FY552: Soft-condensed matter physics
Study Board of Science
Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher, but English if international students are enrolled
EKA: N500057102
Assessment: Second examiner: External
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor
STADS ID (UVA): N500057101
ECTS value: 5
Date of Approval: 29-01-2021
Duration: 1 semester
Version: Approved - active
Entry requirements
The course cannot be followed by students who have passed FY543: Physics of Condensed matter course (10 ECTS)
Academic preconditions
Students taking the course are expected to:
- Have basic knowledge of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics
- Be able to develop, analyze and use mathematical models based on physical laws.
Course introduction
The course provides an introduction to the physics of soft condensed matter e.g. polymers, colloids, surfactants and liquid crystals. The course gives an introduction to their phenomenology, as well as theoretical concepts and experimental methods used for soft materials.
This course provides a basis for further studies in material science, nano-technology, bio-physics and computational physics. For instance, FY828: Advanced statistical physics (10 ECTS) and FY829: Research activities in experimental physics (5 ECTS) as well as bachelor and master thesis projects.
The course builds on knowledge acquired in:
- FT500: Mechanics and thermodynamics (5 ECTS)
- FY550: Statistical Physics (5 ECTS)
- FT501: Calculus (10 ECTS)
- FY546: Advanced Mechanics and Relativity Theory (10 ECTS)
- FY554: Numerical physics (5 ECTS)
In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to::
- Give the competence to handle complex problems and independently take part in interdisciplinary work and identify needs for and structure of own learning.
- Give skills to apply physical principles and mathematical tools to formulate and evaluate physical models.
- Give knowledge and understanding of the properties of soft-condensed materials.
- Interdisciplinary understanding of the application of soft-condensed matter physics to e.g. gastronomy, biology, nano-technology and industrial processes.
Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student demonstrates the ability to:
- Describe the phenomenology of soft materialers in particular polymers, colloids, surfactants and liquid crystals
- describe the relation between emergent macroscopic material properties and molecular/mesoscopic structures
- describe statistical mechanical models of soft condensed materials
- apply statistical mechanical theories to predict material properties
- describe experimental techniques used for the characterization of soft-condensed materials
Content
The following main topics are contained in the course:s
- Characteristic material properties of soft-condensed materials
- Statistical mechanical models for polymers.
- Continuum elasticity theory, stress and strain tensors
- Surface tension, wetting and surface active molecules
- Thermodynamics and self-assembly of surfactants and micelles
- Interactions between colloidal particles and stability of colloidal solutions
- Statistical mechanical models of liquid crystals
- Characterization of soft-condensed materials via scattering techniques
- Characterization of soft-condensed materials via rheological techniques
Literature
Examination regulations
Exam element a)
Timing
January
Tests
Oral examination
EKA
N500057102
Assessment
Second examiner: External
Grading
7-point grading scale
Identification
Student Identification Card
Language
Normally, the same as teaching language
Examination aids
To be announced during the course
ECTS value
5
Indicative number of lessons
Teaching Method
At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.
- Introduction (lectures): 28 hours
- Training: 14 hours
The introphase consists of lectures as well as discussion with the students on the course curriculum. In the training phase the students will be solving exercises. In the study phase the students will continue working with training phase exercises and prepare questions for discussion in the training phase hours.
Activities in the study phase
- Reading the book and course notes
- Solving problems
- Preparing for lectures
- Preparing for exams