WEEK 1: (8/30 – 9/1)  

Reading = Chapter 1 of French

Degrees of Freedom, Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM), Ubiquity of SHM, Complex variables for SHM

WEEK 2: (9/6 – 9/8)

Reading = Chapter 2 of French

Linear Equations of motion – Superposition Principle (and ubiquity of it), Interference, Beat Phenomenon, 2D oscillation (more degrees of freedom), Lissajous figures, Complex Solutions to differential equations

WEEK 3: (9/13 – 9/15)

Reading = Chapter 3 of French

Oscillations are everywhere (analysis of various oscillating systems) – From system to SHO equation, Damped oscillation

WEEK 4: (9/20 – 9/22)

Reading = Chapter 4 and roughly first half of Chapter 5 of French

Review of damped oscillation, Forced oscillation, Oscillation in systems with 2 degrees of freedom (including coupling)

WEEK 5: (9/27 – 9/29)

Reading = Chapter 5 of French

Coupled oscillators with many degrees of freedom, normal modes

WEEK 6: (10/4 – 10/6)

Reading = Chapter 5 of French

Coupled oscillators, Normal Modes, forced oscillation of system with 2 degrees of freedom

WEEK 7: (10/11 – 10/13)

Reading = Chapter 5 and beginning of 6 of French

More normal modes (specific systems, such as double pendulum and CO2 molecule), begin “Infinite degrees of freedom” (i.e. vibrating string)

WEEK 8: (10/18 – 10/20)

Reading = Chapter 6 of French

Normal modes of vibrating string, normal modes with multiple dimensions (i.e. vibrating sheet/drum, or sound waves in 3D space), Fourier Analysis

WEEK 9: (10/25 – 10/27)

Reading = Chapter 6 of French

Fourier Analysis, orthogonal functions

WEEK 10: (11/1 – 11/3)

Reading = Chapter 7 of French

Traveling waves, Connection to Normal Modes, Dispersion, Superposition of traveling waves (beats again)

WEEK 11: (11/8 – 11/10)

Reading = Chapter 7 of French

Wave pulses, pulse characterization (wave velocity vs string velocity, e.g.), Superposition of pulses, energy and momentum in traveling waves

WEEK 12: (11/15 – 11/17)

Reading = Chapter 7 and Chapter 8 in French

Boundary effects on wave propagation (i.e. different density strings), boundary conditions at junction, solving the wave equation across the junction

WEEK 13: (NO LECTURE)

NO CLASS (THANKSGIVING WEEK)

WEEK 14: (11/29 – 12/1)

Reading = Chapter 8 in French

Reflection and refraction, paths of least time, optics, doppler effect, double and multiple slit interference (tie in to observational cosmology)