Wave Physics

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Depict the energy and momenta of wave motions
• Differentiate interference and diffraction, the Huygens principle, Fraunhofer diffraction, diffraction gratings
• Define dispersion and the phase and group velocities
• Express the nature of wave propagation and its physical mechanisms

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Interpret the physical basis of continuity conditions and their implications for interfaces

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Distinguish the travelling, standing and harmonic wave solutions
• Derive the solution of wave equations, both in one and three dimensions

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Relate superpositions, wave packets and Fourier analysis

• General principles of wave propagation; derivation and solution of wave equations
• Transverse waves; travelling, standing and harmonic solutions; initial conditions
• Linearity, interference, superposition and the Huygens construction for wave propagation
• Fourier series and transforms; the convolution theorem
• Wave packets, dispersion and phase and group velocities
• Diffraction: single slit, double slit, grating and general Fraunhofer results
• Energy and momentum transport in wave motions
• Continuity conditions and interfaces
• Longitudinal waves; waves from moving sources; waves in various physical systems
• Wave mechanical operators; wavefunction averages; transform limits and uncertainty

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

A. P. French (1971). Vibrations and Waves. London: various publishers: Chapman and Hall, London; W W Norton,New York; Nelson Thornes, Cheltenham.

Tim Freegarde (2012). Introduction to the Physics of Waves. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

E Hecht (2001). Optics. Addison-Wesley.

I.G. Main (1993). Vibrations and Waves in Physics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

H. H. Pain (1998). The Physics of Vibrations and Waves. Chichester: Wiley.

R P Feynman (2011). Lectures in Physics vol 1. Basic Books.

Assessment strategy

Weekly course work will be set and assessed in the normal way, but only the best ‘n-2’ attempts will contribute to the final coursework mark, where n is the number of course work items issued during that Semester. As an example, if you are set 10 sets of course work across a Semester, the best 8 of those will be counted.

In an instance where a student misses submission of one or two sets of course work, these sets will not be counted. Students will, however, still be required to submit Self Certification forms on time for all excused absences, as they may ultimately end up missing 3+ sets of course work through illness, for example. The submitted Self Certification forms may be considered as evidence for potential Special Considerations requests.

In the event that a third (or higher) set of course work is missed, students will be required to go through the Special Considerations procedures in order to request mitigation for that set. Please note that documentary evidence will normally be required before these can be considered.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External