| Unit name | Frontiers of Modern Physics A |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHYSM0049 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Sven Friedemann |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
120 credit points at Level I/5 in single or joint honours physics. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
N/A |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
N/A |
| School/department | School of Physics |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
This unit gives you an opportunity to apply your knowledge of physics gained in previous years in a selection of topics of your choice. You will pick two subject areas in which to apply your mathematics and problem-solving skills to describe and predict real-world phenomena, while learning the specialist methods used and recent developments in your chosen areas. In this unit you will expand your perspective on physics beyond the common core of physics to encompass active areas of physics research, incorporating the subjects under research here in Bristol. As a Masters’ level course, you will be learning areas on the frontiers of physics research.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The discipline-specific knowledge developed in each topic available in this unit builds directly upon the foundations you have established in previous years. The ability to apply your physics knowledge across topic boundaries and the opportunity to gain appreciation of recent developments in physics are key requirement for the accreditation of our Physics programmes by the Institute of Physics.
An overview of content
In this unit you will select two of the topics listed below to explore two frontiers of modern physics in detail.
Option 1: Surface Physics
In this subject, you will develop concepts introduced in previous courses on condensed matter and examine how the reduced dimensionality of the surface affects the fundamental physical properties and processes such as the electronic structure, the magnetism and the phase transitions within metals and semi-conductors. We will demonstrate the importance of this surface structure in processes such as crystal growth and catalysis. In this course, you will gain a more complete understanding of the chemical physics processes at the solid-liquid interface.
Option 2: Advanced Computational Physics
This topic will take your learning in previous computational physics courses and introduce you to the basics of parallel programming and parallel computational methods for physics. You will learn concepts in high performance computing for physics, including parallel computing and the use of GPU arrays, and will gain practical experience of using such methods to solve problems in physics. This will be of particular benefit if you wish to do research in computational physics and wish to gain maximum benefit from the current generation of supercomputers.
Option 3: Magnetism and Superconductivity
In this course, you will further develop your understanding of magnetism and connect this with superconductivity. Both are fascinating topics in condensed matter physics and link many intriguing phenomena such as magnet resonance imaging in medicine as well as magnetic storage in computing. You will use basic quantum mechanical models of atoms, ions and metals to derive theoretical concepts showing why magnetism and superconductivity occur.
Option 4: Advanced Quantum Physics
In this option you will examine quantum physics in further depth to see the central role this plays in modern theoretical physics. You will study advanced concepts such as wave packet propagation and spreading, elementary ideas of scattering theory and the semi-classical WKB method. We will then further develop the concepts of adiabatic evolutions to introduce gauge invariance, coupling to magnetic fields (including implications for Landau levels) and more.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Choosing which frontiers from modern physics you want to explore in detail will allow you to shape your personal physics expertise, focusing on the areas you find most interesting. This unit will give you the opportunity to apply your core physics knowledge to areas of physics which are being actively researched and expanded and start to explore topics closer to the frontiers of our understanding. By choosing your own specialisms as a physicist you will develop an appreciation of the breadth of modern physics.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit, you should be able to:
The unit is organised through our on-line learning environment (OLE). This is where you will find information about the unit, lecture notes, any pre-recorded videos, recordings of lectures and live sessions, and other learning resources.
All teaching activities will be delivered face-to-face (barring intervention from exceptional events), and it is an expectation that you engage with these activities. Learning activities will be split across in-class activities (problems classes) and those around your own private study (for example online quizzes, videos, textbook references etc.).
The unit will consist of around 30 hours of content delivery with 10 hours of support. You are expected to take responsibility for your own learning, engaging in independent study outside of course contact hours, in line with the University statement on student workloads, and going beyond explicitly taught material as appropriate.
All topics are supported by problems classes
Problems classes will usually take place bi-weekly and give you the opportunity to practice the application of the skills and knowledge you have acquired in problem-solving exercises. Facilitators will be available to provide feedback on your understanding.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will have a series of assignments which do not count for assessment but will help to further your understanding. There will be regular problems classes to help you gain rapid feedback on your understanding and to ask questions of the facilitator. This will help you quantify your own understanding and help others recognise their own understanding, and to gain verbal feedback on your problem-solving skills.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan:
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PHYSM0049).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
