Computational Physics

Lecturer: Dr Paul Abbott
Phone +61 (0) 8 9380 2734
Fax +61 (0) 8 9380 1014

The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers — Richard Hamming

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What is Computational Physics?

The broad categories of computational physics are simulation, visualisation and modelling. At a finer scale, computational physics embraces a wide range of areas including numerical methods, algorithms and data analysis. Simulation and modelling are usually taught by stressing numerical techniques — this course focuses on using symbolic or computer algebra — in particular, using Mathematica.

The objectives of this course are:

1. to use computers as an aid to understanding real physical systems;
2. to learn efficient methods for the analysis of these systems.

You should also regularly visit the newsgroup uwa.comp.physics as comments, updates, answers, and suggestions will be posted there.

Computational Experiments

This course is a "hands-on" laboratory style course consisting of 10 x 2 hour lab sessions worth a total of 60%. Assessment is continuous and the final (take-home) exam makes up the remaining 40%. The zeroth Notebook gives an overview of the course:

• Introduction
  • Course Overview
  • References
  • Book-keeping

The assignments are:

1. Mathematica Basics
   • Getting Help
   • Basic Calculations
2. Basics of Mathematica Programming
   • Introduction
   • Factorial!
   • Functional Programming
   • Pattern-matching and Replacement Rules
   • Association
   • Simple Programming
   • Blocks, Modules, and Variable Scoping
   • Summary
3. Numerics
   • Finite and Infinte Precision
   • Interpolation
   • Numerical Differentiation
4. Fourier Methods
   • Fourier Series
   • DFT and FFT
   • Sound
5. Differential Equations
   • Planet Moving in the Field of Two Suns
   • Heat Equation
   • Normal Modes of Coupled Oscillators
6. Dynamical Systems and Chaos
   • Planar Pendulum
   • Iterative Operations
7. Schroedinger Equation
   • Hydrogen
   • Stark effect for hydrogen
   • Helium perturbation calculation

Exams

• 2001
• 2000
• 1999
• 1998
• 1997

 
 

updated May 6, 20011