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Mathematical Methods of Physics 1

Module PH9110

This module handbook serves to describe contents, learning outcome, methods and examination type as well as linking to current dates for courses and module examination in the respective sections.

Module version of WS 2010/1

There are historic module descriptions of this module. A module description is valid until replaced by a newer one.

Whether the module’s courses are offered during a specific semester is listed in the section Courses, Learning and Teaching Methods and Literature below.

available module versions
WS 2022/3WS 2010/1

Basic Information

PH9110 is a semester module in German language at Bachelor’s level which is offered in winter semester.

This Module is included in the following catalogues within the study programs in physics.

  • Physics Modules for Students of Education

If not stated otherwise for export to a non-physics program the student workload is given in the following table.

Total workloadContact hoursCredits (ECTS)
180 h 75 h 6 CP

Responsible coordinator of the module PH9110 in the version of WS 2010/1 was Dietrich Einzel.

Content, Learning Outcome and Preconditions

Content

Differential and integral calculus for functions with one variable: Differentiation rules, Taylor expansion, Bernoulli-L’Hospital rule, curve sketching, numerical differentiation, integration rules, numerical integration, elliptical integration.

Differential and integral calculus for functions with multiple variables: Recapitulation of vector calculus, scalar fields, vector fields, partial differentiation, gradient, total differential, directional derivative, expanded chain rule, Taylor expansion, relative extreme values of functions with multiple variables, curves in Rⁿ, line integral, path independency and antiderivative, double and surface integrals, trifold and volume integrals, fundamentals of vector analysis (gradient, divergence, rotation).

Learning Outcome

After the successful participation in the module the student is able to:

  1. master and apply the most important rules of differential calculus
  2. know and apply the most important rules of integral calculus
  3. know the possibilities of numerical integration
  4. master the fundamentals of vector calculus
  5. apply differentiation and integration to functions with multiple variables
  6. describe the fundamentals of vector analysis.

Preconditions

none

Courses, Learning and Teaching Methods and Literature

Courses and Schedule

Learning and Teaching Methods

lecture: teacher-centred teaching

Exercise: The exercise is held in small groups. In the weekly session exercises are presented by the students and the tutor. They also provide room for discussions and additional explanations to the lectures.

Media

writing on blackboard, presentation

Literature

Mathematische Hilfsmittel der Physik, W. Kuhn, H. Stöckel und H. Glaßl, Johann Ambrosius Barth Verlag, Heidelberg, Leipzig, 1995

Mathematische Methoden in der Physik, C. B. Lang, N. Pucker, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, 1998

Der mathematische Werkzeugkasten – Anwendungen in der Natur und Technik, G. Glaeser, Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, 2004

Module Exam

Description of exams and course work

There will be a written exam of 90 minutes duration. Therein the achievement of the competencies given in section learning outcome is tested exemplarily at least to the given cognition level using calculation problems and comprehension questions.

For example an assignment in the exam might be:

  • Differentiation and Integration of a given function f(x).
  • Taylor expansion and calculation of the integral to a given function f(x), integration using Taylor expansion.
  • Calculation of gradient and total differential of a given skalar field Φ(x,y,z).
  • Give a criterion for the path independence of line integrals over a given vektor field V(x,y,z).
  • Calculation of center of mass for curved lines, surfaces, and 3D bodies (e.g. a line segment, a segment of the surface of a sphere, a segment of a solid sphere).

Participation in the exercise classes is strongly recommended since the exercises prepare for the problems of the exam and rehearse the specific competencies.

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