Course detail

General Physics IV (Modern Physics)

FSI-TF4Acad. year: 2025/2026

The course is concerned with atomic structure of matter, relation of observations in real and reciprocal space, particle character of light (photons), particle and wave character of electrons and particles (atoms, molecules, etc.), fundamentals of quantum mechanics, atoms and their spectra, electronic structure of many atom systems; molecules and solids, fundamentals of nuclear physics.
The course also forms the necessary prerequisite for studying quantum mechanics.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

6

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Miroslav Kolíbal, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Physical Engineering (ÚFI)

Entry knowledge

Knowledge of Newtonian mechanics, oscillations, electromagnetism and optics on the level defined by the textbook HALLIDAY, D. - RESNICK, R. - WALKER, J. Fundamentals of Physics. J. Wiley and Sons.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

The exam is combined (written and oral).


Attendance at seminars is required and recorded by the lecturer. Missed seminars have to be compensated.

Aims

The course objective is to provide students with basic ideas of modern physics in order to be capable of understanding microscopical nature of matter and principles, which the advanced materials technologies and modern experimental methods are based on.
The knowledge of laws of modern physics and ability to apply the basic principles to simple physical systems in order to explain and predict the behaviour of such systems.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Basic literature

Beiser A.: Úvod do moderní fyziky.Academia, Praha 1975. (CS)
FEYNMAN, R.P.-LEIGHTON, R.B.-SANDS, M.: Feynmanovy přednášky z fyziky, Fragment, 2001 (CS)
HALLIDAY, D. - RESNICK, R. - WALKER, J.: Fyzika, 2. vydání. VUTIUM, Brno 2013. (CS)
P. A. TIPLER, R. A. LLEWELLYN: Modern Physics. (6th edition.) W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 2012. (EN)
Serway R. A., Moses C. J., Moyer C. A.: Modern Physics. Saunders, 1989. (EN)

Recommended reading

Beiser A.: Úvod do moderní fyziky.Academia, Praha 1975. (CS)
FEYNMAN, R.P.-LEIGHTON, R.B.-SANDS, M.: Feynmanovy přednášky z fyziky, Fragment, 2001 (CS)
HALLIDAY, D. - RESNICK, R. - Walker, J.: Fyzika, 2. vydání VUTIUM, Brno 2013 (CS)
http://physics.fme.vutbr.cz/ufi.php?Action=0&Id=56
P. A. TIPLER, R. A. LLEWELLYN: Modern Physics. (6th edition.) W. H. Freeman and Company, New York 2012. (EN)
Serway R. A., Moses C. J., Moyer C. A.: Modern Physics. Saunders, 1989. (EN)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B-FIN-P Bachelor's 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

39 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Miroslav Kolíbal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Atomic structure of matter
Evolution of the atomic theory. Indirect evidence from chemistry and crystallography. Direct evidence: diffraction and microscopic methods: XRD, LEED, STM/AFM. Observation of atoms, molecules, surfaces and volume of matter.
2. Photons and matter waves
The photon - the quantum of light (photoelectric effect, Compton scattering, the double-slit experiment with photons). Electrons and matter waves (the double-slit experiment with electrons). Diffraction of
3. Fundamentals of quantum mechanics
The wave function and Schroedinger equation, probability density. Heisenbergs uncertainty principle. Barrier tunnelling. One-dimensional electron traps; quantisation. Quantum jumps; absorption and emission of photon. Two- and three dimensional electron traps.
4. Atom
Nuclear atom, atomic spectra. One-electron approximation. Three pillars of electronic structure: quantization of energy and angular momentum, spin and Pauli principle. Atoms in magnetic field (Zeeman effect and Stern-Gerlach experiment). Walk through the periodic system and its interpretation. Atomic spectroscopy (the absorption and emission spectroscopy as a fingerprinting). Photoelectron spectroscopy. Lasers. Magnetic properties of atoms.
5. Molecules and solids
Main types of the chemical bonds (ionic, covalent, metallic, van der Waals). The structure of small molecules and their spectra. The structure of solids. The electronic bandstructure of solids; metal and insulator. Semiconductors. Conductivity of metals and semiconductors.
6. Fundamentals of nuclear and particle physics
Proton and neutron. Nuclear properties. Nuclear binding energies. Radioactive decay. Nuclear reactions; nuclear models; nuclear fission and fusion. And particles, particles, particles.

Exercise

22 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Miroslav Kolíbal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Topic 1: Atomic structure of matter, photons, de Broglie waves (appendix: black body radiation)

Topic 2: Foundations of quantum mechanics (Appendix: Two-level system)

Topic 3: Atom, part I and II (Appendix: Spin)

Topic 4: Molecules and solid state (Appendix: Bonds)

Topic 5: Nuclear physics

Computer-assisted exercise

4 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Miroslav Kolíbal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Students will make computer simulations of Schrödinger’s equation solutions. In the surface and interface physics laboratory they will be acquainted with applications of basic quantum mechanical phenomena (Scanning probe microscopy techniques: AFM, STM), in particular, in the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology.