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Physics PHD Entrance Syllabus

The document outlines the syllabus for a PhD entrance exam in Physics, covering six main areas: Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, and Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics. Each section includes key topics such as Newton's laws, Schrödinger equation, electron states in atoms, Bravais lattices, nuclear properties, and laws of thermodynamics. The syllabus emphasizes foundational principles and advanced concepts essential for a comprehensive understanding of physics.

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PRIYAM MANI TRIPATHI - 4159
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59 views2 pages

Physics PHD Entrance Syllabus

The document outlines the syllabus for a PhD entrance exam in Physics, covering six main areas: Classical Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics, Atomic & Molecular Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Nuclear and Particle Physics, and Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics. Each section includes key topics such as Newton's laws, Schrödinger equation, electron states in atoms, Bravais lattices, nuclear properties, and laws of thermodynamics. The syllabus emphasizes foundational principles and advanced concepts essential for a comprehensive understanding of physics.

Uploaded by

PRIYAM MANI TRIPATHI - 4159
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Physics - PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus

I. Classical Mechanics

Newton’s laws. Dynamical systems, Phase space dynamics, stability analysis. Central force motions. Two
body Collisions - scattering in laboratory and Centre of mass frames. Rigid body dynamics- moment of
inertia tensor. Non-inertial frames and pseudoforces. Variational principle. Generalized coordinates.
Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism and equations of motion. Conservation laws and cyclic
coordinates. Periodic motion: small oscillations, normal modes. Special theory of relativity- Lorentz
transformations, relativistic kinematics and mass–energy equivalence. Dynamical systems, Phase space
dynamics, stability analysis. Poisson brackets and canonical transformations. Symmetry, invariance and
Noether’s theorem. Hamilton-Jacobi theory.

II. Quantum Mechanics

Wave-particle duality. Schrödinger equation (time-dependent and time-independent). Eigenvalue


problems (particle in a box, harmonic oscillator, etc.). Tunneling through a barrier. Wavefunction in
coordinate and momentum representations. Commutators and Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Dirac
notation for state vectors. Motion in a central potential: orbital angular momentum, angular momentum
algebra, spin, addition of angular momenta; Hydrogen atom. Stern-Gerlach experiment. Time-
independent perturbation theory and applications. Variational method. Time dependent perturbation
theory and Fermi's golden rule, selection rules. Identical particles, Pauli Exclusion Principle, spin-
statistics connection. Spin-orbit coupling, fine structure. WKB approximation. Elementary theory of
scattering: phase shifts, partial waves, Born approximation. Relativistic quantum mechanics: Klein-
Gordon and Dirac equations. Semi-classical theory of radiation.

III. Atomic & Molecular Physics

Quantum states of an electron in an atom. Electron spin. Spectrum of helium and alkali atom. Relativistic
corrections for energy levels of hydrogen atom, hyperfine structure and isotopic shift, width of spectrum
lines, LS & JJ couplings. Zeeman, Paschen-Bach & Stark effects. Electron spin resonance. Nuclear
magnetic resonance, chemical shift. Frank-Condon principle. Born-Oppenheimer approximation.
Electronic, rotational, vibrational and Raman spectra of diatomic molecules, selection rules. Lasers:
spontaneous and stimulated emission, Einstein A& B coefficients. Optical pumping, population
inversion, rate equation. Modes of resonators and coherence length.

IV. Condensed Matter Physics

Bravais lattices. Reciprocal lattice. Diffraction and the structure factor. Bonding of solids. Elastic
properties, phonons, lattice specific heat. Free electron theory and electronic specific heat. Response
and relaxation phenomena. Drude model of electrical and thermal conductivity. Hall effect and
thermoelectric power. Electron motion in a periodic potential, band theory of solids: metals, insulators 2
and semiconductors. Superconductivity: type-I and type-II superconductors. Josephson junctions.
Superfluidity. Defects and dislocations. Ordered phases of matter: translational and orientational order,
kinds of liquid crystalline order. Quasi crystals.
V. Nuclear and Particle Physics

Basic nuclear properties: size, shape and charge distribution, spin and parity. Binding energy, semi-
empirical mass formula, liquid drop model. Nature of the nuclear force, form of nucleon-nucleon
potential, charge-independence and charge-symmetry of nuclear forces. Deuteron problem. Evidence of
shell structure, single-particle shell model, its validity and limitations. Rotational spectra. Elementary
ideas of alpha, beta and gamma decays and their selection rules. Fission and fusion. Nuclear reactions,
reaction mechanism, compound nuclei and direct reactions. Classification of fundamental forces.
Elementary particles and their quantum numbers (charge, spin, parity, isospin, strangeness, etc.).
Gellmann-Nishijima formula. Quark model, baryons and mesons. C, P, and T invariance. Application of
symmetry arguments to particle reactions. Parity non-conservation in weak interaction. Relativistic
kinematics.

vi. Thermodynamic and Statistical Physics


Laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamic potentials, Maxwell relations,
chemical potential, phase equilibria. Phase space, micro- and macro-states. Micro-canonical, canonical
and grand-canonical ensembles and partition functions. Free energy and its connection with
thermodynamic quantities. Classical and quantum statistics. Ideal Bose and Fermi gases. Principle of
detailed balance. Blackbody radiation and Planck's distribution law

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