Instructor:   Dr. Kevin Knuth
Contact:   kknuth@albany.edu PH 211, 442 - 4653
Office Hours:   Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:35 – 3:35 pm, PH 211
Teaching Assistant: Nabin Malakar

Software: Matlab Release 14 (or later): Student Version

Course Description:
Computational Physics has emerged to stand alongside Theoretical Physics and Experimental Physics to form the three approaches of physics. This course will introduce the principles and practice of computational physics via lectures, readings, written homework and programming homework. The programming language will be in Matlab, which we will introduce as we proceed through the material. We will cover numerical methods and their application to a wide array of physical applications in mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. 3 credits.

Programming Homework:
Each Programming Homework assignment is worth 100 points.
Before turning in, each assignment is graded at -25 points.
Merely turning in a reasonable attempt at the assignment raises the grade to at least a 0.
Assignments are due by the end of the day 5:00pm of the due date.
Assignments turned in after this time will have 10 points deducted from the final score.
Assignments turned in after one week will have 20 points deducted from the final score.
People may discuss their strategies, solutions and code with one another, but COPYING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED and will be dealt with by FAILURE IN THE COURSE.

The program will be a collection of Matlab m-files and word-document style reports.
A. These are to be zipped and emailed to the following address: knuthclass@gmail.com
Each m-file is to be a stand-alone function that can be run on any computer.
To grade the assignment, I will CD to a directory in which I will call your routines.
B. If there are any runtime errors, the assignment will get a 0 score
C. If the help code is missing, the assignment will get a 0 score
D. If the code is not minimally commented, the assignment will get a 0 score
All required code outputs, such as results or figures, should be compiled in a report styled as MS-Word.
Only movies will be allowed to be submitted separately with the m-files and the report.

Aside from the above requirements, programming homework will be graded on the three following factors:
1. Accuracy and Correctness of Solution: 75%
2. Speed: 10%
3. Clarity of Code and Comments: 15%

Exams: There will be an in-class open-book Midterm Exam.
There will be a take-home exam similar in style, but more extensive than the programming homework.

Grading:
Programming HW 50%
Midterm 25%
Final Exam 25%