Physics on the Back of the Envelope

203-2-5291

Course information

Credit points
3.00
Lecture hours
3.00
TA hours
0.00
Lab hours
0.00
University's course list

Summary

Order of magnitude physics

1. Back of the envelope estimates: dimensional analysis, scaling arguments,
fast estimates of math expressions, length and energy scales.
2. The usefulness of the Fourier transform. Waves. Dispersion
3. Elementary mechanics of fluids and elastic bodies.
4. Quantum mechanics in pictures. The correspondence principle. Structure and binding energies of atoms and molecules. The nature of chemical bonding.
5. Molecular interactions and condensed matter: van der Waals forces,
cohesive energy, melting temperature, mechanical properties, thermal
expansion, latent heat.
6. Applying limiting cases: forced oscillator, Rutherford scattering, radiation
field in the near and far zones.
7. Random walk. Diffusion. Fluctuations.
8. Quantum processes I: when the classical analogy works.
9. Quantum processes II: when wave properties are crucial.
10. The nuclear scale. Weak and strong interactions.
11. Estimations in the living world, geophysics and astrophysics.

Syllabus

  1. Back of the envelope estimates: dimensional analysis, scaling arguments, fast estimates of math expressions, length and energy scales.
  2. The usefulness of the Fourier transform. Waves. Dispersion
  3. Elementary mechanics of fluids and elastic bodies.
  4. Quantum mechanics in pictures. The correspondence principle. Structure and binding energies of atoms and molecules. The nature of chemical bonding.
  5. Molecular interactions and condensed matter: van der Waals forces,                 cohesive energy, melting temperature, mechanical properties, thermal expansion, latent heat.
  6. Applying limiting cases: forced oscillator, Rutherford scattering, radiation      field in the near and far zones.
  7. Random walk. Diffusion. Fluctuations.
  8. Quantum processes I: when the classical analogy works.
  9. Quantum processes II: when wave properties are crucial.
  10. The nuclear scale. Weak and strong interactions.
  11. Estimations in the living world, geophysics and astrophysics.

Bibliography

1. Order-of-Magnitude Physics, by P. Goldreich, S. Mahajan, S. Phinney. University of Cambridge (1999).
2. Search for Simplicity. A series of papers by V.Weisskopf, Am.J.Phys. 1984-1986
3. Street-fighting mathematics: the art of educated guessing and opportunistic problem solving, by S. Mahajan (MIT, 2010).
4. How many licks Or, how to estimate damn near anything, by Aaron Santos, Running press (2009)

פיסיקה על גב מעטפה

203-2-5291

נתוני קורס

נקודות זכות
3.00
שעות הרצאה
3.00
שעות תרגול
0.00
שעות מעבדה
0.00
לקובץ הקורסים

תקציר

ראה סילבוס לועזי.

סילבוס

  1. Back of the envelope estimates: dimensional analysis, scaling arguments, fast estimates of math expressions, length and energy scales.
  2. The usefulness of the Fourier transform. Waves. Dispersion
  3. Elementary mechanics of fluids and elastic bodies.
  4. Quantum mechanics in pictures. The correspondence principle. Structure and binding energies of atoms and molecules. The nature of chemical bonding.
  5. Molecular interactions and condensed matter: van der Waals forces,                 cohesive energy, melting temperature, mechanical properties, thermal expansion, latent heat.
  6. Applying limiting cases: forced oscillator, Rutherford scattering, radiation      field in the near and far zones.
  7. Random walk. Diffusion. Fluctuations.
  8. Quantum processes I: when the classical analogy works.
  9. Quantum processes II: when wave properties are crucial.
  10. The nuclear scale. Weak and strong interactions.
  11. Estimations in the living world, geophysics and astrophysics.

ביבליוגרפיה

1. Order-of-Magnitude Physics, by P. Goldreich, S. Mahajan, S. Phinney. University of Cambridge (1999).
2. Search for Simplicity. A series of papers by V.Weisskopf, Am.J.Phys. 1984-1986
3. Street-fighting mathematics: the art of educated guessing and opportunistic problem solving, by S. Mahajan (MIT, 2010).
4. How many licks Or, how to estimate damn near anything, by Aaron Santos, Running press (2009)
Last changed on April 25, 2022 by Bar Lev, Yevgeny (ybarlev)