PHYS 4041/5041, Mathematical Methods in Physics I,

Fall 2016 Course Information

Instructor: Prof. Daniel Phillips

Office: Clippinger Laboratory, Room 242C
Email: [email protected]
Class times: 10:3011:50 am, Tuesday and Thursday, 11:50 am12:45 pm Friday
Room: Clippinger Laboratory, Room 132A
Text: Mary L. Boas, Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences,
3rd edition (Wiley, 2006)
Class number: 4479 for PHYS 4041, 4483 and 4540 for PHYS 5041
Office Hours: 2:30-4 pm Monday, 1:30-2:30 pm Friday
URL: http://www.phy.ohiou.edu/phillips/Mathmethods.html

Philosophy

Philosophy is written in this grand book, the universe, which stands continually open to our
gaze. But the book cannot be understood unless one first learns to comprehend the letters in which
it is composed. It is written in the language of mathematics . . .
Galileo Galilei

This course is designed to help you integrate the various different pieces of mathematical knowledge
you have acquired in your studies, and use that knowledge to attack physics problems. In the
lectures I will discuss mathematical results, many of which you will have seen in previous courses.
However, I will not present this material with mathematical rigour, focusing instead on the physical
application and interpretation of these results. I will try to present examples of the different
techniques were covering that are relevant to problems in physics. And I will try to show how the
mathematical reasoning we do in class, and in homework, has physical implications. The course is
geared towards problem solving, so working through the homework sets is a very important part
of learning the material. These will include both mathematical reasoning and physics problems. ln
this way I hope to help you learn to speak the language of mathematics.

Books

Our text book is Mary L. Boas, Mathematical Methods in the Physical Sciences, 3rd edition (Wiley,
2006). You should all acquire a copy of this book that you can use throughout the
semester. I expect you to read the book, and will assume you have done so when giving my
lecture. In presenting my lectures I will not necessarily follow Boas presentation. I will supplement
it with material from various books, in particular these three:
G. B. Arfken, H. J. Weber, F. E. Harris, Mathematical Methods for Physicists: A Comprehensive
Guide, Seventh edition (Elsevier, 2013);
T. L. Chow, Mathematical Methods for Physicists: A Concise Introduction (Cambridge, 2000);
C.-W. Wong, Introduction to Mathematical Physics: Methods and Concepts, Second edition (Ox-
ford, 2013);
S. M. Lea, Mathematics for Physicists (Brooks/Cole, 2004).
The lectures, classroom activities, and all materials associated with this class and developed by the
instructor are copyrighted in the name of Daniel Phillips on August 22, 2016.

Topics to be covered

The following is a tentative syllabus. I may omit or re-order topics as the semester progresses.

1. Differential Equations I (Boas, Sections 8.58.6; Wong, Sections 5.15.3; Wong, Sections
4.4.2, 5.6) First-order DEs: separable case; Linear first-order DEs; Second-order DEs with
constant coefficients and zero right-hand side; Inhomogeneous second-order DEs with constant
coefficients; Dirac delta function; Greens functions: part I.

2. Series (Boas, Chapter 1; Wong, Appendix A.4) Definition of convergence; Geometric series;
Preliminary test; Comparison tests: proving convergence; the integral test; alternating and
absolutely-convergent series; asymptotic series; Taylor series.

3. Fourier Series and Transforms (Boas, Chapter 7; Wong, Chapter 4) Why do Fourier
analysis?; computation of Fourier coefficients; alternative forms; convergence of the series
and Gibbs phenomenon; Parsevals theorem; Fourier transform: definition and calculation;
momentum representation and the uncertainty principle; solving differential equations using
Fourier transforms; convolution. Maxwells equations in Fourier space.

4. Differential Equations II (Boas, Section 12.1 and 12.11; Wong, Sections 5.45.5, 5.7
5.13; Arfken, Weber, and Harris, Sections 7.57.6) DEs: solution by series; Fuchs theorem;
Wronskians and a method for finding the second solution; Greens functions: part II.

5. Special Functions I: Legendre functions (Boas, Sections 12.212.10; Wong, Sections 4.9
4.10, 7.17.2, 7.4, 7.6) Legendres differential equation; the generating functional; multipoles;
Legendre-function identities; orthogonality; Legendre series; associated Legendre functions;
spherical harmonics.

6. Special Functions II: Bessel functions (Boas: Sections 12.1212.20, 13.7, 13.8; Wong,
Section 7.7) Bessels differential equation; the generating functional; recurrence relations;
orthogonality; Bessel series; Neumann functions; Hankel functions; Modified Bessel functions;
Spherical Bessel functions; Bessel series.

7. Partial differential equations (Boas, Chapter 13; Wong, Sections 5.95.13) Separation of
variables, the vibrating string, Laplaces equation in two and three dimensions, the diffusion
equation, solution of pdes by integral transforms, method of characteristics.

8. Complex analysis (Boas, Chapter 14; Wong, Chapter 8) Review of complex variables; multi-
valued functions and Riemann surfaces; differentiability and the Cauchy-Riemann conditions;
analyticity; Taylor expansion for complex function; Laurent expansion; complex integration;
Cauchys theorem; residue theorem; principal-value integral; definite integrals; application to
Greens functions.

Italicized text indicates a topic that is part of the PHYS 5041 curriculum, and not part of the
curriculum for PHYS 4041.
 Assessment

PHYS 4041: 5% for in-class participation; 25% from grades on homework assignments; 20% for
first mid-term exam; 20% for second mid-term exam; 30% for final (comprehensive) exam.
PHYS 5041: 10% for in-class participation; 5% for numerical assignment; 15% from grades on
homework assignments; 20% for first mid-term exam; 20% for second mid-term exam; 30% for final
(comprehensive) exam.

Exams

Mid-terms: Thursday, September 22, 10:30 amNoon, Clippinger Lab. Room 132A and Tuesday,
November 1, 10:30 amNoon, Clippinger Lab. Room 132A;
Final: Tuesday, December 6, 10:10 am, Clippinger Lab. Room 132A.
At the exams students are expected to supply pens or pencils, scratch paper, and a calculator.
These exams will be closed book: no books, notes, or formulas stored in electronic or written
form may be consulted during them.

Homework

The homework assignments are an integral component of the work for this class. To learn this
subject you need to employ the mathematical methods being discussed, and that you will do by
solving problems. This also means that understanding how to solve the homework problems is
important preparation for the exams. We will spend some time discussing homework problems in
the discussion sessions, but if you are still confused after that discussion, or youre confused about
a problem we dont cover there, I strongly encourage you to discuss it with me or a classmate.
Homework assignments will generally be due at the beginning of Tuesdays class each week.
Note that missing class is not a sufficient reason for failing to turn in your homework
on time. If you are having difficulty completing the homework by the designated time,
you should request an extension. The problem sheets will be handed out one week before they
are due. The graded assignments will be returned as soon as possible. Each week requests from
the class for problems to be solved on the board will be made and a student will volunteer (or be
volunteered) to give the solution on the board. Each PHYS 5041 student in the class is expected to
present at least one problem on the board during the semester. Your performance of this task will
be a key factor in your Participation grade. In any given week we will usually devote part of the
discussion period to solving 12 homework problems in this way.
In grading your written homework (and, for graduate students, assignment) solutions I will be
looking to see if you understand how to solve the problems. Therefore partial credit will be given
for incomplete solutions, and, conversely, the correct answer without adequate explanation will
actually yield very little credit. All steps used in reaching the solution must be properly explained
and justified. The solution should be able to be read as a coherent discussion in English of the
problem. I.e., explanatory sentences should be inserted into the mathematical reasoning.
 The 4041/5041 distinction

Those taking this class as PHYS 5041 will have to solve additional problems for homework. They
may also be expected to complete parts of the exams beyond those required of students taking PHYS
4041. They must also do a numerical assignment on the application of Mathematical Methods to
a physics problem. In addition, graduate students are expected to attend the Discussion session
each week, where additional topics, beyond those included in the PHYS 4041 curriculum, will be
presented. PHYS 5041 students are expected to display their deeper level of understanding of the
material during the usual class-time discussion, as well as by presenting the solution to at least one
problem on the board during the Discussion session on Fridays.

Accommodations for students with disabilities

If you suspect that you may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability please
contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. I will need written documentation from the
Office of Student Accessibility Services in order to determine the appropriate accommodation. If
you have not yet registered as a student with a disability then you should contact the Office of
Student Accessibility Services.

Academic misconduct

Academic misconduct is an A1 violation of the Ohio University Student Code of Conduct and
is defined as dishonesty or deception in fulfilling academic requirements. It includes, but is not
limited to: cheating, plagiarism, un-permitted collaboration, forged attendance (when attendance is
required), fabrication (e.g., use of invented information or falsification of research or other findings),
using advantages not approved by the instructor (e.g., unauthorized review of a copy of an exam
ahead of time), knowingly permitting another student to plagiarize or cheat from ones work, or
submitting the same assignment in different courses without consent of the instructor.
Cheating is defined as any attempt by a student to answer questions on a test, quiz, or as-
signment by means other than his or her own knowledge. Examples: using the textbook or other
materials, such as a notebook, not authorized for use during an examination; using technology
(i.e. cell phones, laptop computers, social media, text messages, etc.) to aid in the completion
of work when not permitted to do so; observing the work of another student or allowing another
student to plagiarize, copy, or observe your work; using unauthorized material during a test, notes,
formula lists, notes written on clothing, etc.; taking a quiz, exam, or similar evaluation in the place
of another person; providing or requesting assistance from another person in a manner prohibited
by the instructor; using a laboratory, computer, or calculator improperly or without authoriza-
tion; changing material on a graded exam and then requesting a regarding of the exam; acquiring
unauthorized knowledge of an examination or any part of an examination.
Plagiarism is defined as the presentation of the ideas or the writing of someone else as ones
own. Examples: reproducing another persons work, whether published or unpublished (this also
includes using materials from companies that sell research papers); submitting as your own any
academic exercise (written work, computer printout, sculpture) prepared totally or in part by
another; allowing another person to substantially alter or revise your work and submitting it as
your own; using anothers written ideas or words without properly acknowledging the source. If a
student uses the words of someone else, he or she must put quotation marks around the passage
and add indication of its origin, such as a footnote; simply changing a word or two while leaving
the organization and content substantially intact and failing to cite the source is plagiarism.. . .
(From Ohio U. website http://www.ohio.edu/communitystandards/academic.)

In practice, this means you cannot copy solutions to problems from those with whom you are
taking the class, or from others who have taken the class before you. Plagiarism can also occur
if you use a solution or approach that you read in a book or on a website and fail to
properly cite the source. If you base your answer to a problem substantially on something you have
read you must cite that source.
Note that I do think it is a good idea for you to discuss together how to solve the problems.
Operationally, this means that you are welcome to talk together about the homework assignments,
but then you should each go off and generate the solutions you will hand in on your own. In general,
if you are unsure about a question of plagiarism or cheating, you are obligated to consult me on
the matter before submitting the material.
Plagiarism and cheating will not be tolerated. If I catch you engaging in these, or in other forms
of Academic Misconduct, I will not warn you before penalizing you. Penalties will be applied. You
may appeal any academic sanctions I impose through the grade appeal process. I may also report
you to the University Judiciaries, which could choose to impose additional sanctions.

Attendance

I do not take attendance. You are all adults; if you decide to miss class, that is your choice.
However, if you miss a class you are responsible for knowing all material presented in that class
and the content of any announcements made in that class.
Late or make-up work is accepted only in case of illness, death in the immediate family, re-
ligious observance, jury duty, and involvement in University-sponsored activities (departmental
trip, music or debate activity, ROTC function, or athletic competition) and service or training
for military reserves, including reasonable travel time to the training location. These reasons also
constitute legitimate reasons for missing a discussion session. You may document reasons for your
absence as explained in the Academic Policies and Procedures portion of the Undergraduate Catalog
http://catalogs.ohio.edu.