Course Syllabus (Click, or just scroll down)

Basic information

Lectures:

MWF 2-250 P.M. Room is Physics G125.

Professor:

Prof. Steven Pollock (Steven.Pollock at colorado.edu)

  Duane F-1013 (10th floor of the Physics tower) (303) 492-2495
Staff:

LA: Gabriel.Assumcao at colorado.edu
  Graders: See our instructor info page

Web page:

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys3220/phys3220_fa16
Office hrs: 

See our instructor info page
Wed (5-6) Reading room,  Thurs (4-6) ditto
Or, other times by appointment, just email.
We enjoy visiting and talking with you about physics.
Tutorials:

Every Friday, from 3-3:50 PM in G2B60.


Introduction:

Physics 3220, Quantum Mechanics 1, is the first semester of our two-semester sequence of junior-level quantum mechanics (QM), the foundation and explanatory framework of much of modern physics. We will cover the basic ideas of QM, starting with the context of spins. This introduces the formalism and postulates of QM (and, keeps the math simple-ish!) so we can focus on the meaning and framework of Quantum Mechanics. We will havesome discussion all along the way about the interpretation of quantum mechanics. Partway through the term we shift to solutions of Schrödinger's equation in 1 dimension, and lastly solutions of Schrödinger's equation in 3-dimensions, in particular the hydrogen atom.
There are many things we hope you get out of this course - besides learning and understanding some of the most interesting physics around, we also plan to master problem-solving skills, mathematical techniques, conceptual understanding, and the interplay between quantum mechanics and other areas of physics and the real world.

Here are more details about our course goals.

Required Prerequisites: PHYS 2170 (or 2130), 2210, and 3210 (Mechanics 1 & 2, minimum grade C-)
Mathematically, the course involves complex numbers, linear algebra and partial differential equations.

Required purchases:
1) David H. McIntyre Quantum Mechanics A Paradigms Approach.
2) iClickers, available at the bookstore, will be used every lecture. (See web for details)

The text above (and several others, see next line) is on reserve in the Gemmill Library of Engineering, Mathematics & Physics (located in the math building, 2 buildings East of Duane)

Here are suggestions for other texts, in case you decide you need/want a different perspective

Reading is an essential part of 3220! Reading the text before class is very important.  Lecture is to clarify your understanding, to help you make sense of the material. I will assume you have done the required readings in advance! McIntyre's text is good - and it will make a huge difference if you spend the time and effort to carefully read and follow the text.

Classroom Etiquette: Please turn off all cell phones and pagers when entering any classroom. Please do not throw vegetables at the instructors. Private chatter during lecture is very distracting, but it is perfectly OK to interrupt the lecture by yelling “Question!” Questions in lecture are always good, and are strongly encouraged! (If you're interested in CU policies on classroom behaviour, click here and here.)

Homework: there will be a homework due every Friday (except exam weeks) at the start of class. Late homework can't be accepted once solutions are posted -  but, your lowest score will be dropped.  Homework is exceedingly important for developing an understanding of the course material, not to mention building skills in complex physical and mathematical problem solving. They will require considerable time and personal effort this term

Online preflights ("participation") There will be a short online reading survey due every Monday at noon. This is for credit, but we will not grade you for correctness, just for participation. It's easy to forget about this (coming after the weekend), please make an effort to get this in every week. (We can excuse one or two if need be). These give you a chance to provide feedback and ask us questions. It lets us gauge what's confusing and what needs extra attention in the coming week's lectures!

PIAZZA: This term we will be using Piazza for class discussion. The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, the LA, and myself. Rather than emailing questions to the teaching staff, I encourage you to post your questions on Piazza. Find our class page at: https://piazza.com/

We strongly encourage collaboration, an essential skill in science and engineering (and highly valued by employers!) Social interactions are critical to scientists' success - most good ideas grow out of discussions with colleagues, and essentially all physicists work as part of a group. Find partners and work on homework together.  However, it is also important that you OWN the material. I strongly suggest you start homework by yourself (and that means really making an extended effort on every problem) Then work with a group, and finally, finish up on your own -  write up your own work, in your own way. There will also be time for peer discussion during classes - as you work together, try to help your partners get over confusions, listen to them, ask each other questions, critique, teach each other. You will learn a lot this way! 
Note: While collaboration is the rule in technical work, evaluations of individuals also play an important role. Exams will be done without help from others. For all assignments, the work you turn in must in the end be your own: in your own words, reflecting your own understanding.
(If, at any time, for any reason, you feel disadvantaged or isolated, contact me and I can discretely try to help arrange study groups.) 

Help Sessions: (Times listed at the top of the syllabus).  Help sessions/office hours are to facilitate your learning. I encourage attendance - plan on working in small groups, our role will be as learning coach. Sessions (Wed/Thurs) will be focused on homework material, but we will not be explicitly telling anyone how to do the problems (how would that help you learn?) We strongly encourage you to start all problems on your own.  If you come to help sessions "cold", the value of homework to you will be greatly reduced. 

Tutorials: Friday after class - these are optional sessions where we will work through exercises in small groups, focusing on both conceptual and computatational aspects that we know to be particularly challenging. You do NOT have to sign up for Phys 3221 to come, just join us. If you cannot come, materials will be available in our course calendar.

Grading and exams:Your course grade is largely determined by a combination of your performance on exams and homework. See our exam information page for times, locations, and grading weights. Also see our grade information page for more details!

Clickers and optional online participation: These activities will be pure extra credit: they REDUCE total midterm weights up to 10% of exam total (i.e. up to 6.4% of your grade). This is NOT simple EC added to your score: after computing your grade I add
EC = 6.4%*(100%-your Ave midterm score)*(clicker percentage) That means if you got 100% on your exams, clicker points add nothing to your grade (!) As stated above, clicker scores only make up for a fraction of MISSED midterm questions! It's not a simple "addition".


Exams: There are no makeups. You may not miss any exam except for reasons beyond your control, approved by Prof. Pollock (usually a confirmed medical problem with written documentation.) In the unusual case of an (at most, single) excused absence from midterms, we'll use an average of your other exams. Calculators with scientific notation are allowed and sometimes needed; however, no devices with wireless access may be used. More details will be announced at the time of the midterm - see the web. 

Disabilities: Students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities, please let Prof. Pollock know early in the semester (first two weeks) so that your academic needs may be appropriately met. You'll need to provide documentation to Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (303-492-8671), or www.Colorado.EDU/disabilityservices

Religious Observances:  We will make a strong effort to reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. In this class, please send an e-mail to me in the first week of classes if you anticipate a conflict. See campus policy here.

Discrimination and Sexual Harassment:  The CU policies on Discrimination and Harassment, Sexual Harassment, or Amorous Relationships apply to all students, staff and faculty. Anyone who believes s/he has been the subject of discrimination or harassment based upon race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, reed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy should contact the Office of Discrimination and Harassment (ODH) at 303-492-2127 or the Office of Judicial Affairs at 303-492-5550. Information about campus resources available to assist you regarding discrimination or harassment can be obtained here.

Classroom Learning Environment . We all have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun, just let me know. See the CU Class Behavior link for more details.

Honor Code: We trust every individual in this class to understand and follow the CU honor code. Please respect that trust! In return, we will strive to do our best to make the class valuable and worthy of your honorable behaviour! (The honor code at CU is really very cool, although the CU official wording about it is a little tough: Violations of the honor code may include: cheating, plagiarism, aid of academic dishonesty, fabrication, lying, bribery, and threatening behavior. All incidents of academic misconduct shall be reported to the Honor Code Council (303-725-2273). Students who are found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy will be subject to both academic sanctions and non-academic sanctions (including but not limited to university probation, suspension, or expulsion).

Important comment on expectations: Physics 3220 covers some material you have seen before (Many of the topics stem from Phys 2170 material) but moves to a much higher level of conceptual and mathematical sophistication. Therefore you should expect:

  • a large amount of material covered quickly.
  • few examples covered in lecture. Most homework problems are not similar to examples from class.
  • long, hard homework problems that usually cannot be completed by one individual alone or in one evening.
  • challenging exams.

Physics 3220 is a challenging, upper-division physics course. Unlike more introductory courses, you are fully responsible for your own learning. In particular, you control the pace of the course by asking questions in class. We professors tend to speak quickly, and questions are important to slow down the  lecture. This means that if you don’t understand something, it is your responsibility to ask questions. Attending class and the homework help sessions gives you an opportunity to ask questions.  We are here to help you as much as possible, but we need your questions to know what you don’t understand.

Physics 3220 covers some of the most important physics and mathematical methods in the field. Your reward for the hard work and effort will be learning important and elegant material that you will use over and over as a physics major. Here is what we have experienced, and heard from other faculty teaching upper division physics in the past:

  • most students reported spending a minimum of 10 hours per week on the homework (!!)
  • students who didn’t attend the homework help sessions often did poorly in the class.
  • students reported learning a tremendous amount in this class.

The course topics that we will cover in Physics 3220 are among the greatest intellectual achievements of humans. Don’t be surprised if you have to think hard and work hard to master the material.

Disclaimer: Announcements about changes of any kind to the syllabus will be made in class, and (usually) posted on the web, and will take precedence over previous version. You are responsible for what is said in class, whether or not you are in attendance.