Crystalline Solids

Module overview

This course builds upon the Statistical Mechanics Course (PHYS2024) to form a complete basic course on the fundamentals of the physics of solids. After the course the student should have developed the necessary theoretical knowledge to enable them to understand and explain some of the most important properties of materials such as their melting temperature, electronic properties and magnetism.

The course will also provide the necessary grounding to allow students to move onto more advanced topics and research in this industrially and academically important field.

Linked modules

Pre-requisites: PHYS2001 AND PHYS2003 AND PHYS2006 AND PHYS2022 AND PHYS2023 AND PHYS2024

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures are supported by reading suggestions and weekly exercise sheets, two of which are marked.

Study time
Type	Hours
Revision	10
Follow-up work	18
Wider reading or practice	61
Completion of assessment task	7
Preparation for scheduled sessions	18
Lecture	36
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

N.W. Ashkroft and N.D. Mermin (1988). Solid State Physics. Thomson Learning.

H P Myers (1977). Introductory Solid State Physics. Taylor and Francis.

Assessment

Summative

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Continuous Assessment	10%
Final Assessment	90%

Referral

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

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Set Task	100%

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.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Set Task	100%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External