UNISA Physics Course Module 2024 – 2024

UNISA Physics Course Module 2024 – 2024

PHYSICS AS A MAJOR:
Major combinations:
NQF Level: 5: PHY1503, PHY1505, PHY1506
NQF Level: 6: Four modules from the following list: PHY1604, PHY2601, PHY2602, PHY2606, PHY2604
NQF Level: 7: Five modules from the following list: PHY3702, PHY3703, PHY3706, PHY3707, PHY3708, PHY3709

Electromagnetism and Heat (Physics) (Extended) – XHY1506
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The gas laws, thermal properties of matter, thermodynamics, electrical forces, fields and potentials, electric currents, magnetic fields and forces, Induced fields and forces
Physics Honours Research Project – HRPHY81
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: HMPHY80
Purpose: Syllabus in consultation with the Chairperson of the Department.
Engineering Physics II (Theory) – ENP291Q
Diploma Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 17
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: FIC181C Co-requisite: ENP2PRA
Purpose: Magnetic forces and fields; electromagnetic induction; motors and generators; electromagnetic waves; interference and the wave nature of light; particles and waves; the nature of the atom; electronic devices; alternating current circuits; nuclear physics and radioactivity; the transfer of heat; fluids.
Advanced Mathematical Methods – PHY4801
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Purpose: Vector analysis. Matrices. Tensor analysis. Series. Complex variables and analytic functions. Group representations. Differential equations. Integral equations. Integral transforms.
Engineering Physics II (Practical) – ENP2PRA
Diploma Year module NQF level: 6 Credits: 7
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: FIC181C Co-requisite: ENP291Q
Purpose: This is the practical work of Module ENP291Q and need to be taken simultaneously with ENP291Q or after it has been passed. Compulsory laboratory sessions between 1-3 days need to be attended at a University in South Africa. The information will be announced at a later point in time in a tutorial letter.
Electromagnetism – PHY4802
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: Review of electro- and magnetostatics in a vacuum and in matter, charge and current distributions, energy in electric and magnetic fields, electromotive force, Faraday’s law. Maxwell and wave equations, Laplace and Poisson equations, electromagnetic energy and momentum. Waves in material media, radiation from a localised oscillating source, Lienard-Wiechert potentials, relativistic covariance of electrodynamics, radiation reaction.
Modern Physics – PHY1604
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: PHY1505
Purpose: Description and properties of waves, properties of sound waves, wave properties of light, mirrors and lenses, special relativity, particle properties of light, wave properties of matter, quantum mechanics and atomic structure, nuclear physics, interaction of radiation with matter
Quantum Mechanics I – PHY4803
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: Wave packets and free particle motion. The wave equation. The wave function and the Schrodinger equation. The linear harmonic oscillator. Piecewise constant potentials in one dimension. The WKB pproximation. The principles of wave mechanics. Central forces and angular momentum. Piecewise constant potentials in three dimensions and the hydrogen atom. Scattering.
Classical Mechanics – PHY2601
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY1505 (or XHY1505), MAT1503 (or XAT1503) & MAT1512 (or XAT1512)
Purpose: Linear motion, energy and angular momentum, central conservative forces, rotating frames, potential theory, the two-body problem, many-body systems, rigid bodies, Lagrangian mechanics, Hamiltonian mechanics
Quantum Mechanics II – PHY4804
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4803
Purpose: Spin. Dynamics of two-level systems. Linear vector spaces in quantum mechanics. Quantum dynamics. Rotations and other symmetry operations. Bound state perturbation theory. Time-dependent perturbation theory.
Physics I (Theory) – FIC181C
Diploma Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: FIC1PRA
Purpose: One dimension linear motion, two-dimensional linear motion; Uniform circular motion; Rotational kinematics; Newton?s laws in motion; Work and energy; Impulse and momentum; Elasticity; Hydrostatics; Buoyancy; Dynamic fluids; Heat; Electric forces and the electric fields; Direct current circuits; Laws of reflections and mirrors, Lenses, Refraction of light, The ideal gas law, The laws of thermodynamics, Waves, Introduction to nuclear physics.
Electricity and Magnetism (Physics) – PHY2602
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY1506 (or XHY1506), MAT1503 (or XAT1503) & MAT1512 (or XAT1512)
Purpose: The electric field, divergence and curl of E, electric potential, work and energy in conductors, electric fields in matter, magnetostatics, the Lorentz force law, the Biot-Savart law, divergence and curl of B, magnetic vector potential, magnetic fields in matter, electromotive force, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations
Statistical Physics – PHY4805
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: Quantum statistics of ideal gasses. Systems of interacting particles. Magnetism and low temperatures. Elementary kinetic theory of transport processes. Transport theory using the relaxation time approximation. Fluctuations.
Physics I (Practical) – FIC1PRA
Diploma Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 4
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: FIC181C
Purpose: This is the practical work of module FIC181C. It has to be taken simultaneously with FIC181C or after FIC181C has been passed. Students must attend a compulsory laboratory session of between 1-3 days at a University in South Africa. Information will be announced in the tutorial letter at a later point in time.
Physics Practical Work II – PHY2604
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY1506 (or XHY1506), MAT1503 (or XAT1503) & MAT1512 (or XAT1512) Co-requisite: PHY2601, PHY2602 & PHY2606
Purpose: Laboratory experimental work and calculations on: a driven harmonic oscillator, alternating current circuits, the Hall effect and magnetic fields of a solenoid and Helmholtz coils, introduction to statistics, x-rays, black-body radiation, radioactive isotopes, gamma ray absorption, viscous fluid flow.
Advanced Solid State Physics – PHY4806
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: Thermodynamics of phonons and electrons. Electrical and thermal conduction. Band Structure of selected metals. Classification of solids. Surface effects. Cohesive energy.
Elementary Mechanics – PHY1501
Diploma,Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: AMC1PRA (only applicable to NDECI), MCA1PRA (only applicable to NDEEN-MEC, NDEID, NDEMC)
Purpose: One dimension linear motion, two-dimensional linear motion; Uniform circular motion; Rotational kinematics; Newton?s laws in motion; Work and energy; Impulse and momentum; Elasticity; Hydrostatics; Buoyancy; Dynamic fluids; Sectional properties; stress and strain; analysis of statically determinate beams; analysis of statically determinate pin-pointed frames; computer applications where applicable.
Waves (Physics) – PHY2606
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY1503 (or XHY1503), PHY1505 (or XHY1505), PHY1506 (or XHY1506), MAT1503 (or XAT1503)& MAT1512 (or XAT1512)
Purpose: Simple harmonic motion, damped simple harmonic motion, the forced oscillator, coupled oscillations, transverse wave motion, Fourier methods, interference and diffraction
Nuclear Physics – PHY4807
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 12
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: Nuclear forces: the laws of invariance. Boson field theories and phenomenological potentials. Few-nucleon systems. The theory of nuclear structure: nuclear systematics. Scattering. Nucleon-nucleon scattering. Nuclear properties. Nuclear models. Nuclear decay.
Elementary Electromagnetisme and Heat – PHY1502
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The gas laws, thermal properties of matter, thermodynamics, electrical forces, fields and potentials, electric currents, magnetic fields and forces, induced fields and forces.
Modern Physics (Extended) – XHY1604
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 6 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: PHY1505 (or XHY1505)
Purpose: Description and properties of waves, properties of sound waves, wave properties of light, mirrors and lenses, special relativity, particle properties of light, wave properties of matter, quantum mechanics and atomic structure, nuclear physics, interaction of radiation with matter
Physics Practical Work I – PHY1503
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: PHY1505 (or XHY1505) & PHY1506 (or XHY1506)
Purpose: Photoelectric effect, determination of charge to mass ratio, Ohm?s law, simple pendulum, current balance, diffraction grating, electron diffraction, potentiometer and meter bridge, air track, circular motion, handling of experimental data.
Quantum Physics – PHY3702
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: APM2611, MAT2611, PHY1604 (or XHY1604), PHY2601 & PHY2602
Purpose: Origins of quantum physics, Mathematical tools of quantum mechanics, Postulates of quantum mechanics, One-dimensional problems, Angular momentum, Identical particles, Three-dimensional problems.
Mechanics (Physics) – PHY1505
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: Vectors, static equilibrium, uniformly accelerated motion Newton’s laws, work and energy, momentum, motion in a circle, rotational motion, mechanical properties of matter, vibrations.
Statistical and Thermal Physics – PHY3703
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY2606 Co-requisite: PHY3702
Purpose: Introduction to statistical methods, Statistical description of systems of particles, Irreversibility and the attainment of equilibrium, Interaction between macroscopic systems, Macroscopic parameters and their measurement, Simple applications of macroscopic thermodynamics, Basic methods and results of statistical mechanics, Simple applications of statistical mechanics, Equilibrium between phases or chemical species.
Electromagnetism and Heat (Physics) – PHY1506
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The gas laws, thermal properties of matter, thermodynamics, electrical forces, fields and potentials, electric currents, magnetic fields and forces, Induced fields and forces
Physics Practical Work III – PHY3706
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY2604
Purpose: Pendulum and error analysis, Gamma-ray spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, X-ray spectroscopy, Microwave experiment, Millikan oil drop experiment, Frank-Hertz experiment, Letcher wires, Atomic spectra.
Science: Mining I – SMI181Q
Diploma Semester module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: Physics: statics, dynamics, machinery science. Chemistry: theories of matter and mining applications. Electricity: circuit networks and control circuits, motor theory and applications. Optics theory and applications in instrumentation.
Solid State Physics – PHY3707
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY2606 Co-requisite: PHY3702
Purpose: Crystalline state, Atomic cohesion and crystal binding, Reciprocal lattice, Determination of crystal structure, Lattice vibrations, Thermal properties of solids, Free electron theory of metals, Electron energy bands, Mobile electrons and Fermi surfaces.
Elementary Mechanics (Extended) – XHY1501
Under Graduate Degree,Diploma Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: AMC1PRA (only applicable to NDECI), MCA1PRA (only applicable to NDEEN-MEC, NDEID, NDEMC)
Purpose: One dimension linear motion, two-dimensional linear motion; Uniform circular motion; Rotational kinematics; Newtons laws in motion; Work and energy; Impulse and momentum; Elasticity; Hydrostatics; Buoyancy; Dynamic fluids; sectional properties; stress and strain; analysis of statically determinate beams; analysis of statically determinate pin-pointed frames; computer applications where applicable.
Atomic and Nuclear Physics – PHY3708
Under Graduate Degree Semester module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Pre-requisite: PHY2606 Co-requisite: PHY3702
Purpose: Elements of quantum mechanics, Nuclear properties, The force between nucleons, Nuclear models, Radioactive decay, Alpha decay, Beta decay, Gamma decay, Nuclear reactions, Nuclear fission, Nuclear fusion, Nuclear spin and moments, Nuclear astrophysics.
Elementary Electromagnetism and Heat (Extended) – XHY1502
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: The gas laws, thermal properties of matter, thermodynamics, electrical forces, fields and potentials, electric currents, magnetic fields and forces, induced fields and forces.
Computational Modeling – PHY3709
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 7 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Co-requisite: APM2611
Purpose: Introduction, Numerical Programming Python. Common Algorithms in Computational Modeling High performance computing.
Mechanics (Physics) (Extended) – XHY1505
Under Graduate Degree Year module NQF level: 5 Credits: 12
Module presented in English
Purpose: Vectors, static equilibrium, uniformly accelerated motion Newton’s laws, work and energy, momentum, motion in a circle, rotational motion, mechanical properties of matter, vibrations.
Physics Honours Research Methods – HMPHY80
Honours Year module NQF level: 8 Credits: 24
Module presented in English Module presented online
Co-requisite: PHY4801
Purpose: To familiarise students with the applications of stochastic theory in practical situations.