Mathematical Physics BSc

The idea of proof is fundamental to all mathematics. We’ll look at mathematical reasoning using techniques from logic to deal with sets, functions, sequences and series.

This module links directly with your study in Calculus and Linear Mathematics. It provides you with the foundations for the broader area of Mathematical Analysis. This includes the rigorous study of the infinite and the infinitesimal.

You will also learn the basics of computer programming. This will give you the chance to use computational algorithms to explore many of the mathematical results you’ll encounter in your core modules.

Your study will include:

• propositional and predicate logic; set theory, countability
• proof: direct, indirect and induction
• sequences and infinite series (convergence and divergence)
• limits and continuity of functions
• programming in Python

How do we define calculus? How is it used in the modern world?

The concept can be explained as the mathematics of continuous change. It allows us to analyse motion and change in time and space.

You will cover techniques for differentiating, integrating and solving differential equations. You’ll learn about the theorems which prove why calculus works. We will explore the theory and how it can be applied in the real world.

Your study will include:

• functions: limits, continuity and differentiability, rules of differentiation
• techniques for integration, fundamental theorem of calculus
• solution of linear and nonlinear differential equations
• multivariate calculus, Lagrange multipliers, stationary points
• multiple integrals, changes of variables, Jacobians

This module gives you the mathematical tools required for later modules which involve modelling with differential equations. These include:

• mathematical physics
• mathematical medicine and biology
• scientific computation

Vectors, matrices and complex numbers are familiar topics from A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics. Their common feature is linearity. A linear mathematical operation is one which is compatible with addition and scaling.

As well as these topics you’ll study the concept of a vector space, which is fundamental to later study in abstract algebra. We will also investigate practical aspects, such as methods for solving linear systems of equations.

The module will give you the tools to analyse large systems of equations that arise in mathematical, statistical and computational models. For example, in areas such as:

• fluid and solid mechanics
• mathematical medicine and biology
• mathematical finance

Your study will include:

• complex numbers, vector algebra and geometry
• matrix algebra, inverses, determinants
• vector spaces, subspaces, bases
• linear systems of simultaneous equations, Gaussian elimination
• eigenvalues and eigenvectors, matrix diagonalisation
• linear transformations, inner product spaces

How does the world really work?

We’ll take you from Newton’s mechanics, the pinnacle of the scientific revolution and the foundation of our understanding of modern physics, right through to our current understanding of physics with Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum mechanics.

This module will underpin your entire physics degree. It contains all the ideas and principles that form the basis of our modern world. As you’ll find out, some of these ideas are very strange indeed.

You’ll study:

• Newton’s laws of mechanics
• The physics of waves and oscillations
• Electricity and magnetism
• Quantum mechanics and the foundations of modern physics
• Einstein’s relativity

This year-long module will train you in the mathematical modelling of physical processes. You’ll cover topics such as basic statistics and errors, dimensional analysis, curve sketching, orders of magnitude and estimates, and integrating problems in physics among others.

You’ll receive training in basic computing techniques using Python, and will be introduced to their use in solving physical problems.

You’ll spend two hours in computer classes and a one hour lecture each week. 

This course explores the classical and quantum mechanical description of motion. The laws of classical mechanics are investigated both in their original formulation due to Newton and in the mathematically equivalent but more powerful formulations due to Lagrange and Hamilton. Applications are made to problems such as planetary motion, rigid body motion and vibrating systems. Quantum mechanics is developed in terms of a wave function obeying Schroedinger's equation, and the appropriate mathematical notions of Hermitian operators and probability densities are introduced. Applications include problems such as the harmonic oscillator and a particle in a three-dimensional central force field. 

This course aims to give students a sound grounding in the application of both differential and integral calculus to vectors, and to apply vector calculus methods and separation of variables to the solution of partial differential equations. The module is an important pre-requisite for a wide range of other courses in Applied Mathematics.

Macroscopic systems exhibit behaviour that often differs from that of their microscopic constituents. This module explores the relationship between the macro and micro worlds, and the complexity which emerges from the interplay of many interacting degrees of freedom.

You’ll study:

• Laws of thermodynamics, and how they are still relevant
• Macroscopic characterisation of matter, for example how liquid nitrogen is made and understood
• Statistical formulation, linking micro and macro systems
• Quantum statistics, providing a theory for everything!

This is a core module targeted at year 2 Mathematical Physics students and Natural Sciences students on the Maths and Physics pathway. You’ll study the physics of light and Maxwell’s equations on electrodynamics.

This is a core module targeted at year 2 Mathematical Physics students and Natural Sciences students on the Maths and Physics pathway. You’ll study:

• the physics of light, interference, diffraction, interferometry and the construction of optical instruments
• Maxwell’s equations on electrodynamics, and their applications in electrostatics, magnetic fields and electromagnetic waves.

In this module you will learn how the same physics that works on Earth – gravity, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, optics, quantum physics, atomic and nuclear physics – is used to understand stars. You will explore the most important physical processes occurring in stars of different types. You will then use this knowledge to build mathematical models of stars and to understand their internal structure, their formation, evolution, and death.

You’ll study:

• How astronomers measure the most important properties of stars such as their mass, size, distance, brightness, temperature, chemical composition and age. This module will then teach you how physics is able to explain these properties.
• How energy is generated inside stars through nuclear fusion, and how it is transported to the surface to make stars shine.
• How to write the equations that describe the structure of stars, and how to use them to build mathematical models that explain their properties and evolution.
• How stars are born, how they evolve with time, how long they live, how they die, and what remnants they leave behind. You will be able to understand, for instance, how supernovae explode and how some black holes form.

This module will develop your current understanding of the various large-scale physical processes that dictate the formation, evolution and structure of galaxies, from when the Universe was in its infancy to the present day.

You’ll explore a range of topics, starting with the fundamentals of observational techniques used by astronomers for understanding the structure of our own galaxy, the Milky Way. We will then look at the more sophisticated ways of unpicking the physics that drives the complexity we see throughout the population of galaxies in the Universe.

Specifically, in this module, you will study:

• The structure of the Milky Way – how we determine the structure of the Milky Way, its rotation curve and what this implies for its dark matter content
• Properties of galaxies in the Universe – how astronomers classify galaxies, the properties of the different classes and how their constituents vary between classes
• Dynamics of galaxies – kinematics of the gas and stars in galaxies, why spiral arms form, the theory of epicycles, bar formation, different types of orbits of matter within galaxies
• Active galaxies – radio galaxies, quasars and active galactic nuclei, super-massive black holes
• The environment of galaxies – how the environment that a galaxy resides in affects its evolution and structure
• Galaxy evolution – observations of galaxy evolution from the early Universe to the present day, models of galaxy evolution.

We will study some of the fundamental forces at the nanoscale and look at the role of key concepts such as entropy. We will also learn how we can visualise and measure the nanoscale structures that form.

The nanoscale world is very different from our regular experience. Thermal energy pushes and pulls everything towards a state of disorder whilst nanoscale forces allow for materials to resist this and stay together. We will study some of the fundamental forces at the nanoscale and look at the role of key concepts such as entropy. We will also learn how we can visualise and measure the nanoscale structures that form.

While the forces we will study operate over distances as small as 1 nanometre we will explore how these concepts are responsible for phenomena in our everyday world we often don’t even think about:

• Why is a droplet spherical?
• What is going on when you scramble an egg?
• How can a gecko walk across a perfectly smooth ceiling?
• Why do you use soap when you wash?
• Why don’t oil and water mix?

In this module you will learn about the theory and applications of functions of a complex variable using a method and applications approach. You will develop an understanding of the theory of complex functions and evaluate certain real integrals using your new skills.

In this module you will build on the foundation of knowledge gained from your core year one modules in Analytical and Computational Foundations and Calculus. You will learn to follow a rigorous approach needed to produce concrete proof of your workings.

This course aims to provide students with tools which enable them to develop and analyse linear and nonlinear mathematical models based on ordinary and partial differential equations. Furthermore, it aims to introduce students to the fundamental mathematical concepts required to model the flow of liquids and gases and to apply the resulting theory to model physical situations. 

In this module you will apply the general theory you learnt in Introduction to Mathematical Physics to more general problems. New topics will be introduced such as the quantum theory of the hydrogen atom and aspects of angular momentum such as spin.

This module will introduce students to the physics of atoms, nuclei and the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions. The module will also develop the quantum mechanical description of these.

Topics to be covered are:

• Approximation techniques first order perturbation theory, degeneracies, second order perturbation theory, transition rates, time-dependent perturbation theory, Fermi's golden rule
• Particle Physics protons and neutrons, antiparticles, particle accelerators and scattering experiments, conservation laws, neutrinos, leptons, baryons and hadrons, the quark model and the strong interaction, weak interactions, standard model
• Introduction to atomic physics review of simple model of hydrogen atom, Fermi statistics and Pauli principle, aufbau principle, hydrogenic atoms, exchange, fine structure and hyperfine interactions, dipole interaction, selection rules and transition rates
• Lasers optical polarization and photons, optical cavities, population inversions, Bose statistics and stimulated emission, Einstein A and B coefficients
• Nuclear Physics Radioactivity, decay processes, alpha, beta and gamma emission, detectors, stability curves and binding energies, nuclear fission, fusion, liquid drop and shell models.

Solid state physics underpins almost every technological development around us, from solar cells and LEDs to silicon chips and mobile phones.

The aim of this module is to introduce to you the fundamental topics in solid state physics. We start by looking at why atoms and molecules come together to form a crystal structure. We then follow the electronic structure of these through to interesting electronic, thermal and magnetic properties that we can harness to make devices.

You’ll study:

• Why atoms and molecules come together to form crystal structures
• The description of crystal structures, reciprocal lattices, diffraction and Brillouin zones
• Nearly-free electron model – Bloch's theorem, band gaps from electron Bragg scattering and effective masses
• Band theory, Fermi surfaces, qualitative picture of transport, metals, insulators and semiconductors
• Semiconductors – doping, inhomogeneous semiconductors, basic description of pn junction
• Phonons normal modes of ionic lattice, quantization, Debye theory of heat capacities, acoustic and optical phonons
• Optical properties of solids absorption and reflection of light by metals, Brewster angle, dielectric constants, plasma oscillations
• Magnetism – Landau diamagnetism, paramagnetism, exchange interactions, Ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, neutron scattering, dipolar interactions and domain formation, magnetic technology

The module consists of a project which aims to solve a theoretical problem. Problems are sponsored by theoreticians from either physics and astronomy or mathematical sciences. Day-to-day supervision of the project is carried out by the supervisor but the assessment will involve input from both the supervisor and the module convenors.

This course consists of a self-directed investigation of a project selected from a list of projects or, subject to prior approval of the School, from elsewhere. The project will be supervised by a member of staff and will be based on a substantial mathematical problem, an application of mathematics or investigation of an area of mathematics not previously studied. Further information will be provided to you on the Moodle page. The course includes training in the use of IT resources, the word-processing of mathematics and report writing.

You will carry out a project drawn from one of several areas of physics. The project may be experimental or theoretical in nature. Many of the projects reflect the research interests of members of academic staff. You will work in pairs and are expected to produce a plan of work and to identify realistic goals for your project. Each pair has a project supervisor responsible for setting the project. You will also be required to maintain a diary/laboratory notebook throughout.

Occasionally the work from these projects is used in scientific publications, and the students involved are named as authors on those publications.

Depending upon the type of project that you decide to do, you will design and carry out your own experiments, theoretical calculations or computational work and use them to generate what are often new and interesting results. The project culminates in your writing a scientific report which is submitted for assessment along with your laboratory notebook.

This course consists of a self-directed investigation of a project selected from a list of projector, subject to prior approval of the School, from elsewhere. The project will be supervised by a member of staff and will be based on a substantial mathematical problem, an application of mathematics or investigation of an area of mathematics not previously studied. Further information will be provided to you on the Moodle page. The course includes training in the use of IT resources, the word-processing of mathematics and report writing.

In this module you will explore the physics of planets and their atmospheres — a topic that is at the forefront of modern astrophysics and planetary science.

In the last few decades, the discovery of thousands of exoplanets beyond our Solar System has revolutionised the study of planets and their atmospheres.

Closer to home, understanding the physical processes at play in the Earth’s atmosphere remains vital for predicting weather and climate.

You’ll study:

• Exoplanet detection methods and the physics of planet formation
• The structure, temperature and composition of planetary atmospheres
• Atmospheric dynamics
• Exoplanet atmospheres and the search for biosignatures

Cosmology is the scientific study of the Universe as a whole. It aims to understand what the Universe is made of, and its evolution from the Big Bang until today (and into the future).

You’ll study:

• observational evidence for the Big Bang
• how the expansion of the Universe depends on its contents and geometry
• how the contents of the Universe evolve as it expands and cools
• dark matter and dark energy: observational evidence and the latest theoretical models
• inflation, a proposed period of accelerated expansion in the very early Universe

This module explores the physical processes involved in the most extreme environments known in the Universe. Among the objects studied are neutron stars, black holes, supernova explosions, and active galactic nuclei.

How can complicated nonlinear mechanical, electrical and biological systems be understood? In this module you will develop your knowledge of classical mechanics of simple linear behaviour to include the behaviour of complex nonlinear dynamics. You’ll learn about the way in which nonlinear deterministic systems can exhibit essentially random behaviours, and approaches to understand and control them.

You’ll learn:

• In-depth knowledge of nonlinear dynamics in continuous and discrete classical systems
• Practical skills in using analytical, geometric and numerical approaches to analyse dynamics in nonlinear systems of various dimensions
• Methods to understand and create beautiful fractals through simple iteration rules.

This module aims to provide you with the skills necessary to use computational methods in the solution of non-trivial problems in physics and astronomy. You’ll also sharpen your programming skills through a three hour computing class and one hour of lectures per week. 

This module introduces you to the physics and applications of Semiconductors. Semiconductors are key materials of the current Information Age. They enabled most of the devices and technologies we use everyday, such as computers, internet, mobile phones. Semiconductors help us to mitigate global warming, data theft, end of the Moore’s law and other global challenges.

This module includes detailed overview of the Semiconductors past, present and future, and provides skills and knowledge essential for a future Semiconductor researcher or engineer.

You’ll study:

• Physics and applications of conventional semiconductor materials and devices, for example p-n diodes and field-effect transistors
• Physics and applications of novel semiconductor materials, quantum materials, nanostructures, low dimensional materials, such as graphene and quantum dots
• Current and future semiconductor challenges and technologies, such as efficient solar cells, ultrasensitive phone cameras and quantum computers.

Particle physics has been hugely influential in both science and society, from the discovery of the electron to the detection of the Higgs boson. In this module you will be introduced to the mathematical tools required to understand our current description of the Standard Model of particle physics.

You’ll study:

• The Dirac equation, which describes electrons, quarks and neutrinos
• How symmetry and conservation laws are crucial in particle physics
• The Feynman approach to computing the scattering of particles

The course introduces and explores methods, concepts and paradigm models for classical and quantum mechanical dynamics exploring how classical concepts enter quantum mechanics, and how they can be used to find approximate semi-classical solutions.

In classical dynamics we discuss full integrability and basic notions of chaos in the framework of Hamiltonian systems, together with advanced methods like canonical transformations, generating functions and Hamiltonian-Jacobi theory. In quantum mechanics we recall Schrödinger's equation and introduce the semi-classical approximation. We derive the Bohr-Sommerfeld quantization conditions based on a WKB-approch to the eigenstates. We will discuss some quantum signatures of classical chaos and relate them to predictions of random-matrix theory. We will also introduce Gaussian states and coherent states and discuss their semi-classical dynamics and how it is related to the corresponding classical dynamics. An elementary introduction to complete descriptions of quantum mechanics in terms of functions on the classical phase space will be given.

This course introduces various analytical methods for the solution of ordinary and partial differential equations, focussing on asymptotic techniques and dynamical systems theory. Students taking this course will build on their understanding of differential equations covered in Modelling with Differential Equations.

In this module you’ll have an introduction to Einstein’s theory of general and special relativity. The relativistic laws of mechanics will be described within a unified framework of space and time. You’ll learn how to compare other theories against this work and you’ll be able to explain new phenomena which occur in relativity.