• Course Information PHY 303 / RCS 303

  • Must watch movies over reading break: three 1-HR Videos:

    Some of the episodes are low-res. I am going to look for hi-res versions and replace these in due course.


  • Class Notes

    For convenience, I am making copy of my basic overhead slide set available below. Please note that the information contained therein is subject to revision in that in any one year, I may choose to present only a subset of the material, change the emphasis and/or order of presentation, and add extra material not included in notes below depending on the developments and discoveries that have occurred over the past year. And, I may even add additional notes to the set below.

    Since it is very likely that the content of this website WILL BE UPDATED over the course of the semester, you should be aware that most browsers will cache webpages. This means that when you return to webpage, you will generally see the old, cached page and any new changes will not show up. To see the updated content, you must clear browser cache and force reload the webpages. I have found that this is difficult to do on Safari but it is possible. For example, under Develop menu, you can "empty caches" and then reload the webpage. Generally, I have found Firefox and Chrome to be more user-friendly: You can explicitly "force reload the frame" on these browsers.

    Finally, these notes should NOT be used as a reason for not attending the lectures since the considerable additional content introduced during the lectures is legitimate source of questions for midterms and final exams.

    THESE ARE THE NOTES AS OF AUG 28TH 2025:

  • Supplementary Material (Videos and Articles)

    Some of the concepts that will be discussed in the class room and in your readings are difficult to grasp. The links below will direct you to articles and videos with graphics that may prove helpful.

    There are also some mindblowing topics covered by some of the links that we will only touch briefly in the class due to lack of time.

  • Problem Sets

    There will be a total of 6 problem sets assigned over the course of the semester. Jointly these will comprise 40% of your final mark. The assignments (and their due dates as well as an outline of suitable responses) will be posted here. Please check this page regularly.

    All students are expected to EITHER drop off their solutions to the assigned problems with the secretaries in the PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY main office by 3pm of the posted due date OR email your solutions in PDF format directly to the course marking assistant.

    If you email your solutions, the file must be PDF and the subject of the email must include YOUR NAME and "PHYS 303 / RCS 303" [PICK THE APPROPRIATE COURSE NAME] and "PROBLEM SET NUMBER XXXX" where XXX =1, 2, ... 6.

    To receive a non-failing final course grade, students must - at the very least, submit the FOUR COURSE problem sets where majority of assigned questions have been attempted (NOTE: THE ASSIGNED QUESTIONS FOR PHYS 303 AND RCS 303 STUDENTS ARE NOT THE SAME) and sit for the final exam (PHYS 303/RCS 303) or submit a final essay (RCS 303). The actual course grade will depend on the scores received on the problem sets, midterms and the final exam/essay.

    For further details about submission requirements etc., please see Grading Scheme

    If you require assistance with the problem sets, I recommend - in the first instance - visiting the Physics Aid Service offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Click on the link for information about the room and schedule information.

    • Problem-Set-1   Due SEPT 15TH

    • Problem-Set-2   Due SEPT 29TH

      NOTE: You may find The Particle Adventure website useful when answering this problem set. You can access this website HERE or HERE . Both are archival sites. The first is more complete at least graphically.


    • Problem-Set-3   Due OCT 10TH      

      NOTE: If you are having trouble with link in the Question 2, click here

      IMPORTANT: Some of the graphics use Adobe Flash, which is no longer supported. It is still possible to understand the article without these graphics (though less fun). We'll have to make do until I find a better alternative.

      PS: Mathematician Emily Noether was the first to realize that symmetries and conservation laws go hand in hand. This video explains that.

    • Problem-Set-4   Due OCT 31ST        

    • Problem-Set-5   Due NOV 15TH      

    • Problem-Set-6   Due NOV 25TH       

      For the first question, please use this website (you may need to temporarily turn off JavaScript in your browser settings to view this website). Continue to "next" to read a total of 5 webpages.

      YOU SHOULD ALSO READ SECTIONS UNDER "BASICS" AND "BLACK HOLES" FROM SIDE MENU.

  • Midterm Test

    The scores of the midterm exam will comprise 25% of the final course mark.

  • Final Exam / End-of-Term Essay
    Latter is an option available to RCS 303 students

    The scores from the final exam or term-end essay (see Grading Scheme for details) will comprise 35% of the final course mark.

    To receive a non-failing final course grade, students must - at the very least, submit the FOUR COURSE problem sets where majority of assigned questions have been attempted (NOTE: THE ASSIGNED QUESTIONS FOR PHYS 303 AND RCS 303 STUDENTS ARE NOT THE SAME) and sit for the final exam (PHYS 303/RCS 303) or submit a final essay (RCS 303). The actual course grade will depend on the scores received on the problem sets, midterms and the final exam/essay.

    • DATE: SEE UNIVERSITY EXAM SCHEDULE

  • Academic Integrity, Course Material Copyright and Policy on use of AI

    University of Victoria course copyright Statement:

    All course content and materials are made available by instructors for educational purposes only and for the exclusive use of students registered in their class. The material is protected under copyright law, even if not marked with a ©. Any further use or distribution of materials to others (via email or posting on sites not under the instructor‘s direct editorial control) requires the written permission of the instructor. By accessing this website and by using the username and password to download the course material, you are agreeing to abide by the copyright statement. Violations may result in disciplinary action.

    Academic Integrity:

    This course is governed by the UVic policy on Academic Integrity Violations of this policy will be reported to the chair or delegate, who will apply appropriate sanctions. Examples of violations include: Plagiarism; Unauthorized use of an human editor or an editing service (paid or unpaid); Unacknowledged use of AI; Multiple submissions; Falsifying materials subject to academic evaluation; Cheating on work, tests and examinations; and Aiding others to cheat

    Please note that this policy is not intended to prevent students from developing their academic skills through the exchange of ideas, seeking peer review or critique and using the resources available at the university to support learning. In fact, I personally think that this are important and often very effective modes of learning and skill development.

    However, anything that you submit for marking must be prepared in your voice and in your words.

    Course AI Policy:

    Having an AI answer problem set questions and prepare your course submissions for marking is strictly prohibited. The content of these submissions and the organization of the material therein must the result of your own effort, and carry the imprint of your own unique voice and thoughts. You are welcome to use AI in an engaged iterative manner to find information but you must then explicitly acknowledge such use. If you do use AI in this fashion, I strongly encourage you to double-check the content -- verify the sources, confirm its accuracy, make sure it is sensible. In other words, make sure you have content knowledge and are able to review the information provided to you critically. You will be held accountable for anything that is submitted by you and lacks intellectual rigour, false information, hallucinations, etc.

  • Course Experience Survey

    Towards the end of term, you will have the opportunity to complete an anonymous survey regarding your learning experience (CES). The survey is vital to providing feedback to me regarding the course, as well as to help the department improve the overall program for students in the future. In due course, you will receive an email inviting you to do so.

    To make sure you receive the invite, please ensure that your current email address is listed in MyPage (http://uvic.ca/mypage) . If you do not receive an email invitation, you can go directly to http://ces.uvic.ca . You will need to use your UVic netlink ID to access the survey, which can be done on your laptop, tablet, or mobile device. I will remind you and provide you with more detailed information nearer the time

    • IMPORTANT NOTE:

    Physics and Astronomy majors (or potential majors)
    should note that this course cannot be used to satisfy
    their program credit requirements, but can be taken
    as one of their free (i.e. unrestricted) electives.

    Please check with me or with the department administrator.