Physics and Astrophysics Undergraduate Programmes for 2020 Entry 2020 Entry | Page 6

6 | PHYSICS AND ASTROPHYSICS
Single Honours Physics First Year
Your current studies will have introduced you to some of the central themes of Physics. These are
reinforced in your first-year modules, but you will also encounter new concepts and develop new skills.
Mathematics and Computing are taught both within specific modules and
as part of the core physics that is studied in parallel. You will learn how
to apply your mathematical skills in topics such as calculus, complex
numbers, statistics and differential equations to physical problems;
practical laboratory work contains work that both supports your physics
learning but also allows you to apply your IT skills and programming.
classes; problem classes and tutorial sessions, in smaller groups,
focused on applying the material covered in lectures. All these
sessions are delivered by members of academic staff. Postgraduate
demonstrators provide additional support in labs, tutorials and
problem classes.
Each week there are 17-18 hours of directly taught classes featuring a
mixture of traditional lectures; practical and computational laboratory
Indicative Year 1 modules are:
Semester 1
Mechanics, Gravity and Relativity gives a calculus-based development of classical
mechanics, Kepler’s laws and Newtonian gravitation, and Einstein’s Special Theory of
Relativity.
2 hours lecture
per week
Nature of Matter demonstrates that, while classical physics provides an adequate
2 hours lecture
description of the behaviour of matter under familiar, “everyday” circumstances, a quantum per week
treatment is necessary for a more complete understanding.
Semester
1 & 2
Semester 2
Scientific Practice and Scientific Programming provide the core communication,
writing, presentation and study skills required by the practising physicist and provide an
introduction to the essentials of computational analysis and programming. 2 hours per week
+ 2 hours practical
classes
Mathematics for Physics and Applied Mathematics and Statistics cover the
fundamental mathematics required in the course – from calculus to complex numbers –
and apply this to a variety of physical scenarios, with a mixture of lectures and problem-
based learning. 2 hours of lectures
+ 2 hours of tutorial
per week
Laboratory 3 hours per week
Problem Classes supporting the Physics modules. 2 hours per week
Oscillations and Waves occur in virtually every branch of Physics, in the form of light and
sound waves, oscillations of bridges and of atoms in crystals, resonance in mechanical
systems and electrical circuits, quantum-mechanical waves, etc. 2 hours lecture
per week
Electricity and Magnetism will expand your study of the static and dynamic aspects of
electricity, magnetism and their related fields. The transient and steady-state responses of
electrical networks are examined in lectures and in laboratory experiments. 2 hours lecture
per week
Instrumentation Physics introduces concepts behind the measurement and analysis of
physical quantities, from temperature and pressure to light and sound, with a mixture of
lecture and lab-based learning. 2-3 hours lectures
and laboratory
per week
keele.ac.uk/physics