Physics and astrophysics are about ideas and skills. An important idea is that systems can be understood by identifying a few fundamental quantities, such as energy and momentum, and the universal principles governing them. The lectures introduce some beautiful ideas while the laboratory and programming modules help you develop useful skills.
The first year has a tight structure of integrated lectures and problem solving. The 60-lecture Mathematics for Physicists module has its own weekly examples classes at which you can discuss with a tutor in small groups your attempts to solve the weekly problems. The physics modules are supported by separate weekly examples classes. Prior to each examples class you must hand in your written attempts to the problems for marking by the tutor.
AIMS (click to expand)
- To introduce the core areas of physics and astrophysics which are the basis of many future modules.
- To introduce the mathematics required for the study of undergraduate level physics.
- To introduce computers as an essential tool in any scientific environment.
- To revise the key elements of the A-level syllabuses in physics and mathematics.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the first year you should
- Be competent with the following techniques and their use in physics contexts: partial differentiation, vectors, multiple integration, differential equations.
- Be familiar with concepts in quantum mechanics, classical mechanics, waves, electromagnetism and thermodynamics and their applications in astrophysics.
- Have developed laboratory and observational skills and understand how to write a scientific report.
- Be able to use computers to process data, type reports and be able to program in Python.
