MPhys Physics with Astrophysics

Introduction to Programming for Physicists

The aim of the course is to give a practical introduction to computer programming for physicists assuming little or no previous programming experience.

‘This course unit detail provides the framework for delivery in 20/21 and may be subject to change due to any additional Covid-19 impact.  Please see Blackboard / course unit related emails for any further updates.’

On completion successful students will:

1. Be able to write programs in Python to aid them in practical situations they will face in their degree course and future work in physics or in other fields.
2. Implement basic programming theory to write efficient code.

Elements of Programming – (3 weeks)

1. Introduction to Phython
2. Variable types and lists
3. Operators
4. Input / output
5. Conditional expressions
6. Loops
7. Introduction to debugging, testing and errors
8. Functions

Basic Python libraries and validation – (2 weeks)

1. Python Modules
2. Introduction to math and numpy
3. Numpy arrays, built-in functions and indexing

Introduction to algorithms and visualisation – (3 weeks)

1. Algorithms and their uses
2. Basic manipulation and visualisation of data
3. Read and write files
4. Data validation
5. Root finding
6. Basic optimization algorithms

Introduction to scientific programming libraries – (3 weeks)

1. Advanced uses of numpy and matplotlib
2. Introduction to scipy
3. Using inbuilt functions

Weekly programming tasks continually assessed in the laboratory sessions by demonstrators and a final task assessed by the lecturer.

Feedback is offered orally by demonstrators in the lab, automated responses in the quizzes, and specific written comments for each assignment.

Hill, C. Learning scientific programming with python (Cambridge Uni. press)

Note: Laboratory facilities are not available for resits.  A student who has failed may be permitted to submit further assessments, based on laboratory work already carried out, in order to pass the course unit.