The Physics Education Research group at the University of Colorado Boulder (PER@C) has developed and compiled a number of resources for research-based instruction throughout the undergraduate curriculum. This site includes materials developed by PER@C members as part of the Science Education Initiative and other research-based efforts, as well as materials developed by other faculty at CU Boulder.
On this site, you will find a number of materials we have borrowed or developed. Feel free to use what you like - we would like to share our materials, but also believe in giving credit to sources whenever possible (and ask that you do not use our materials for commercial purposes). We ask for your cooperation in not making any solutions you may create for the homework (and exam problems, clicker questions, etc…) available on the open web, out of respect for instructors and students at other institutions, and for maintaining the integrity of our research.
If you have questions, contributions, bug-catches, etc, please contact steven.pollock (at) colorado.edu Thanks!
Modern Physics is the third semester in our three-semester sequence of introductory physics courses. Materials include the following topics:
special relativity, photoelectric effect, spectra, lasers, Bohr and deBroglie models, Stern-Gerlach, entanglement and single-quanta experiments, matter waves and the Schrödinger equation, tunneling (α-decay, STM's), hydrogen atoms and molecular bonding, conductivity, semiconductors and BECs.
Materials were originally developed for a course for engineering majors, with a focus on applications, in 2005 and 2006 by Wieman, Perkins, and McKagan (McKagan et al. 2007). They were later adapted for a course for physics majors to include special relativity by Finkelstein, Bohn, and later Rogers, Schibli, and Dessau. Finkelstein and Baily made further research-based adaptations to include content on quantum interpretation (Baily and Finkelstein 2010). Later updates by Finkelstein added a unit on diversity.
On this page, you will find a number of materials we have borrowed or developed. Feel free to use what you like - we would like to share materials, but also believe in giving credit to sources whenever possible. We ask for your cooperation in not making any solutions you may create for the homework (and exam problems, clicker questions, etc…) available on the open web, out of respect for instructors and students at other institutions, and for maintaining the integrity of our research.
The first set of materials is older, from the Science Education Initiative team (including C. Wieman, K. Perkins, S. McKagan, N. Finkelstein, and many others). It includes materials from multiple instutions dating back to 2009, and includes some homework and exam materials, lecture notes and slides, and more.
The second set of materials is from a recent implementation of the course at CU Boulder by Noah Finkelstein.
Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey (QMCS) assesses conceptual material typically taught in modern physics. Topics include wave functions, probability, wave-particle duality, uncertainty principle, infinite square well, one-dimensional tunneling, energy levels. You can learn more and download the assessment from PhysPort using the link above.
The archived modern physics materials are available together as a package in the Materials tab. The course calendar below (for SP11 - with SR) is the simplest way to browse the most current materials - the Materials download (above) contains the files.
Written homework was assigned on Tuesdays, and due at the beginning of class on the Thursday in the following week (i.e., 10 days later). Students were expected to complete the readings before the lecture.
WEEK |
Tuesday Lecture | Thursday Lecture | Homework |
1 |
(No class) | 1. Introduction, math review |
HW 1 |
2 |
2. E&M review, waves & wave equations |
3. Interference, polarization, |
HW 2 |
3 |
4. Michelson-Morley experiment, SR postulates |
5. Time dilation, length contraction |
HW 3 |
4 |
6. Lorentz transformations, spacetime, addition of velocities |
7. Relativistic momentum, energy |
No HW |
5 |
8. Modeling in physics, intro to quantum |
Exam 1 |
HW 4 |
6 |
9. Photoelectric effect 1 |
10. Photoelectric effect 2, photons |
HW 5 |
7 |
11. Photons, atomic spectra |
12. Lasers |
HW 6 |
8 |
13. Bohr model, de Broglie waves |
14. Stern-Gerlach experiments |
HW 7 + |
9 |
15. Repeated spin measurements, probability |
16. Entanglement, EPR, quantum cryptography |
HW 8 + |
10 |
17. Single-photon experiments, complementarity |
18. Electron diffraction, matter waves, |
HW 9 + |
11 |
19. Matter waves, Review for Exam 2 |
Exam 2 |
No HW |
12 |
20. Wave equations, Schrodinger equation, |
21. Infinite/finite square well, tunneling |
HW 10 |
13 |
22. Tunneling, alpha-decay |
23. Radioactivity, STM's |
HW 11 |
14 |
24. Hydrogen atom 1 |
25. Hydrogen atom 2 |
HW 12 |
15 |
26. Multi-electron atoms, periodic table, |
Exam 3 |
No HW |
16 |
27. Molecular bonding, Bose-Einstein Condensates |
Review |
(Final Exam) |
The online simulations listed below were used in both lectures and homeworks for the Spring 2011 modern physics course at CSM. Most of these links lead directly to the PhET Interactive Simulations project, online simulations developed at the University of Colorado, many of them specifically for this course. There are a number of sims for all kinds of quantum phenomena that we didn't use, as well as general physics content. We would also recommend the simulations from the The Quantum Mechanics Visualisation Project at the University of St Andrews.
Note that some older sims are java or flash. (Your mileage may vary running those on modern browsers - if you want to use these in classes be aware that e.g. some will not work on phones or pads)
Weeks 1-2: (Pre-Quantum)
Special Relativity:
We're aware of only a few simulations for topics from special relativity [please let us know about ones you think are good]. The special relativity lecture slides (CSM SP11) are nicely animated, but not particularly interactive. We have not tested them with students, but there are some interesting visualizations at:
Week 6:
Week 7:
Week 8:
Week 10:
Week 13:
Week 14:
(This is an early draft from 2006)
Selected topical learning goals for Phys 2130
1. Wave function and probability
2. Wave-particle duality
3. Schrodinger Equation
4. Quantization of energy/quantum numbers/unique states
5.Uncertainty principle
6. Superposition
7. Operators and observables
8. Measurement
The papers linked below explain much of the process and rationale behind the transformations. The first part (2006) reports on the state of affairs following the first year of the process, after the course had been taught twice (in the FA05 and SP06 semesters). The second part (2011) details additional changes that were made to the materials as part of Charles Baily's dissertation project on quantum perspectives.
At CU Boulder, sophomore Classical Mechanics spans two semesters, explicitly adding coverage of a number of math tools that will be (re)encountered throughout the remainder of a typical physics major's career, introducing them in the context of Classical Mechanics.
Classical Mechanics/Math Methods 1 includes Newton's laws with velocity dependent forces, rockets, energy and gravity, and oscillations with damping and drivers. Classical Mechanics/Math Methods 2 continues with Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism, rigid body rotation, normal modes, orbits, non-inertial frames, linear algebra and matrix methods, and calculus of variations.
The Classical Mechanics 1 course was developed through the Science Education Initiative starting in 2009 with work from S. Pollock, S. Chasteen, R. Pepper, A. Marino, D. Caballero and many others.
The course was updated by S. Pollock and E. Neil with additional in-class tutorials and lecture notes in 2022. The Classical Mechanics 2 course was developed by several faculty at CU who shared their materials, especially E. Neil, and is not associated with any education research projects.
For details about either semester, click on the appropriate course link above.
E&M at CU is a two-semester sequence of junior-level classical electricity and magnetism.
Content coverage follows the textbook of Griffiths, Introduction to Electrodynamics)
E&M 1 covers electro- and magnetostatics, roughly Ch 1-6 of Griffiths.
E&M 2 covers electrodynamics, roughly Ch 7-12 of Griffiths.
For details about either semester, click on the appropriate course link above.
Reformed course materials were developed through the Science Education Initiative starting in 2007 with work from S. Pollock, S. Chasteen, M. Dubson, C. Baily, X. Ryan and many others.
Quantum Mechanics 1 is the first semester of our two-semester sequence of quantum mechanics.
This tab contains links to materials for a variety of (mostly) undergraduate courses offered at CU Boulder.
Materials in this page are not "research-validated", they did not arise from the Science Education Initiative. They are a collection of informal materials that might prove useful if you are teaching a student-centered large University-level course.
Use what you like - give credit to sources when feasible. We ask that you do not use our materials for commercial purposes. We also ask for your cooperation in not making any solutions you may create for the homework (and exam problems, clicker questions, etc…) available on the open web, out of respect for instructors and students at other institutions, and for maintaining the integrity of our research.
Our material sets include concept tests and lecture notes, and sometimes more (e.g. course goals, etc) Courses are identified by topic, with details in each tab.
We teach a variety of introductory courses at CU. The calculus-based sequence (Phys 1110, largely engineers) serves over 1000 students/semester, split into sections of 300 (3x 50 minutes/week), and recitations (1x 50 minutes of UW Tutorials) of 28 students. A very similar course for our majors serves (Phys 1115) about 125 students/year, same format.
The main Physics 1 download is from a recent implementation of the major's course.
Materials should still be useful for any calculus-based course (and with modification, an algebra-based course, as we don't require Calculus as a prerequisite, so we use minimal amounts of it)
These materials are research-informed but not research-validated. Primary contributors are S. Pollock, M. Dubson, and D. Bolton, with contributions from many others.
Physics 2 is Electricity and Magnetism.
We teach a variety of introductory E&M courses courses at CU. The calculus-based sequence (Phys 1120, largely for engineers) serves just under 1000 students/semester, split into sections of ~300 (3x 50 minutes/week), and recitations (1x 50 minutes of UW Tutorials) of 28 students. A very similar course (Phys 1125) for our majors serves about 125 students/year, same format.
We have an (old) collection of materials from an implementation in 2007, working on some updates.
Still coming - please check back (or contact steven.pollock (at) colorado.edu if you are in a hurry!)
These materials are research-informed but not research-validated. Primary contributors are S. Pollock, M. Dubson, and D. Bolton, with contributions from many others.
Materials from a graduate level course at CUB on Physics Education Research (cross-listed for advance undergraduates) Designed by Noah Finkelstein.
Still coming - please check back (or contact steven.pollock (at) colorado.edu if you are in a hurry!)
We teach an interactive large-lecture course called "Light and Color" to about 100 students/term, mostly non-science majors. The course is an introduction to the science of optics, with no prerequisites (and very light on math or formalism). It uses a variety of readings, including from a (free) OpenStax textbook (College Physics 2e).
Downloads below are from a recent implementation taught by B. Wilcox.
The materials are (largely) not research-validated, but were inspired in part by earlier course transformations at CU Boulder from 2010-2017 taught by Stephanie Chasteen, CharlesRogers, Katie Hinko, and Cindy Regal, with contributions from other instructors.
This course is a large introductory level class aimed at non-science majors. The materials shared here are not research-based in any way, just some materials from when S. Pollock taught the course in 2007.
We teach a senior-level thermodynamics and statistical mechanics course for physics majors, following the textbook "Introduction to Thermal Physics," by Daniel Schroeder.
Materials are not research-validated, merely shared by faculty at CU including Michael Dubson, M. Hermele, V. Gurarie, and most recently Bethany Wilcox (whose latest version is featured in the download) The course has interactive elements (clicker questions, and in-class Tutorials) developed by various faculty.
After his PhD and postdoc at CU Boulder, Charles Baily taught a single-semester combined course with E&M 1 and 2 materials put together (at St. Andrews). The materials her are from his one-term combined course include exams, homework, lecture notes, and lecture slides.
Feel free to use what you like - we would like to share materials, but also believe in giving credit to sources whenever possible. We ask for your cooperation in not making any solutions you may create for the homework (and exam problems, clicker questions, etc…) available on the open web, out of respect for instructors and students at other institutions, and for maintaining the integrity of our research.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Works borrowed or adapted from others are subject to their respective licenses.
This material is based upon work supported by the University of Colorado, The Hewlett Foundation, and the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers DUE 1023028, DUE 0737118, PHY 0748742, and CAREER 0448176. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.