Assignments for Physics 127/227
Spring 2007

Week 1, Week 2, Week 4, Week 6

Week 1

  1. Read Chapters 1 and 2 in Gould, Tobochnik, and Christian.
  2. Send the instructor an e-mail with the following information:
    1. Major.
    2. Science background.
    3. Mathematics background.
    4. Computer programming background.
    5. Interests.
    6. Reasons for taking the course. Include your personal objectives and goals.
    7. Home computer (if any) and relevant software.
    8. Let me know if you wish to have a key for the lab.
    9. Copy the following into your message: "I pledge not to copy commercial software from the Computer Simulation Laboratory for my personal use nor to give it to friends. I am also responsible for the security and safety of the computers." (The only commercial software that you might use is on Mac OS X.)
  3. Initial goals for laboratory:
    1. Become familiar with Linux or Mac OS X. See for example, Mac 101 and Switch 101 for Windows users. Some Basic Unix (Linux) commands are given at OSX FAQ and my summary.
    2. Install Eclipse on your laptop or home computer. (It is already installed on the lab computers.)
    3. Download the Open Source Physics Eclipse workspace and install it in your home directory or subdirectory. Instructions for Linux.
    4. Learn how to compile and run a Java program using Eclipse.
    5. Some useful tutorials on Java: Sun's tutorial, download tutorial. Other tutorials that look interesting include Bradley Kjell, Thinking in Java.
    6. Start doing the suggested problems and exercises in Chapter 2.
    7. Install (Mac OS X or Windows) LaTeX on your laptop or home computer. An alternative is to use LyX, an open source and has a fully integrated editor that adds WYSIWYG point-and-click convenience to LaTeX's math typesetting capabilities. Available for Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.
    8. Learn how to use LaTeX.
  4. Due by January 23. Write a paragraph or two briefly summarizing the important points of Chapter 1 as you understand them at this time. In what ways are computer simulations like laboratory experiments? In what ways are they different? What is the difference between a computer simulation and a numerical computation? E-mail your summary to me.
  5. Answer the questions posed in Problem 1.2.
  6. Suggested assignment: Do the exercises in Chapter 2 or ask me for an alternative assignment. Because these exercises do not involve much physics, write your answers as you would for homework assignments in a regular course. Send me your answers by e-mail in an acceptable format. Be sure to send me something by January 30. It is not necessary to do all the exercises

Week 2

  1. File compare. On Linux: Use Emacs, which is installed on all the Linux machines. From the menu choose Tools --> Compare --> two files. You will then will be asked to choose the two files to compare. on Mac OS X use TextWrangler. Open the two files of interest. From the menu choose Search --> Compare Two Front Documents.
  2. Updates to text.
  3. Java docs.
  4. Sample Java programs
  5. Your first weekly summary is due Monday, Jan. 30. The summary should discuss what your goals were for each time period, what you accomplished, and what you didn't understand.
  6. Write a brief paragraph of your goals for the following week.
  7. Begin reading Chapter 3. Start doing the exercises and problems in Chapter 3 if you have time.

Week 4

  1. Hui Wang will have office hours on Thursday afternoons from 1:30 - 3 pm, except for this Thursday when he will be out of town.
  2. Format of Laboratory Reports. Send me your LaTeX file and the associated pdf file. There is no need to send me your figures.
  3. Email me when you plan to submit your first lab report.
  4. Sample Java programs

Week 6

  1. I claim that a study of the logistic map should be an essential part of a liberal arts education. That is, all educated people should understand the difference between a linear and a nonlinear system. Write a short paragraph in support or in opposition of this statement.
  2. Some interesting papers that I have looked at in the past few days:
Updated 23 February 2007.