Atomic and Molecular Physics, 7.5 ECTS
First levelFacts
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One- and multi-electron atoms are studied quantum mechanically, where the effects due to spin, the fine-structure, and the hyperfine structure are also taken into consideration. Time-dependent perturbation theory is discussed in detail, and used to describe both the fine-structure and Zeeman effects in atoms. The physical basis for the binding in diatomic molecules and simple polyatomic molecules is discussed. The fundamental approximations which underpin the theoretical descriptions of molecules are studied. The variational principle is used to calculate atomic and molecular wave functions. The interaction of atoms and molecules with electromagnetic radiation is studied and the selection rules governing these interactions discussed.
Area of interests: Science and Mathematics
Science and mathematics help us understand how the world around us is connected – from the origin and structure of the universe, to the development and function of humanity and all other organisms on earth. Scientific knowledge makes it possible to critically examine the credibility of information in different areas of everyday life, society, and the media. As a scientist or mathematician, you will be attractive on a large job market that covers all parts of society and includes everything from pure technology companies to environment and healthcare, as well as research.
Subject
Physics
Physics deals with ‘matter and its motion’ as well as ‘space and time’. Important concepts are then force, energy, mass and charge. It is an experimental science and its goal is to understand the natural world. The interplay with theoretical model building and experimental work is then important. It is an old science subfield and it developed through the subfield of astronomy to which it is strongly related. The ‘modern’ science discipline physics developed during the 17th century when it diverged from disciplines like mathematics, biology and chemistry. Today one can see that the boundaries between these fields of science are more difficult to define again. Today, physics is a broad and highly developed subject. Research is divided into many subfields: condensed matter physics; atomic, molecular, nuclear and optical physics; high energy physics, elementary particle physics and astrophysics. At Fysikum there are research groups in all the main areas of physics. There is a number of open questions in physics. Mainly physics is studied in study programs at Stockholm University but we have also a lot of separate courses. There is a Bachelors of Science programme in Physics and three masters programmes in respectively Physics, Theoretical Physics and Computational Physics. The teaching of the masters programmes are in English. In the B.Sc programme English textbooks are used extensively.