58勛圖

PH4032 Special Relativity and Fields

Academic year

2026 to 2027 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

15

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Not automatically available to General Degree students

Module description

The module analyses classical fields in physics such as the electromagnetic field. Fields are natural ingredients of relativity, because they serve to communicate forces with a finite velocity (the speed of light). The module covers the tensor formalism of special relativity, relativistic dynamics, the Lorentz force, Maxwell's equations, retarded potentials, symmetries and conservation laws, and concludes with an outlook to general relativity.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS PH3007 AND PASS PH3081 AND PASS PH4038

Assessment pattern

2-hour Written Examination = 75%, Coursework (assessed tutorial questions) = 25%

Re-assessment

Oral Re-assessment, capped at grade 7

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

3 lectures or tutorials.

Scheduled learning hours

30

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

120

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • master basic tensor analysis and be able to manipulate tensors and tensor equation in the context of special relativity problems.
  • understand, be able to derive and apply Lorentz transformations of physical quantities in different areas of physics.
  • use Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism to solve relativistic mechanics problems.
  • use Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalism to understand relativistic aspects in electromagnetism. Be able to characterise motion of charged particle in electromagnetic field.
  • be able to derive and apply the Maxwell's equations in tensor form in relativistic context. Become familiar with the classical field theory.
  • understand basic concepts in relativistic quantum mechanics. Be able to derive, manipulate and apply the Dirac equation for a charged particle. Understand the notion of spinor and its difference to a wave function as solution of the Schroedinger equation.