PHYS 175T Computational Physics
MW 4:00-5:15 p.m. in McLane 258
2001 Fall Class Syllabus: Please read carefully

Instructor Phone E-mail Office 2001 Fall Office hours
Dr. Ringwald 278-8426 ringwald[at]csufresno.edu and replace [at] with @ McLane 11 (J wing) MWF 1-3
Dr. Singleton 278-2523 - McLane 24 (J wing) MW 11-1, TTh 10-11

Course description (3 credits): Applications of computers to physics. C/C++ programming review. Errors, uncertainties, and algorithms. Numerical methods: integration, differentiation. Data modeling and curve fitting. Deterministic randomness, Monte Carlo applications. Differential equations and oscillations. Non-linear and complex phenomena: fractals, chaos. Prerequisites: PHYS 4ABC and CSci 15 or CSci 40.

Required course text: Computational Physics, by Rubin H. Landau and Manuel J. Páez (1997)
Also recommended: Numerical Recipes in C, by W. Press et al. (1992) (in C++ due 2002 February)
Class web page: http://zimmer.csufresno.edu/~fringwal/phys175t.html
The text's web page, with programs and tutorials, is at: http://www.physics.orst.edu/~rubin/CPbook/

TENTATIVE course schedule (updated 2001 November 27):
Week Monday Wednesday Project (due next Wednesday)
1 8/27: Ch. 1 Intro, C/C++ language 8/29: Ch.2 Software basics 2.6 area, 2.13 over/underflows, 2.15 machine precision (due 9/05)
2 9/03: Holiday 9/05: Ch.2 2.18 complex numbers, 2.23 summing series (due 9/12)
3 9/10: Ch. 3 Errors & uncertainties 9/12: Ch.3 3.14 errors (due 9/19)
4 9/17: Ch. 4 Integration 9/19: Ch. 4 4.8 integration error (due 10/03)
5 9/24: Ch. 5 Data Fitting 9/26: Ch. 6 Deterministic Randomness -
6 10/01: Review 10/03: Mid-Term Exam 1
(covering Chapters 1-4) 		5.5 interpolation, 5.17 fitting heat flow (due 10/10)
7 10/08: Ch. 7 Monte Carlo methods 10/10: Ch. 7 6.4, 6.6 random sequences and uniformity (due 10/17)
8 10/15: Ch. 8 Differentiation; Ch. 9 ODEs & Oscillations 10/17: Ch. 9 ODEs & Oscillations 7.6 radioactive decay simulation (due 10/24)
9 10/22: Ch. 9 ODEs & Oscillations 10/24: Ch. 11 Anharmonic oscillations 9.12, 9.13 linear & non-linear oscillations (due 10/31)
10 10/29: Ch. 11 Anharmonic oscillations 10/31: Ch. 12 Fourier analysis 9.14 energy conservation with ODEs (due 11/07)
11 11/05: Ch. 12 Fourier analysis 11/07: Ch. 13 Nonlinear dynamics 11.8 realistic pendulum with rk4; 11.11 damped oscillator (due 11/14)
12 11/12: Ch. 13 Nonlinear dynamics 11/14: Ch. 14 Chaos 12.8 Fourier analysis (due 11/28)
13 11/19: Ch. 14 Chaos; Also: Mid-Term Exam 2 due 11/21: Holiday 13.5, 13.6 bifurcation (due 11/28)
14 11/26: Ch. 24 Fractals 11/28: Ch. 24 Fractals 14.8 chaotic pendulum (due 12/05)
15 12/03: Special topics 12/05: Special topics 24.3 Sierpinski gasket, 24.8 Fern, 24.10 Tree (due 12/12)
16 12/10: Special topics 12/12: Review -

Class objectives:

(1) To introduce physicists to some interesting problems. Computers allow physical modeling that was once impossible, because of the sheer amount of calculation required. Many phenomena involving complexity or non-linearity, such as turbulence, chaos, or the development of growth and form, are now active research areas in physics, with rapid growth ahead: this may be the true 21st century physics.
(2) To strengthen students’ computing skills, including designig algorithms, C programming, and using the Unix operating system (but not Mathematica, which will not be covered in this course).
(3) To make students more employable, both inside and outside of physics, particularly in industry. Physics majors are prized as generalists, with their rigorous training in problem solving. Coupling this with the primary new problem-solving technique of our age, the computer, will make for attractive graduates.

Grading – since this course will be offered for the first time this semester, grading will be done on a curve, calculated from the following percentages:
40% Computer projects, due Wednesday of the week after they are assigned.
A sample report is given at http://www.physics.orst.edu/~rubin/COURSES/CPcourse/report/report.html .
Sorry, but no late assignments will be accepted.
15% Mid-Term Exam 1 (in class, covering Chapters 1-4, on October 3)
15% Mid-Term Exam 2 (take-home, due November 19)
30% Final Exam (in class, open book & notes): Wednesday, December 19, 5:45-7:45 p.m. in McLane 258

Sorry, but we don’t give make-up exams. If you must be absent, the exam grade will be voided and the remainder of the grade counted as 100%.

The Department of Physics cooperates with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with physical, perceptual, or learning disabilities (cf. Americans with Disabilities Act and Section of 504, Rehabilitation Act). Students with disabilities should present their written accommodation request to Dr. Ringwald within the first two weeks of class.

Web page by Dr. Ringwald (ringwald[at]csufresno.edu and replace [at] with @)
Department of Physics, California State University, Fresno