Instructor: D. Brill   Office: 4202 Physics Bldg   Tel: X5 6027   email: brill@physics.umd.edu
                      Office hours: Thursday 11-1

The texbook for this course (different from past years) is

published by University Science books.

Here is the solution to the first exam, for the second exam and for the FINAL.

This is the derivation of Lagrange's equations without using calculus of variations.

Assignment 12 due May 11. This is the last assignment! If you need more time, get it to me by May 13. Solutions will be posted that day.

52. a. Text problem 15.5.
    b. A goes to the same star at the same speed, but returns at 0.8c. What time on B's clock does he return? How long do A's clocks say he was gone?
    c. A goes off at 0.8c, B waits for two years and then chases after A at 0.95c. When do they meet, according to Earth's clock, and according to A's clock? Draw a space-time diagram for the travel of A and B.
53. Text problem 15.14 a and c. Draw a space-time diagram showing a rod moving to the right. When its left end passes the origin, it emits the light that will eventually be observed. Draw the worldline of the observer who is at rest far enough to the right on the x-axis so he receives that light before the rod runs into him. Find the point (event) on the worldline of the rod's right end that emits its light so it reaches the observer at the same time as that from the left end. Also draw the worldlines of some of the markings on the static graduated scale, which the observer uses to judge the seen length of the rod. It will be obvious that this length is more than l. To show that it is more than l₀, construct the relevant hyperbola that transfers l₀ to the x-axis.
54. Text problem 15.27. Do it via the "standard boost" matrix (15.43), so it is just a problem of matrix multiplication and identifying components.
55. Text, problem 15.74. Draw a 4-momentum space diagram of the process in S and in the CM frame, including the mass hyperbolas for m_a and m_b.
56. Text problem 15.92. Draw a 4-momentum space diagram of the process for the rest frame of the pion, including the mass hyperbola for the muon. You can use this digram to tell you what equations to write to obtain the answer.

Schedule

Week of	Chapter
Jan 26	1, 2
Jan 31	3, 4
Feb 7	6, 7
Feb 14	7
Feb 21	7
Feb 28	8
March 7	9 Exam I this week
March 14	10
March 21	Spring Break
March 28	10
April 4	11
April 11	13
April 18	12
April 25	15 Exam II April 27
May 2	15
May 13	Review
May 18	Final Exam 8 am in usual lecture room (0405)

Grading scheme (approximate): each hour exam and homework 20%, Final 40%