Tuesday, April 13, 2010

PH253: Last-minute cramming

Anyone who told you last-minute studying is not helpful never tried it. (A good night's sleep is still good, when you can get it.)
  • Understand how to find the equilibrium spacing, given a potential U(r). Remember how to find the maximum force?
  • Understand how a set of spectral lines splits in a magnetic field (HW8 #2).
  • Choose your problems carefully! Some are traps, to be safely sprung only by the most mathematically adept ... (that is, some problems are very tedious unless you are a math savant).
  • You did quite a bit of work with hydrogen wave functions. Remember it.
  • HW5 #7: all physicists love the harmonic oscillator to a fault. You will see it in every PH course, this one included.

6 comments:

  1. are there any examples you would recommend for the equilibrium spacing one?

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  2. I fell for the trap. #6 was EVIL!

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  3. You were not alone either jc

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  4. Indeed. Numbers 2 and 6 were traps, mathematical quagmires you were forced into if you couldn't remember the Zeeman effect or how to calculate spectral lines ...

    On the other hand, I also stepped lightly through the quagmires, and the partial credit was generous.

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