Guide to module selection booklet

formation of rocks and minerals.Quantification of resources: minerals,

oil, gas, coal, wind, biomass, marine energy. Theory of Peak Oil and

the Hubbert Curve. The Solar System: the Earths relationship to the

Sun, Moon and other bodies of the solar system. Earth, air and water

interactions: The structure and composition of the atmosphere. The

effects of atmospheric convection, atmospheric dust and cloud cover,

rotation of the Earth on global climates and season. The radiation,

conduction and convection and their effects on weather and climate.

Transer of heat energy to the patterns of wind belts. Moisture, clouds

and precipitation. Running water and groundwater. Oceans past and

present: Transfer of solar energy to ocean currents and waves. Climate

modelling: Collection and use of data to predict the weather. Climate

changes that have occurred over the millennia.

power, conservation of energy, potential. Conservation of momentum,

collisions. Gravity, Kelper's laws. Electricity: electric field, charge,

Coulomb's law, Gauss's law. Electric potential. Capacitance. Ohm's

law, resistance, KirchhoffÆs Laws, dc circuit analysis; Joule heating.

RC circuits. Magnetism: magnetic field, magnetic force and torque,

the galvanometer. Electromagnetic Induction,. Faraday's law, Lenz's

law, the generator and motor, back emf.

credits; 6

Electromagnetic energy transport: EM waves, Poynting vector. Light

in a dielectric: electron-oscillator model, refraction, absorption. Light

at an interface: refraction, reflection, Fresnel equations. Polarization:

polarisation states, Malus¿s law, birefringence, wave plates and

compensators, optical activity, photoelasticity. Interferometry:

wavefront splitting interferometers, amplitude splitting

interferometers, multiple beam interference, applications. Diffraction:

Frauhofer diffraction, Fresnel diffraction, Kirchoffs scalar diffraction

theory. Fourier optics: Fourier transforms, optical applications.

Coherence: visibility and mutual coherence. Contemporary optics:

lasers, fibre optics, holography, nonlinear optics.

and model building. Density and atomic mass. Quantities, variables

and relationships, dimensions and dimensional analysis, scientific

notation, orders of magnitude and their estimation, problem solving.

Experimental error: accuracy and precision, systematic and random

errors, combination and propagation of error, significant figures.

Elementary statistical treatment of random errors: standard deviation

and standard error, the standard and Gaussian distributions, the method

of least squares. Static equilibrium and elasticity: the conditions for

equilibrium. Elastic and thermal properties of solids: stress and strain,

thermal expansion, Hooke¿s law, Young¿s modulus, shear modulus,

bulk modulus. Fluid mechanics: pressure, variation of pressure with

depth, pressure measurements. Buoyant forces and Archimedes'

principle. Fluid dynamics: Bernoulli's equation, other applications of

fluid dynamics. The kinetic theory of gases: molecular model of an

ideal gas, non-ideal gases, equipartition of energy. Heat transfer:

6
This module provides an understanding of the basic concepts of the

mechanical, thermal, electrical and magnetic properties of matter,

knowledge of which is the foundation of the engineering and

technology on which our present society is dependent. The principles

covered in this course find application throughout the students degree

programme. The principles are a key foundation of the degree

programme and are extensively developed in theory and practice in the

subsequent years of the programme.
PH4161 – Atomic / Molecular / Laser Physics
Atomic structure: the hydrogen atom, energy level diagram and the origin of spectra, many-electron atoms, the influence of external fields, hyperfine structure, isotopic shifts, the shell model, X-ray spectra. Molecules: diatomic molecules, vibrational and rotational states, complex molecules, vibrational modes. Molecular emission and absorption spectra in the visible and infrared. Fundamentals of laser action: cavities, laser media, gain, losses, cavity linewidths, broadening mechanisms. Spatial and temporal properties: Gaussian beams, cavity modes, mode locking and Q switching, solid state lasers. Laser Applications: industrial, medical, data storage, holography and holographic techniques, laser safety.
PH4171 – Mechanics
7 hours per week; 13 weeks/1st semester; 26L/39L/26T; ECTS credits;

6
The purpose of this module is to enhance students¿ understanding of

key concepts and models associated with classical mechanics,

vibrations and waves. The objectives are to develop the mechanics of

single particles and of systems of particles including vibrations and

waves and rigid bodies, and to introduce Lagrangian and Hamiltonian

methods which also provide background for quantum mechanics.
PH4181 Introduction to Energy
Introduction - Why energy matters? What do we use energy for?

Where does our energy come from? Order of magnitude, example of

the two extremes. Energy demand, transport/domestic and industrial.

Current Ireland and European energy policies, issues raised. Case

study, Ireland and France energy use and generation. Ireland as a

global hub of marine energy? Global warming and climate change.

Overview of renewable, wind/wave/hydro/solar/biomass. Large scale

alternatives, nuclear power and carbon capture and storage. Beginning

with the vague description of energy as something we pay for, the

product of fuel, we proceed to fuller descriptions in which the meaning

and measurement and use of energy will become definite. Introduce

the historical evolutions of concept of work and energy through the

work of the davy, joule, watt etc. Measurement, units for energy,

machines and mechanical advantage without energy efficiency.

Perpetual motion, first law of Thermodynamics, Carnot cycle.

Mechanical equivalent of heat. Forms of energy, gravitational

potential energy, elastic or strain energy, kinetic energy, heat and

molecules, chemical energy, food, rotational energy, electric energy,

magnetic energy, electromagnetic energy, wave energy, nuclear

energy. Conservation of energy. Uses of energy, ordered energy,

disordered, entropy. Every two/three weeks debate between 2 groups

over major issues e.g. increase energy production vs change behaviour

to save energy, preserve beauty of coast line vs increase quantity of

onshore turbine, how do we know that an energy system is reliable, of

low risk, economically viable, socially compatible and resilient in the

face of natural catastrophes.