Course Prerequisites or Co-requisites#

(PHYS 105A or ECE 175) and (PHYS 142 or 143 or 162H) and (PHYS 240 or 241 or 261H). Prerequisite or concurrent registration in MATH 254 (Intro to ODE) or MATH 355 (Analysis of ODE).

This course is a prerequisite for the following courses: PHYS 332, PHYS 426, PHYS 472.

Instructor and Contact Information#

Instructor: Chi-kwan Chan
Email: chanc@arizona.edu (please include “PHYS305” in subjects of emails)
Office: Steward Observatory N332
Office Hours: Monday 1–2pm, Wednesday 11am–noon (Steward Observatory N332), or by appointment

Teaching Assistant: Devendran Vemula
Email: devendranvemula@arizona.edu (please include “PHYS305” in subjects of emails)
Office: PAS 372
Office Hours: Wednesday 12–1pm (PAS 372), or by appointment

Preceptor: Nikhil Garuda
Email: nikhilgaruda@arizona.edu (please include “PHYS305” in subjects of emails)

Course Format and Teaching Methods#

This course is scheduled to be taught in-person. We will meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30pm to 1:45pm at Saguaro Hall, Room 114.

Each session will include about 45 minutes of lecture and 30 minutes of hands-on labs. You are required to complete your homework assignments and projects on time.

Course Objectives#

The goal of this course is to get students ready for modern computation- and data-driven physics. In order to do so, we will expose the the students to multiple development tools and software development best practices. We will introduce the basic of the python and C programming languages, and provide hands-on on data analysis and numerical problems. We will also introduce basic data analysis methods and numerical analysis. After taking this course, students should be able to solve simple physics problems numerically, create plots to visualize their results, and document their work and communicate with other physicists. See “Expected Learning Outcomes” below.

Expected Learning Outcomes#

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• understand the nature and application of computation methods in physical science;

• use popular development tools (shell, git, JupyterLab, etc);

• use good software development practices (version control, documentation, and automation);

• use computational thinking to break down complex (physics) problems into smaller pieces;

• solve these problems by writing programs in the python and C programming languages;

• speak and write about scientific knowledge;

• appreciate computation complexity and have a basic awareness of numerical errors;

• use data analysis and numerical methods properly, and be aware of their common pitfalls;

• critically analyze and interpret data and results presented in tables, graphs and charts as well as perform appropriate computations;

• read and understand scientific literature from popular sources such as magazines and newspapers;

• aware of a wide range of science use cases, and develop the skill to self-learn computation tools and methods.

Absence and Class Participation Policy#

The UA’s policy concerning Class Attendance and Participation is available at: https://catalog.arizona.edu/policy/courses-credit/courses/class-attendance-participation.

The UA policy regarding absences for any sincerely held religious belief, observance or practice will be accommodated where reasonable, http://policy.arizona.edu/human-resources/religious-accommodation-policy.

Absences pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean Designee) will be honored. See: https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/policies/attendance-policies-and-practices

Participating in the course and attending lectures and other course events are vital to the learning process. As such, attendance is required at all lectures and discussion section meetings. Absences may affect a student’s final course grade. If you anticipate being absent, are unexpectedly absent, or are unable to participate in class online activities, please contact me as soon as possible. To request a disability-related accommodation to this attendance policy, please contact the Disability Resource Center at (520) 621-3268 or disability@arizona.edu. If you are experiencing unexpected barriers to your success in your courses, the Dean of Students Office is a central support resource for all students and may be helpful. The Dean of Students Office is located in the Robert L. Nugent Building, room 100, or call 520-621-7057.

Makeup Policy for Students Who Register Late#

Statement on whether students who register after the first class meeting may make up missed assignments/quizzes and the deadline for doing so.

Course Communications#

Email is the official method to communicate with the instructor and teaching assistant outside scheduled classes and office hours.

Required Texts or Readings#

There is no required text.

The main reference is:

• Numerical Recipes, 2nd Edition in C or 3rd Edition in C++, by William H. Press, Saul A. Teukolsky, William T. Vetterling, & Brian P. Flannery; online versions: https://numerical.recipes

Additional references will be listed in the lecture notes.

Required or Special Materials#

As a course on computational physics, students are excepted to have access to computers. Although not required, students will be encouraged to install popular development tools such as git, python, and JupyterLab to their computers.

Required Extracurricular Activities#

The instructor will provide students additional online videos to broaden the students’ knowledge on computational physics. When bundled with assignments, students are required to watch them. When provided as references, the videos are optional.

Near the end of the semester, students are encouraged to join a field trip to UA’s Computer Center and see our supercomputers.

Schedule/Due Dates#

The course includes 6 homework assignments and 2 group projects. There are no quizzes or exams.

Homework Assignments: Assignments will be given approximately every two weeks (see schedule below). Students should begin working on them during the hands-on labs and submit them within one week of the assignment date.

Group Projects: Projects will be completed in teams of approximately four students. All project materials must be submitted within one week after the corresponding project presentations.

Writing Requirement#

Although this is not a writing intensive course, good documentation is essential in communicating science and developing software. Students are required to provide enough written explanations in their assignments.

Final Examination or Project#

There will be no final exam. Instead, students will need to finish two group projects.

The project presentations are scheduled in the weeks of March 2nd and April 27th. All project materials must be submitted within one week after the corresponding project presentations.

Classroom Behavior Policy#

To foster a positive learning environment, students and instructors have a shared responsibility. We want a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment where all of us feel comfortable with each other and where we can challenge ourselves to succeed. To that end, our focus is on the tasks at hand and not on extraneous activities (e.g., texting, chatting, reading a newspaper, making phone calls, web surfing, etc.).

Threatening Behavior Policy#

The UA Threatening Behavior by Students Policy prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University community, including to oneself. See http://policy.arizona.edu/education-and-student-affairs/threatening-behavior-students.

Accessibility and Accommodations#

Recommended language is provided on the Disability Resource Center website: http://drc.arizona.edu/instructors/syllabus-statement.

Code of Academic Integrity#

Students are encouraged to share intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and applications of course materials. However, graded work/exercises must be the product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed. Students are expected to adhere to the UA Code of Academic Integrity as described in the UA General Catalog. See: https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/student-rights-responsibilities/academic-integrity.

The University Libraries have some excellent tips for avoiding plagiarism, available at https://lib.arizona.edu/research/citing/plagiarism.

Selling class notes and/or other course materials to other students or to a third party for resale is not permitted without the instructor’s express written consent. Violations to this and other course rules are subject to the Code of Academic Integrity and may result in course sanctions. Additionally, students who use D2L or UA e-mail to sell or buy these copyrighted materials are subject to Code of Conduct Violations for misuse of student e-mail addresses. This conduct may also constitute copyright infringement.

Nondiscrimination and Anti-harassment Policy#

The University of Arizona is committed to creating and maintaining an environment free of discrimination. In support of this commitment, the University prohibits discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, based on a protected classification, including race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or genetic information. For more information, including how to report a concern, please see https://policy.arizona.edu/employment-human-resources/nondiscrimination-and-anti-harassment-policy

Our classroom is a place where everyone is encouraged to express well-formed opinions and their reasons for those opinions. We also want to create a tolerant and open environment where such opinions can be expressed without resorting to bullying or discrimination of others.

Usage of Generative AI#

Homework and projects in this course are designed to help students apply class concepts, test their learning, and develop software development and science communication skills. Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and GitHub Co-Pilot, can be useful for brainstorming and debugging. However, students must write their own code, take full responsibility for their work, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the concepts.

While AI tools can assist learning, they may produce inaccurate or biased outputs. Students are responsible for verifying facts and critically assessing all submitted material. Any use of generative AI must be acknowledged or cited (see guidelines from UA library). Failure to disclose such use or to write original code will be considered a violation of academic integrity.

For questions, contact your instructor.

Campus Health#

http://www.health.arizona.edu/
Campus Health provides quality medical and mental health care services through virtual and in-person care.
Phone: 520-621-9202

Counseling and Psych Services (CAPS)#

https://health.arizona.edu/counseling-psych-services
CAPS provides mental health care, including short-term counseling services.
Phone: 520-621-3334

The Dean of Students Office’s Student Assistance Program#

https://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/support/student-assistance
Student Assistance helps students manage crises, life traumas, and other barriers that impede success. The staff addresses the needs of students who experience issues related to social adjustment, academic challenges, psychological health, physical health, victimization, and relationship issues, through a variety of interventions, referrals, and follow up services.
Email: DOS-deanofstudents@arizona.edu
Phone: 520-621-7057

Survivor Advocacy Program#

https://survivoradvocacy.arizona.edu/
The Survivor Advocacy Program provides confidential support and advocacy services to student survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The Program can also advise students about relevant non-UA resources available within the local community for support.
Email: survivoradvocacy@arizona.edu
Phone: 520-621-5767