Year 2, as year 1, is split into three terms:

First Term: Monday 24 September 2007 - Friday 14 December 2007
Second Term: Monday 7 January 2008 - Wednesday 19 March 2008
Third Term: Monday 21 April 2008 - Friday 6 June 2008

In the first term we study three examinable courses (worth 0.5 course units each): Mathematical Methods III, Quantum Physics, and Electricity and Magnetism. We also do laboratory work and communication skills throughout terms 1 and 2.

In the second term we study another three examinable courses (again, each worth 0.5 course units): Statistical Thermodynamics, Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Mathematics for Physics and Astronomy.

Below is a list of the topics that I am studying in year 2 and a brief description of what each topic is about.

Mathematical Methods III: This course is a continuation of our core mathematics required for the physics course.
Topics include: Matrices & Determinants; Eigenvectors & Eigenvalues; Partial Differential Equations; Frobenius Method, Legendre Functions; Fourier Analysis.
www.tampa.phys.ucl.ac.uk/jonny/2246/index.html

Electricity & Magnetism: This course is our first formal education on the laws of electricity and magnetism. Some of it is a development of A-Level material covering the subject, but most of it is new material and new ideas.
Topics include: Electrostatics; Conductors; Capacitance; Dielectrics; Circuits; Magnetostatics; Electromagnetics; RLC Circuits; Maxwell's Equations in Differential Form.
http://lasercooling.phys.ucl.ac.uk/phas2201.htm

Quantum Physics: This course is the first course dealing with quantum mechanics - the physics of the very small! It gives a grounding in quantum concepts and ideas and is essential for progression into Atomic and Molecular Physics (see below) and into much of further physics.
Topics include: Light as Quanta; Time-dependent Schrödinger equation; Time-independent Schrödinger equation (TISE); Solutions of TISE for one dimension; Quantum mechanical operators; Angular Momentum & its Eigenvalues; Three-dimensional Hydrogen atom; Spin.
http://www.cmmp.ucl.ac.uk/~ajf/2222/home.html

Mathematics for Physics and Astronomy: This is one of the selected courses (as the alternative to Environmental Physics). It is the further mathematics required for theoretical studies in physics.
Topics include: Complex Analysis; Calculus of Variations; Group Theory.
http://www.atm.damtp.cam.ac.uk/people/jge1000/math6202.html

Statistical Thermodynamics:
http://zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~jcr/2228/

Atomic and Molecular Physics:
Topics include: The Bohr model and the breakdown of the Bohr model of an atom; the Quantum mechanical model of the atom;
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucapphj/2B24index.htm

Laboratory Work: Every week we attend the laboratory for seven hours of laboratory work where we work through six different experiments over the 22 weeks of the first term producing a write up of each experiment in our log books as we go along. Furthermore, we are required to complete two formal reports of two of the experiments of our choosing. The experiments are designed to allow us to verify known physical laws and calculate values of constants.
Experiments completed:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/phys/internal/student/labs/lab2
Furthe to this, in the second term we do a Miniproject for five and a half weeks. This involves independant study of our chosen topic. My miniproject is the Measurement of the Positron Lifetime Spectra in Carbon Dioxide. You can read more about it here.

Computing Laboratory 2: For the second term, for five weeks, we attend a computer cluster room for seven hours a week (replacing the laboratory work). Here we learn the very useful techniques of using Mathematica and MatLab; two very important, powerful software tools for physicists
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/silva/phys/internal/student/courses/PHAS2441

Communication Skills: This course is vital in teaching us how to communicate our ideas scientifically and clearly.
Examples of topics are: Writing a report; Writing an informal letter; Upkeeping our website; Writing a short essay; Writing a longer essay.
www.cmmp.ucl.ac.uk/~jlf