Introductory Computational Physics

University Catalog Physics 420/520. Introductory Computational Physics
Lecture 3 hours, 3 credits. CRN 23834/23949.

Content: Introduction of computational methods and visualization techniques for problem solving in physics.

Goals: This course is intended to give an introduction to main computational tools, techniques and methods used in contemporary physics. Student will practice writing, compiling, and running computer programs, together with analysis of results, and presentation of their results as scientific reports.

Prerequisite Physics 231/232 and Math 211/212. Some experience with programming is a plus.

Instructor: Dr. Alexander Godunov, OCNPS 0219, Phone: 683-5805, email: agodunov at odu

Course Web page www.odu.edu/~agodunov/teaching/phys420_08

Classes: MW, 13:00 - 14:15, Oceanography and Physics 0303

Office hours: MW, 12:00 - 13:00, Oceanography and Physics 0219

Schedule

Week 14: April 13, 15: Introduction to scientific visualization and animation techniques.

Every advantage in the past is judged in the light of the final issue. Demosthenes (384 BC - 322 BC)

# 1D Time-independent Shrodinger equation (Numerov's method) Ermal
# Physics of soccer Kevin
# Mythbusters: two cars moving downhill Patrick
# Modeling a satellite descent in the presence of air resistance Brian
# Compare efficiency of two cannons (what caliber is better?) Dennis
# Classical Rutherford scattering
# Compare various methods – Euler, leap-frog, Verlet, RK for 2D motion
# Three-body problem in classical mechanics
# Double stars
# The classic helium atom
# A mini-solar system with two planets
# Dynamics of couples oscillators
# Polymers
Students may choose to do their own project. However, they should first discuss it with the instructor. Projects should be based on one of the following numerical themes: ODEs (initial value problem, boundary value problem, eigenvalue problem), Monte-Carlo simulation, systems of linear equations (with or without the eigenvalue problem).