Syllabus: Atomic
and Electronic Structure of Matter, PHY971, Spring 2008
Credits: Total
Credits: 3 Description: Atomic structure, bravais
lattices, x-ray scattering. Vibrations, phonons, neutron scattering. Electron
in solids, electron gas. Bloch's theorem. Metals, semiconductors and
insulators. Introduction to cooperative phenomena.
INSTRUCTOR: Carlo Piermarocchi, Room 4263 Biomedical & Physical
Sciences, Telephone: 5-2231 Email: carlo@pa.msu.edu. Office
hours: Wednesday 10:15am-12:15am. Call or email to schedule an appointment at
other times.
Text: Ashcroft/Mermin,
Meetings: Monday and Wednesday from 12:15 pm to 1:30 pm in room 4270
BPS. The schedule of the lectures is here.
Homepage: http://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/current/PHY971/
Grading:
Group
assignments: The course is organized in the Problem Based Learning
format. Students are required to be engaged in
group activities and take control of their learning process during the class
and in meetings outside the class. Assignments will be given as part of the
group activity and will count towards your final grade (group grade).
Midterm
Exams: There will be two midterm
exams. If you miss one midterm and provide a valid excuse (a written note from
a doctor, dean etc.) your midterm grade will be the same of the final exam.
Individual
Project:
You will be given an individual project on a subject assigned by the instructor
or proposed by you. You will have to give a presentation in class and produce a
written report at the end of the semester.
Final Grades: Grades are based on the following formula:
|
% |
First Midterm |
20 |
Second Midterm |
20 |
Group Work |
5 |
Individual Project Presentation |
30 |
Individual Project Report |
25 |
TOTAL |
100 |
The guaranteed
scale may be lowered in your favor but not raised is:
Total point percentage |
Final
grade |
>93% |
4.0 |
88%-93% |
3.5 |
83%-88% |
3.0 |
78%-83% |
2.5 |
73%-78% |
2.0 |
68%-73% |
1.5 |
60%-68% |
1.0 |
<50% |
0.0 |