This document provides information for third year students taking the MPhys Physics degree course (F304). It should be read in conjunction with the general teaching documents here.

We hope that you will find this document useful, and that it will help you to successfully complete your second year at University. If you consider that there is information which could usefully be added, or if you discover an error, please inform either Nicholas d'Ambrumenil, who is in overall charge of the teaching, or Michael Pounds who is the Director of Student Experience.

Although we endeavour to ensure that this document is accurate, you should be aware that the official definition of every degree course is that given in the University of Warwick Course Regulations.

Introduction

The second year introduced some of the most fundamental ideas of physics. When we try to apply these to explain the phenomena we observe, we nearly always require one more ingredient---approximation. In the third year, we will see that it is the case in nearly all branches of physics.

The type of approximations used to find satisfactory explanations of what we observe turn out to be very similar whether the underlying laws are those of classical mechanics, statistical mechanics or quantum mechanics. Typically, one sets up an idealised model of some phenomenon, solves the equations of the model (often with further approximations) and relates the results back to what is observed experimentally. Sometimes the same model and approximations turn out to be appropriate in very different circumstances. For example, the behaviour of electrons in metals and in white dwarf stars is described by the same model.

In the third year you are required to take courses in mathematics, quantum mechanics as applied to atoms and solids as well as electrodynamics as preparation for the fourth year. At the same time you can, via the options, begin to specialise in the areas of physics that particularly interest you.

Away from the lecture room you will continue to do some practical laboratory work and will also take a course entitled 'Physics group project', which is designed to help you develop your transferable skills whilst at the same time making an in depth study of a particular area of physics.

In brief this year's course has been designed with the following aims and objectives.

Aims

• To continue the study of quantum mechanics, and to see how quantum mechanics is used to explain the behaviour of electrons in metals, and as the basis of nuclear and elementary particle physics or astrophysics.
• To permit students' to begin to specialise in areas of physics of particular interest to them.
• To further develop students' transferable skills.

Objectives

On the completion of the third year you should

1. Have a sound knowledge of basic physics and be appropriately prepared for the final year courses.
2. Have identified certain areas of physics which you wish to study further.

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