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PHYS501 Microscopic to Macroscopic Physics and Chemistry

Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study
Armidale Trimester 1 Off Campus
Armidale Trimester 1 On Campus
Intensive School(s)
Start Finish Attendance Notes
15 April 2012 16 April 2012 Non-Mandatory on-campus students to attend intensive school
Supervised Exam There is a UNE Supervised Examination held at the end of the teaching period in which you are enrolled.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions PHYS301 or PHYS301A
Notes None
Combined Units PHYS301 - Microscopic to Macroscopic Physics and Chemistry
Coordinator(s) Erica Smith (erica.smith@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

The unit provides the basis for a solid understanding of the principles important to both chemists and physicists that determine fundamental atomic and molecular properties. It extends the molecular point of view to understand and predict macroscopic properties in terms of the microscopic properties of systems. Topics covered will be tailored for students considering either physics or chemistry and will be selected from the following: Symmetry and structure of molecules and crystals; Spectroscopy of atoms and molecules; Quantum mechanics and its application to model systems; Statistical thermodynamics and the connection between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics.

PHYS501 is based on the undergraduate unit with additional assessment and requires a greater level of understanding of the unit material.
Materials No text required
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 30%
Assessment Notes
Four assignments - these are computational and calculation based assignments
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 GA: 1, 2, 4, 6
Practical 30%
Assessment Notes
Five practical reports. Data for these reports will be provided for those who choose not to undertake the laboratory experiments.
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 GA: 1, 2, 4, 6
Final Examination 2 hrs 40%
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 GA: 1, 2, 6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. demonstrate an understanding of the physical basis for the properties of atoms and molecules on a level suitable as a basis for further study in the physical sciences;
  2. apply this understanding to solve simple numerical problems in symmetry, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics;
  3. apply this understanding to carry out and interpret simple experiments in symmetry, spectroscopy and quantum mechanics;
  4. demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts and assumptions of statistical thermodynamics;
  5. apply the principles of statistical thermodynamics to calculate macroscopic properties from the individual moelcules making up the system;
  6. demonstrate outcomes 1 to 5 and explain the significance and interrelationships between and within the topics covered and will be able to develop meaningful experiments in symmetry, spectroscopy, quantum mechanics and statistical thermodynamics.

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
This unit is designed to teach students experimentally verifiable facts about the natural world and how they can be structured into an organised body of knowledge. We teach them things, they apply them in practice, and we assess them on what they know. 		True True True
2 Communication Skills
In order for them to tell us what they know, they need to be able to communicate to us in writing and speech. We teach them the language of the discipline, they use it, and understanding what they say or write is a formative part of their assessment. 		True True True
4 Information Literacy
They need to look things up to find out more about the subject material of this unit. We teach them how to do this with respect to the resources specific for this unit, they use this knowledge, and finding out valid information is a formative part of their assessment. 		True True True
6 Problem Solving
We expect them to solve problems relating to the subject matter of this unit; we do example problems for them, they practice doing problems, and they are assessed on how well they do these problems in assignments and an exam. 		True True True
   

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