PHZ3113: Mathematical Physics - Spring 2009

PHY3221-01

Mathematical Physics Society of Physics Students Syllabus Credits 3 Semester Spring 2009 Course Ref# 03752 Instructor Per Arne Rikvold Room KEN413 (850) 644-6814 prikvold @ fsu.edu Classroom HCB317 Time 11:15AM - 12:05PM M W F Office Hours 5:00 - 6:00PM Thursday Room KEN413 Tutorial Sess. 5:00 - 6:30 PM Monday Room KEN707 Prerequisite PHY 2049 PHY-2049C PHY 2054C Corequisite MAP 2302 MAP 3305. Textbook H.J. Weber and G.B. Arfken, Essential Mathematical Methods for Physicists (Elsevier Academic Press, Amsterdam, 2004) Grades Homework 25% Weekly Due Wednesdays 2 Midterms 20% each Mon, 2/2/2009 Mon, 3/30/2009 Final Exam 35% Thur, 4/30/2009 12:30 - 2:30PM Room HCB317 Grading A- / B+: 90% B- / C+: 70% C- / D: 50% D / F: 40%

Mathematics is the language of physics, and in this course we will practice and extend our skills in this language. Starting with a brief review of differentiation and integration and the Taylor expansion in one dimension, we go on to study

• Vector calculus,
• Differential equations
• Curvilinear coordinate systems
• Linear algebra (matrices and determinants)
• Series expansions
• Complex analysis
• specialized techniques of integration, integral transforms, special functions, boundary-value problems, numerical methods.

The emphasis will be on developing intuition by paper-and-pencil analytical work. The homework, which is due weekly, is an integral part of the course and accounts for 25% of the total grade. Working problems is absolutely essential to developing a true understanding of the material.