PHYC10160 Physics for Engineers II

Academic Year 2021/2022

This is an introductory module for first year Engineering students. The course focuses on the basic principles of Electricity, Magnetism, Quantum and Nuclear physics. These topics are studied in four themes each lasting 3 weeks.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module, you will have gained a fundamental understanding of: Electricity and Magnetism, topics in quantum physics including the Bohr atom and laser, and topics in nuclear physics including radioactivity, fission and fusion. You will be able to solve numerical problems in these topic areas and in doing so will have an applied understanding of the physics that underpins Maxwells equations.

Indicative Module Content:

Syllabus: 4 themes (each of 3 weeks)
1. QUANTUM PHYSICS
Classical physics is not enough. Photoelectric effect. Einstein’s photon theory. Spectrum of Hydrogen. Bohr model of the atom. Energy level diagram. X-rays. Interactions of X-rays with matter. Laser.

2. ELECTRICITY
Brief history of electrostatics and electricity. Electric charge. Forces between charges. Electric field. Electric flux and flux density. Gauss’s law. Electric potential and its relationship to electric field. Dipoles. Capacitance. Dielectrics. Electric current. Resistance and resistivity. Conductors and insulators.

3. MAGNETISM
Brief history of magnetism and electromagnetics. Magnetic field. Magnetic flux density. Magnetic force on a current carrying wire. Hall effect. Biot-Savart law. Ampere’s law. Solenoids. Faraday’s law. Inductance: self and mutual. AC generator. Transformer. Energy stored in magnetic field. Magnetic materials. Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism. Hysteresis.

4. NUCLEAR PHYSICS
Nucleus. Nuclear properties. Nuclear mass. Binding energy. Mass defect. Strong force. Fission. Fusion. Radioactivity. Law of Radioactive decay. Radiation dosage.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

36
Tutorial

5
Practical

12
Autonomous Student Learning

67
Total

120
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This course blends in-class and online learning with laboratories. Lecture notes are provided and you should annotate these notes using in-class and recorded lectures. These are the core module materials and we focus to these materials and related homework problems. Homework also includes reading recommended chapters from a text.

Physics isn't best learnt by rote or in an ivory tower. Rather it is learnt from independent struggles with problems, whilst pulling on materials and discussion. We hold a Classwork session weekly in which you have a go at a couple of homework problems with me and we step through the method and solution, pulling from our course materials. We also hold a Q&A session weekly, in which we address any questions you have in sync with the module delivery, with a focus to HW. Forming good questions is core to science because asking the right question is halfway to a useful answer. To make the most of Q&A, you will be doing all of your assigned HW in sync with the module delivery.






 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Honours Mathematics Leaving Cert (Ireland) or equivalent
Leaving Certificate Physics or equivalent
PHYC10150: Engineering Physics I (1st semester)


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Co-requisite:
PHYC10150 - Physics for Engineers I

Incompatibles:
PHYC10010 - Physics I, PHYC10020 - Physics of the Cell for lifesc, PHYC10030 - Physics of Macro-organisms, PHYC10060 - Fields, Waves & Light, PHYC10070 - Foundations of Physics, PHYC10080 - Frontiers of Physics, PHYC10090 - Physics II, PHYC10120 - Physics in Medicine, PHYC10130 - Physics II Medical Science, PHYC10140 - Diagnostic Imaging: Physics, PHYC10180 - Physics for Ag. Science, PHYC10190 - Aspects of Physics for Ag. Sci

Equivalents:
Physics for Engineers II (EXPH10160)


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Practical Examination: Labs Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

20
Examination: Written examination 2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Standard conversion grade scale 40% No

50
Continuous Assessment: Online MCQ and written homework Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

30

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

A post-discussion for each assessment is held in a subsequent session. Key aspects are addressed together as a class.

Lecture notes and recorded lectures are provided. These are the core module materials. We focus to these materials and related homework problems.

Homework includes doing problems and reading from the online Wiley text that most of you already have access to from first semester: “Fundamentals of Physics” 11 th (extended) edition 2018).