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Physics

Stream Leader

TBC - email natsci@ucl.ac.uk for queries

The aims of the Physics stream are to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the physical universe - from ‘what is the mass of the neutrino?’ to ‘how do galaxies form and evolve?’ It encompasses technological developments and applications in domains such as information processing, health-care, energy and the environment. Broadly the stream aims to cover different areas of modern physics:

Atomic and Particle Physics 

Aims - to provide an introduction to the basic concepts of quantum theory and its application to the physics of atoms, molecules, nuclei and particles, reaching a level where specialist courses or project work are accessible.

Objectives:

  • understand the formal structure of quantum theory and how quantum mechanics can be applied to a range of microscopic physical systems.
  • investigate the experimental properties and quantum explanation of the behaviour of atoms and molecules, both in isolation and in interaction with fields and radiation.
  • consider the observed phenomena of nuclear and particle physics and the models used to explain them.

Condensed Matter Physics

Aims - to covers the fundamental physics underlying the properties of solid and liquid matter.

Objectives

  • understand the classical and quantum mechanics of atomic and molecular interactions, and how these are used within a framework of statistical mechanics.
  • investigate the thermal, optical, mechanical and electronic properties of condensed matter systems.
  • consider the principles that can lead to an appreciation of materials science and the emerging field of nanotechnology.

 

 

Year 1

All Physics stream students must take:

Students who are combining Physics stream with Mathematics and Statistics stream must also take:

Year 2

Combinations with Mathematics and Statistics stream:

Students will take:

Students must choose 15 credits from:

and also choose 15 credits from:

 

All other stream combinations:

Students will take:

and must choose 15 credits from:

It is also recommended students take one of:

 

Year 3

All Physics stream students must take:

If students are majoring in Physics then they must take:

Students must pick 15 credits from:

Students majoring should pick 15 - 30 credits and students minoring can pick 0 - 15 credits from:

Year 4

All student majoring in Physics must take:

Students majoring can take 45 - 75 credits and students minoring can take 0 - 30 credits of the following (subject to having the relevant pre-requisities):

The Physics stream combines with: