GE1305
FOUNDATION PHYSICS
Announcement
Semester A 2024/25
WHO AM I?
• Name: Yiming ZHONG
• B.S. (2009)
• M.S. (2010)
• Ph.D. (2016)
• Postdoc (2016-2023)
• Assistant Professor (2023-present)
• Research interest:
Theoretical particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology
OVERVIEW
Aims: Offer elementary knowledge and concepts on various topics of physics, as an
entry-level training of critical thinking and analysis.
Topics include but not limited to:
▪ Classical mechanics
▪ Thermal physics
▪ Quantum physics
▪ Wave & Optics
▪ Electricity & Magnetism
▪ Nuclear & particle physics
INSTRUCTORS
Prof. Yiming ZHONG Prof. Danfeng Denver LI
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Office Hours: Tuesday 9—11 AM Office Hours: TBA
Prof. Oscar DAHLSTEN Prof. Jeff OU
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Office Hours: TBA Office Hours: TBA
Prof. Shubo WANG Prof. Sam Sung Ching WONG
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Office Hours: TBA Office Hours: TBA
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
Wei CHEN Song HAN
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Siyapalan CHELVANITHTHILAN Shiyu FENG
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] Guanjie HE Shuoxiao ZHANG
Email:
[email protected] Email:
[email protected] COURSE SCHEDULE
Lecture hours: Thursday 4:00-5:50 PM
13 lectures, ~2hrs for each
Week Date Content* Lecturer
L1 5 Sep Introductory Yiming Zhong
L2 12 Sep Newton's Laws & Motions Denver Li
L3 19 Sep Gravity, Force & Space Denver Li
L4 26 Sep Thermal physics Oscar Dahlsten
L5 3 Oct Thermal physics Oscar Dahlsten
L6 10 Oct Quantum physics Sam Wong
COURSE SCHEDULE
Week Date Content* Lecturer
L7 17 Oct Quantum physics Sam Wong
L8 24 Oct Wave & Optics Jeff Ou
L9 31 Oct Wave & Optics Jeff Ou
L10 7 Nov Electricity & Magnetism Shubo Wang
L11 14 Nov Electricity & Magnetism Shubo Wang
L12 21 Nov Nuclear & Particle Physics Yiming Zhong
L13 28 Nov Nuclear & Particle Physics Yiming Zhong
* Contents are subjected to minor changes as the course progresses.
TUTORIAL SCHEDULE
Tutorials: Thursday 6:00-6:50 PM
6 tutorials, ~1hr for each
Week Date Content* Lecturer
L3 19 Sep Newton's Laws & Motions, Gravity, Force & Space Wei Chen
L5 3 Oct Thermal physics Sivapalan
Chelvaniththilan
L7 17 Oct Quantum physics Guanjie He
L9 31 Oct Wave & Optics Song Han
L11 14 Nov Electricity & Magnetism Shiyu Feng
L13 28 Nov Nuclear & Particle Physics Shuoxiao Zhang
HOMEWORK & ASSESSMENT SCHEME
30% Assignment (6 sets in total) + 70% Final examination (2 hours)
You need to achieve >=30% in the Final exam to pass
POLICY ON HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Quizzes after the last lecture for each topic.
Quizzes will start from week 3.
Your quiz answers must be submitted via Canvas before the due date. No
late submission.
If you have a doctor’s note, the due date is extended to the 2nd working day
after the period for which you are excused.
Other excuses (i.e., religious holiday), please email the instructor directly to
make special arrangements.
ADDITIONAL READINGS
Physics and Technology for Future Presidents – An Introduction to the Essential
Physics Every World Leader Needs to Know, Richard A. Muller, Princeton University
Press, 2010.
Foundation Physics
WHO ARE THE PHYSICISTS?
Theorists Experimentalists
WHO ARE THE PHYSICISTS?
Einstein Curie
Newton
Faraday
Theorists Experimentalists
Yang Lee Wu
WHO ARE THE PHYSICISTS?
Theorists OU Experimentalists
ZHONG, DAHLSTEN,
LI
WANG, WONG
PHYSICS IS A SCIENCE OF SCALES
Nuclear & Particle Physics
Quantum Physics
Classical mechanics, Waves
E & M,
Optics
Thermal Physics
HOW TO STUDY SCALES?
Geoffrey West “Scales”
HOW TO STUDY SCALES?
Geoffrey West “Scales”
SCALES IN PHYSICS
