Course Information
Physics 205
-- Modern Physics -- Fall 2026
Course Description
"Modern Physics" refers to a number of paradigm-changing discoveries
(and the theories developed to explain them) that occurred in the early part of
the 20th century. A series of groundbreaking experiments by Michelson, Balmer, Röntgen, Thomson and
others led to a rethinking of classical physical theory around the turn of the
20th century. The surprising experimental results gave rise to radical
new physical theories, developed by Einstein, Lorentz, Bohr, Schrödinger,
Heisenberg, Dirac, and others, which eventually coalesced into two major new
areas: relativity and quantum mechanics (QM).
Relativity and QM are some of the most exciting topics in physics. The theories are strange and counter-intuitive, perhaps even a bit mind-boggling, at first sight. We will take a very direct, problem-solving approach to studying relativity and QM, with plenty of examples and some lab experiments, a number of which are modeled on Nobel Prize winning work. By the end of the course, you should have a pretty good grasp of how relativity and QM work, you will be able to understand a wide variety of phenomena in the relativistic and quantum realms in a quantitative way, and, even more exciting, be able to intelligently discuss Schrödinger's Cat and the Twin Paradox with your friends. But it would not be unusual for the theories to still seem somewhat strange and counter-intuitive even at the end of the course--developing a physicist's intuition in the relativist and quantum realms takes time.
The official prerequisite for the course is a year of physics and some knowledge of calculus (including derivatives and integrals). However, we will review results from first-year physics as they arise, so a good course in high school physics should be adequate preparation.
Class Meetings:
MTuThF 5th period, W (lab) 5th period, SMC D108
Professor: Mark
Shroyer, D109 SMC, tel:
x7847. Email: mshroyer@knox.edu
You are encouraged to see me for help or hints with
the homework problems or labs anytime. If you didn't
catch me in my office don't hesitate to email me for an appointment. I’ll also respond in the evenings if I can. Just don’t
procrastinate and rely on a prompt
off-hours response. ;)
Course Text:
Modern Physics 5th Ed., Tipler and Llewellyn (Freeman: New York, 2003).
ISBN: 0-7167-4345-0.
Homework: Problems
sets will be assigned regularly, generally due twice
per week. The interaction between out-of-class preparation, in-class discussion/practice and homework problems is critical for
learning physics. All three pillars are essential. You are advised to take the homework seriously, start problem
sets early, and please feel free to ask me for help or hints on the problems.
You are encouraged to work together on homework problems (or to consult
other texts), but the final write-up you turn in must be your own unique
product. Additionally, you should list those classmates with whom
you collaborated and document external resources. Click the link below to
see a list of homework assignments and guidelines for preparing your homework
write-ups:
Homework Assignments
Labs: Your tuition bill includes a $10 lab fee. This covers your lab manual charge. A series of exciting labs is scheduled during the course to complement the physics theory you'll be learning in class.
Labs will be demonstrated during Wednesday class periods. You (and your lab partners) can sign up for times to come in and do the lab experiments. For these more sophisticated experiments, we will generally have only a single lab setup. Planning and coordination will be critical. Procrastination will often be problematic.
Lab due dates (subject to change):
Speed of Light – Wednesday Sept 23
Bainbridge (e/m) Experiment – Wednesday Sept 30
Photoelectric Effect – Wednesday Oct 14
Hydrogen Spectrum – Wednesday Oct 28
X-ray Fluorescence – Wednesday Nov 11
Mathematics Quiz: A baseline quiz designed to check for a certain amount of proficiency in relevant mathematics will be administered. The quiz (or slight variations) may be taken each week until passed. Passing is worth 5% of the final grade. A passing quiz grade is 95%. Working to master this material early will serve you well on subsequent homework assignments.
Quizzes: There will be two types of quizzes: lesson quizzes and in-class quizzes. The lesson quizzes will accompany nearly every on-line lesson. They will be low stakes quizzes worth only a few points and will be open-note. The in-class quizzes will be more substantial and worth more points. These will be more like a preview of the midterm exams, but on a smaller scale. You should expect roughly one per week. These will emphasize relevant vocabulary and basic concepts.
Grade Weighting:
|
Math Quiz |
5% |
|
Physics Quizzes |
12.5% |
|
Homework |
15% |
|
Lab Reports |
12.5% |
|
In-class exams |
15% each |
|
Final exam |
25% |
In-Class Exam Schedule:
Exam 1 Friday, Oct. 9
Exam 2 Tuesday, Nov. 3
Final Exam TBA
Late Policy:
Like many science courses, Physics 205 covers ground at a rapid rate and
you are strongly advised not to fall behind.
Please contact me as early as possible if you need help. Extensions
can be arranged in case of illness, emergencies, and school related travel (but
not due to deadlines in other classes)--contact me in advance when possible.
Late homework may earn a 50% scaling factor if turned in up to one
week beyond the due date. After it is one week late, there should be no
expectation that the homework will be graded. You should, of course,
still work through these problems as they will serve
as teaching tools so that you can learn the physics upon which you will later
be tested.
Late labs depreciate 10% per business day beyond the due date.