Course detail

Computer Physics

FSI-0PFAcad. year: 2025/2026

Independent physical problems solving using the computer. As a mathematical tool, basic numerical methods (derivation, integration, solution of the system of equations, interpolation, regression, solution of differential equations) are used. As a programming environment students will use the Excel and MATLAB.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

2

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

doc. Ing. Miroslav Bartošík, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Physical Engineering (ÚFI)

Entry knowledge

Hardware. General structure of operating system, principles of user communication. Using the Windows. Word processors and spread sheets - MS Word and MS Excel. Computer networks, Internet, email. Knowledge of classic physics on the secondary school level.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

To receive the course-unit credit, students have to solve all assigned tasks. The procedure of the solution is documented by written remarks. The result of the solution is handed over as an electronic document.
A teacher checks the attendance on seminars stated in the timetable. The form and the date of the compensation of missed lessons are specified by the teacher.

Aims

The aim of the course is to make students acquainted with the potential usage of the PC in an engineer`s daily work. After completing the course students should be able to utilize PCs for solving calculation tasks of technical subjects and the evaluation and presentation of laboratory measurements. The independent work of students is required.
Students will get the idea and acquire the experience of using different programming tools for engineering computational tasks solving.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Gould, H. - Tobochnik, J.: An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods. Part 1 and 2. Adison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995. (EN)
Wieder, S.: Introduction to MathCad for Scientists and Engineers. McGraw-Hill, Inc. New York, 1992. (EN)
Zimmerman, R.L. - Olness F.I.: Mathematica for Physics. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1995. (EN)

Recommended reading

Maroš,B. - Marošová,M.: Základy numerické matematiky. VUT v Brně, 1997. (CS)
Sedláček,M. - Šmíd,R.: Matlab v měření. ČVUT Praha, 2004. (CS)
Šleger,V. - Vrecion,P.: MathCad7. Haar International, Praha 1998. (CS)
Zaplatílek,K. - Doňar,B.: MATLAB pro začátečníky. BEN, Praha 2003. (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme B-MET-P Bachelor's 2 year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Computer-assisted exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

doc. Ing. Miroslav Bartošík, Ph.D.

Syllabus

Introduction to computer physics. Basics of the work in computer labs.
Features of the electronic spreadsheet Excel. Kinematics of the uniform acceleration motion.
Building spreadsheet models. Rates of change. Accuracy of the numerical differentiation.
Kinematics of non-uniform acceleration. Simple numerical integration.
Flow of the heat. Simpson's method of integration.
Accuracy and stability of the numerical calculations.
The Second law of the motion. Solving the differential equation by Euler's method. Harmonic oscillations.
Solving the differential equation by Runge-Kutta method. Non-harmonic oscillations.
Building of the physical models in the Famulus programming environment.
Motion in real environment with resistive forces. The damped and driven oscillatory motion.
Evaluation of the experimental results and writing measurement report in MathCAD.
Expressing and calculation of statistics errors and confidence intervals.