Physics

This course discusses the solar wind and its interaction with various bodies in the solar system, in particular the case of the Earth and the environment in which most spacecraft operate. Topics include an introduction to magnetohydrodynamics, the solar wind, solar wind interaction with unmagnetized bodies, the solar wind interaction with magnetized bodies, various magnetospheric models, and magnetic storms and substorms.

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary science that examines the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Areas that fall within its boundaries include the formation of planets and stars, the development of habitable conditions on planets, the origin of life, the evolution of life, life's limits in extreme environments, and the potential for life on other planets. The course provides a framework for introducing a wide range of topics in astronomy, physics, earth sciences, chemistry, and biology at introductory level. Students study the structure of life, the origin of life, past and present conditions on Mars and icy worlds such as Europa, the search for extrasolar planets, and the possibility of detecting signatures of life elsewhere.

This is an undergraduate research course. The students works on a research project under the advisement of a NUS professor. This program allows you to engage actively in research, discussions, intellectual communications and other creative activities. By complementing the conventional classroom learning, UROPS places students at the frontiers of scientific research. Through the typical phases of doing research, you are able to enhance your knowledge in the latest development of science and technology; acquire special communication and presentation skills; experience creative thinking; interact and forge closer ties with the established scientists and members of their groups. We believe that the experience you can gain upon completion of the project will assist you in the preparation for future careers and postgraduate training.

Nuclear physics is a field in physics which describes and understands quark many-body systems governed by strong interaction including hadrons and atomic nuclei. The mission of nuclear physics is to answer the basic questions on how the hadrons (nucleons) are created from quarks and how atomic nuclei are formed from hadrons in the history of the universe. The course introduceS an overview of nuclear physics nowadays together with recent topics in cutting-edge researches.

This course focuses on the consequences of quantum physics at high energies and short distances. The course also explores topics such as relativistic and quantum physics, the symmetries of fermions and bosons, and forces within the nuclear and particle physics domain. Fundamental particles and composite states are introduced, along with investigating the quantum numbers and symmetries associated with the interactions of these particles. Models used to describe the phenomena observed on the subatomic scale are discussed, along with explaining their successes and shortcomings. Experimental methods associated with the subatomic world are also introduced. This course covers the same nuclear and particle physics concepts as the 20-credit course, "Relativity, Nuclear and Particle Physics", however relativity is not covered.

Quantum mechanics is fundamental to many areas of chemistry, in particular our understanding of bonding and spectroscopy. This course provides an introduction to quantum theory from a chemist's perspective, focusing on the basics and spectroscopy of atoms; bonding is not discussed. An emphasis is placed on developing a clear understanding of quantum mechanical concepts such as the wave function and its connection to classical mechanics, as well as providing students with an understanding of essential concepts such as uncertainty and the Hamiltonian. Students enrolling in this course should be confident in algebra, trigonometry, and calculus involving basic differentiation. A general physical chemistry background is desirable, ideally in the form of an introductory physical chemistry course or thermodynamics.

Students develop knowledge and understanding of the key principles of experimental physics, and their importance for the planning and execution of experimental investigations of physical processes using both standard and more advanced laboratory equipment, working within the context of a group project.

In this course students learn how to formulate the statistical description of a gas in thermodynamic equilibrium as a system of many weakly interacting particles. From this formalism, when applied to simple systems, students derive some well-known empirical thermodynamic laws relating quantities such as temperature and pressure, known as equation of states and Maxwell relations. The course introduces the concept of entropy and its relation to the famous second principle of thermodynamics. Entropy is discussed from its original introduction in the study of the Carnot cycle to its probabilistic definition introduced half a century later by Boltzmann. The last part of the course introduces quantum mechanics starting from its postulates and shown how to arrive at the well-known Heisenberg uncertainty relations. This approach is used to study simple systems. The course also discusses why the quantum mechanical description of the physical world provides a more well defined way of applying the formalism of statistical mechanics to nature. Prerequisites for this course are calculus, linear algebra, and relativistic and classical physics.