BSc/MChem Chemistry with an Integrated Foundation Year

An introduction to oscillations, waves, atomic and nuclear Physics  

The aim is to introduce students to oscillations, waves, atomic and nuclear Physics.

By the end of this course unit a student will be able to: 

• describe the fundamental properties of a system in simple harmonic oscillation 

• represent sinusoidal travelling and standing waves graphically and in equation form 

• explain harmonics and resonance, including their influence on the pitch and timbre of sound 

• relate the intensity of a uniform wavefront to emitted and received power 

• predict how wave propagation is affected by interactions with matter (reflection, refraction or diffraction) 

• discuss the origins and significance of radiation from across the electromagnetic spectrum 

• with reference to both electromagnetic and matter waves, explain the evidence for wave-particle duality 

• describe radioactive decay in terms of the fundamental processes and decay parameters 

• use mass-energy equivalence to calculate the energy of simple nuclear reactions 

Lectures, tutorials, drop-in sessions, private study. 

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• ​​​​​​Formative feedback will be given during lectures, tutorials and drop-in sessions. Targeted feedback will be given following coursework assessments. Summative and formative feedback will be given following assessments, including the final exam (exam script viewing is encouraged).