partial F_r}{\partial \theta} \right) \hat{\phi} \end{eqnarray*}


Lorentz Force Law:

\[\vec{F}=q_{\hbox{test}}\left(\vec{E}+\vec{v}\times\vec{B}\right)\]


Step and Delta Functions: \begin{eqnarray*} \frac{d}{dx} \theta(x-a)&=&\delta(x-a)\\ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x)\delta(x-a)\, dx&=&f(a) \end{eqnarray*}


Vector Calculus Theorems: \begin{eqnarray*} \oint \vec{F} \cdot d\vec{A} &=& \int \vec{\nabla} \cdot \vec{F} d\tau\\ \oint \vec{F} \cdot d\vec{\ell} &=& \int (\vec{\nabla} \times \vec{F}) \cdot d\vec{A}\\ \end{eqnarray*}


Total Charge and Current: \begin{eqnarray*} Q &=& \int \rho (\vec{r}') d\tau'\\ I &=& \int \vec{J} (\vec{r}') \cdot d\vec{A'}\\ \end{eqnarray*}

  • Found in: Static Fields course(s)

Small Group Activity

30 min.

Earthquake waves
In this activity students use the known speed of earthquake waves to estimate the Young's modulus of the Earth's crust.
Consider a phase transformation between either solid or liquid and gas. Assume that the volume of the gas is way bigger than that of the liquid or solid, such that \(\Delta V \approx V_g\). Furthermore, assume that the ideal gas law applies to the gas phase. Note: this problem is solved in the textbook, in the section on the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.
  1. Solve for \(\frac{dp}{dT}\) in terms of the pressure of the vapor and the latent heat \(L\) and the temperature.

  2. Assume further that the latent heat is roughly independent of temperature. Integrate to find the vapor pressure itself as a function of temperature (and of course, the latent heat).

Give the general solution of the differential equation: \[\frac{d^2 y}{dx^2}+Ay=0\] Make sure that you can give the solution of this equation regardless of the geometric names of the dependent and independent variables and for either sign for the constant \(A\).

It is NOT necessary to show any work. You may NOT, however, give a solution that has a negative number inside a square root. I am testing whether you can recognize this equation and remember its solution. This equation comes up over and over again in physics, but disguised by different symbols. I am also testing whether you recognize that the geometric character of the equation changes depending on the sign of \(A\).

  • Found in: Central Forces course(s)

Give the general solution of the differential equation: \[\frac{d^2 \Phi}{d\phi^2}+7\Phi=0\]

It is NOT necessary to show any work.

  • Found in: Central Forces course(s)

Give the general solution of the differential equation: \[\frac{d^2 u}{d\phi^2}+u=0\]

It is NOT necessary to show any work.

  • Found in: Central Forces course(s)

Problem

5 min.

Using Gibbs Free Energy
None

Small Group Activity

10 min.

Gaussian Parameters
Students use an applet to explore the role of the parameters \(N\), \(x_o\), and \(\sigma\) in the shape of a Gaussian \begin{equation} f(x)=Ne^{-\frac{(x-x_0)^2}{2\sigma^2}} \end{equation}
  • Found in: Periodic Systems course(s) Found in: Fourier Transforms and Wave Packets sequence(s)

Small Group Activity

120 min.

Projectile with Linear Drag
Students consider projectile motion of an object that experiences drag force that in linear with the velocity. Students consider the horizontal motion and the vertical motion separately. Students solve Newton's 2nd law as a differential equation.

Small Group Activity

30 min.

Travelling wave solution
Students work in a small group to write down an equation for a travelling wave.

Lecture

30 min.

Review of Thermal Physics
These are notes, essentially the equation sheet, from the final review session for https://paradigms.oregonstate.edu/courses/ph441.

Small Group Activity

30 min.

Black space capsule
In this activity, students apply the Stefan-Boltzmann equation and the principle of energy balance in steady state to find the steady state temperature of a black object in near-Earth orbit.
This handout lists Motivating Questions, Key Activities/Problems, Unit Learning Outcomes, and an Equation Sheet for a Unit on Classical Mechanics Orbits. It can be used both to introduce the unit and, even better, for review.
  • Found in: Central Forces course(s)

Small Group Activity

10 min.

Modeling Nonuniform Density
  • how to distinguish the two different uses of the word “linear” in a linear charge density that varies linearly;
  • some of the words for describing functional variation: linear, quadratic, exponential, falls off like ..., proportional to the square, etc.
  • how to “name the thing you don't know” with an algebraic symbol so that it can appear in an equation.
  • Found in: AIMS Maxwell, Static Fields, Surfaces/Bridge Workshop, Problem-Solving course(s)