I3110 Panorama of Physics

Faculty of Science
Autumn 1999
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Jan Novotný, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Jan Novotný, CSc.
Department of Plasma Physics and Technology – Physics Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Jan Novotný, CSc.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Předpokládá se znalost základních pojmů, symboliky a nejjednodušších technik matematické analýzy (diferenciální a integrální počet funkcí jedné i více proměnných).
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Syllabus
  • The distances and the structures. The horizons of our knowledge. The universe and the microcosmos. The four interactions and efforts to unify them. The basic physical paradigmas and their historical development.
  • Do we stay or do we move? The problem of the choice of reference system. The Galilei, Newton and Mach standpoint and reflexions of their views in contemporary physics. The inertial and noninertial reference systems.
  • The laws of motion. The newtonian world. The force, the mass, the acceleration. The Newtonian laws of motion and the laws of forces. The Laplacean determinism. The symmetry of the physical laws. The celestial mechanics.
  • The conservation laws. The momentum, the angular momentum, the energy. The mathematical and physical meaning of conservation laws. The collisions of particles.
  • The variational principles. The Hamilton principle of least action, the Lagrange and Hamilton equations. The conservation laws and principles of symmetry.
  • A review of Lagrangean theories. The particle in an external field, gravitational and electromagnetic interaction of particles. The Kepler problem. The theory of oscillations. The constrained systems. The motions of rigid bodies. Physics in noninertial systems.
  • Principles of continuum mechanics. The forces of long and short range, the classification of continuas, the equations of motion for elastic bodies and flows, the sound as a wave motion of continuum, the conservation laws in continuum mechanics.
  • The electromagnetic field. The basic electromagnetic phenomena. Maxwell equations of electromagnetic field.
  • The applications of electrodynamics. The electrodynamics of continual media. Electromagnetic waves. Energy and momentum of electromagnetic field.
  • The special theory of relativity. The principle of relativity and principle of constant speed of light. The Lorentz transformation, contraction of lenght and dilatation of time. The Doppler effect. The relativistic energy and momentum of the particle.
  • The four-dimmensional space-time. The geometry of Minkowski. The past, the present and the future. The twin paradox.
  • The thermodynamics and statistical prysics. Conservation of energy and decrease of entropy. Statistical explanation of the behaviour of the ideal gas.
  • Arrow of the time. The difference between past and future. Various indicators of the arrow of time and relations between them.
  • The experimental basis of quantum mechanics. The Planck law. The photoeffect. The Bohr model of the atom. The uncertainty relations in the quantum mechanics.
  • The structure of the atoms. The Schrödinger equation. The explanation of the table of elements. The particles spin, the bosons and the fermions.
  • The structure of matter from the standpoint of quantum mechanics. The solid state physics. Suprafluidness and supraconductivity.
  • Quantas and relativity. The problem of connections between the quantum mechanics and relativity theory. The quantum electrodynamics.
  • The atomic nucleus and elementary particles. The nuclear physics, its practical use. The classification of elementary particles. Efforts to create the theory of everything.
  • The controversy on the nature of reality. The measurement problem in quantum mechanics. The Einstein - Bohr discussion. The Bell inequalities.
  • The general theory of relativity. The curved space - time. The Einstein gravitational equations. The Schwarzschild spherically symmetric solution and gravitational collapse.
  • Astrophysics. The structure and evolution of stars. The Herzsprung - Russell diagram. Our galaxy.
  • Cosmology. History of cosmology, Friedman models, early stages of evolution of the universe.
  • Philosophical problems of physics. The matter - mind relation. Man and computer. The anthropic principles.
Literature
  • MACHÁČEK, Martin. Encyklopedie fyziky. 1. vyd. Praha: Mladá fronta, Fond AV ČR pro vydávání vědecké literatury, 1995, 408 s. ISBN 8020402373. info
  • FEYNMAN, Richard Phillips, Robert B. LEIGHTON and Matthew L. SANDS. Feynmanove prednášky z fyziky. 2. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1986, 451 s. info
  • FEYNMAN, Richard Phillips, Robert B. LEIGHTON and Matthew L. SANDS. Feynmanove prednášky z fyziky. 2. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1985, 488 s. info
  • FEYNMAN, Richard Phillips, Robert B. LEIGHTON and Matthew L. SANDS. Feynmanove prednášky z fyziky. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1988, 572 s. info
  • FEYNMAN, Richard Phillips, Robert B. LEIGHTON and Matthew SANDS. Feynmanove prednášky z fyziky. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1989, 452 s. ISBN 80-05-00029-4. info
  • FEYNMAN, Richard Phillips, Robert B. LEIGHTON and Matthew SANDS. Feynmanove prednášky z fyziky. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1990, 542 s. ISBN 80-05-00518-0. info
  • LANDAU, Lev Davidovič and Jevgenij Michajlovič LIFŠIC. Úvod do teoretickej fyziky. 1. vyd. Bratislava: Alfa, 1982, 357 s. info
  • PENROSE, Roger. The emperor's new mind : concerning computers, minds, and the laws of physics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989, xiii, 466. ISBN 0198519737. info
  • PENROSE, Roger. Shadows of the mind : a search for the missing science of consciousness. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994, xvi, 457. ISBN 0198539789. info
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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