PHYS 252

Introduction to Computational Physics
Yoram Lithwick (y-lithwick@northwestern.edu)

Syllabus

[New:] Office hours (in lab): Mon 3:30-4:30; Wed 4-4:30

(email me beforehand if you would like to come, preferably by previous night)

Concepts and Reading
ABGtoC = Absolute Beginner's Guide to C
CP = Computational Physics
 Supplementary Info Assignments
Lecture 1
(Tues. March 27)
  • C: program structure, include, comments, printf, variables, double, int, while, file output, fprintf (1-7, 9-10, 14, 28 in ABGtoC)
  • Writing code and plotting graphs
    		•
  • Getting Started With Visual C++
  • Getting Started With Gnuplot
  • Lecture Notes
    		• Assgn. #1
    due 2pm, April 3
    Lecture 2
    (Thurs. March 29)
  • C: if, for, math (11-13, 14-15, 20 in ABGtoC)
    		•
    C Stuff:
  • Online C tutorial
  • Basic C Commands
  • C Reference Card (pdf)
  • C Cheat Sheet (pdf)
  • C FAQ
    		•  Assgn. #2
    due 2pm, April 3
    Lecture 3
    (Tues. April 3)
  • Radioactive decay (1.1-1.6 in CP)
  • ODE, Euler method (A.1 in CP)
  • assgn1_1.c
  • assgn1_2.c
  • assgn1_2.png
  • assgn1_3.c
  • assgn2_1.c
  • assgn2_1.png
  • assgn2_2.c
  • assgn2_2.png
    		•  Assgn. # 3
    due 2pm, April 5
    Lecture 4
    (Thurs. April 5)
  • C: arrays, pointers, and functions (21, 24-26, 30-32 in ABGtoC)
  • assgn3_1.c
  • assgn3_1.png
  • assgn3_2.c
  • assgn3_2a.png
  • assgn3_2b.png
  • assgn3_3.c
  • assgn3_3.png
    		•  Assgn. #4
    due 2pm, April 10
    Lecture 5
    (Tues. April 10)
  • Realistic projectiles (2.1, 2.2 in CP)
  • integ2.c
    •       		Assgn. # 5
    due 2pm, April 12
    Lecture 6
    (Thurs. April 12)
  • Oscillatory motion and chaos: rigid pendulum (3.1-3.2)
  • ODEs (Appendix A)
  • assgn6_1.c
  • assgn6_2.c
  • assgn6_2.png
    		•  Assgn. # 6
    due 2pm, April 17
    Lecture 7
    (Tues. April 17)
  • Oscillatory motion and chaos (3.1-3.3)
    		•    Assgn. # 7
    due 2pm, April 19
    Lecture 8
    (Thurs. April 19)
  • Oscillatory motion and chaos (3.1-3.3)
    		•  Movie with gnuplot Assgn. # 8
    10pts, due 2pm, April 26
    Lecture 9
    (Tues. April 24)
  • Oscillatory motion and chaos (3.1-3.3)
    		• Double pendulum movie  
    Lecture 10
    (Thurs. April 26)
  • Solar System I (4.1 and briefly 4.2-4.4)
    		•    Assgn. # 9
    10pts, due 2pm, May 3
    Lecture 11
    (Tues. May 1)
  • Solar System II (4.1 and briefly 4.2-4.4)
    		• assgn9_6i.png
    assgn9_6ii.png
    assgn9_6ii2.png     		 
    Midterm
    (Thrs. May 3)
  • Midterm
    		•  Midterm Instructions (pdf)
    Midterm Solution    		  
    Lecture 12
    (Tues. May 8)
  • Waves (6.1)
    		•   Assgn. # 10
    10pts, due 2pm, May 15
    Lecture 13
    (Thrs. May 10)
  • Waves (6.3)
    		•  
    Lecture 14
    (Tues. May 15)
  • Random Systems (7.1, 7.2, 7.4)
    		•  Brownian motion
    random.c     		Assgn. # 11
    10pts, due 2pm, May 22
    Lecture 15
    (Thrs. May 17)
  • Random Systems
    		•  
    Lecture 16
    (Tues. May 22)
  • Phase Transitions & Monte Carlo
    		•   Assgn. # 12
    5pts, due 2pm, May 24
    Assignment deadline
    (Thrs. May 24)    		     Last time to hand in assignments: 2pm, May 24
    Project Presentations
    (Thrs. May 31, 2-4:30)     		Class rescheduled from May 24 to WCAS Reading week. Let me know if this presents a problem.   By 2pm, hand in project (including page or two writeup, graphs, commented code, and email me code). And please fill out CTEC.