Self-diagnostic test: Difference between revisions

From Physics Grad Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
← Older edit
No edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
Coming in to Stony Brook's graduate coursework can be a bit disorienting. The core courses are rather difficult for people who have not taken similar difficulty courses in the past, and so former students have compiled a set of characteristic questions from undergraduate textbooks that they believe give a taste of what you will be expected to have seen before.  
Coming in to Stony Brook's graduate coursework can be a bit disorienting. The core courses are rather difficult for people who have not taken similar difficulty courses in the past. Former students have compiled a set of characteristic questions from undergraduate textbooks that they believe give a taste of what you will be expected to have seen before.  


The idea, to some extent, is that if you have significant difficulty understanding or solving these problems then you should schedule knowing that you will likely need to put extra effort into the respective core courses. Some people who are already comfortable with the core course materials are able to take 3 or 4 courses at once in the first semester, but this is often not very fun or healthy or academically advisable - '''so if more than half of these questions are new ideas or highly non-trivial for you then please avoid doing too much in your first semesters.'''
The idea, to some extent, is that if you have significant difficulty understanding or solving these problems, then you should anticipate that you will likely need to put extra effort into the respective core courses. Some people who are already comfortable with the core course materials are able to take 3 or 4 courses at once in the first semester. But this is often not very fun or healthy or academically advisable. '''If more than half of these questions are new ideas or highly non-trivial for you, please avoid doing too much in your first semester(s).'''


==Self-diagnostic test to identify strengths and weaknesses before beginning PhD or Masters coursework==
==Self-diagnostic test to identify strengths and weaknesses before beginning PhD or Masters coursework==
Line 14: Line 14:
** Problem 2.14 - Simple Harmonic Oscillator  
** Problem 2.14 - Simple Harmonic Oscillator  
** Problem 7.1 - Variational Method
** Problem 7.1 - Variational Method
* Zettili Quantum Mechanics (Second Edition) - [https://sbucomps.wordpress.com/ Steven Sagona's comprehensive exam study website has solutions], also [[Quantum_Mechanics|Similar Solutions available in QM comprehensive exam resources]]
* Zettili Quantum Mechanics (Second Edition) - [https://sbucomps.wordpress.com/ Steven Sagona's comprehensive exam study website] has solutions. Similar solutions are also available on the [[Quantum_Mechanics|Quantum Mechanics Comprehensive Exam Resources page]].
** Problem 5.5 - Spin Eigenstates
** Problem 5.5 - Spin Eigenstates


===Electromagnetism===
===Electromagnetism===
* Jackson Electrodynamics (Third Edition) - [[Classical_Electrodynamics|Similar Solutions available in EM comprehensive exam resources]]
* Jackson Electrodynamics (Third Edition) - [[Classical_Electrodynamics|Solutions are available on Electromagnetism Comprehensive Exam Resources page]].
** Problem 1.1 - Basics
** Problem 1.1 - Basics
** Problem 2.1 - Method of Images
** Problem 2.1 - Method of Images
Line 30: Line 30:
** Problem 1.1 - Double Pendulum
** Problem 1.1 - Double Pendulum
** Last question of chapter 2 section 7, page 16 - Conservation of Momentum
** Last question of chapter 2 section 7, page 16 - Conservation of Momentum
* Taylor Classical Mechanics (First Edition) - [[Classical_Mechanics|Similar Solutions available in CM comprehensive exam resources]]
* Taylor Classical Mechanics (First Edition) - [[Classical_Mechanics|Solutions are available in Classical Mechanics Comprehensive Exam Resources page]].
** Problem 5.40 - Resonance  
** Problem 5.40 - Resonance  
** Problem 11.4 - Normal Modes of Coupled Systems
** Problem 11.4 - Normal Modes of Coupled Systems
Line 36: Line 36:
** Problem 3.19 - Orbital Motion
** Problem 3.19 - Orbital Motion
** Problem 8.15 - Hamiltonians and Lagrangians
** Problem 8.15 - Hamiltonians and Lagrangians


===Statistical Mechanics===
===Statistical Mechanics===
* Schroeder Introduction to Thermal Physics (Seventh Edition) - [http://www.physicspages.com/schroeder%20thermal.html PhysicsPages.com Solutions], also [[Statistical_Mechanics|Similar Solutions available in SM comprehensive exam resources]]
* Schroeder Introduction to Thermal Physics (Seventh Edition) - [http://www.physicspages.com/schroeder%20thermal.html PhysicsPages.com Solutions]. [[Statistical_Mechanics|Similar solutions are available on the Statistical Mechanics Comprehensive Exam Resources page]].
** Problem 3.10 - Entropy and Heat
** Problem 3.10 - Entropy and Heat
** Problem 5.12 - Maxwell Relations
** Problem 5.12 - Maxwell Relations

Latest revision as of 21:33, 29 March 2025

Coming in to Stony Brook's graduate coursework can be a bit disorienting. The core courses are rather difficult for people who have not taken similar difficulty courses in the past. Former students have compiled a set of characteristic questions from undergraduate textbooks that they believe give a taste of what you will be expected to have seen before.

The idea, to some extent, is that if you have significant difficulty understanding or solving these problems, then you should anticipate that you will likely need to put extra effort into the respective core courses. Some people who are already comfortable with the core course materials are able to take 3 or 4 courses at once in the first semester. But this is often not very fun or healthy or academically advisable. If more than half of these questions are new ideas or highly non-trivial for you, please avoid doing too much in your first semester(s).

Self-diagnostic test to identify strengths and weaknesses before beginning PhD or Masters coursework

PDF with all the questions listed provided here

Quantum Mechanics

Electromagnetism

Classical Mechanics

  • Landau and Lifshitz Classical Mechanics (Third Edition) - Textbook
    • Problem 1.1 - Double Pendulum
    • Last question of chapter 2 section 7, page 16 - Conservation of Momentum
  • Taylor Classical Mechanics (First Edition) - Solutions are available in Classical Mechanics Comprehensive Exam Resources page.
    • Problem 5.40 - Resonance
    • Problem 11.4 - Normal Modes of Coupled Systems
  • Goldstein Classical Mechanics (Third Edition) - Textbook
    • Problem 3.19 - Orbital Motion
    • Problem 8.15 - Hamiltonians and Lagrangians

Statistical Mechanics

Retrieved from "https://grad08.physics.sunysb.edu/index.php?title=Self-diagnostic_test&oldid=1990"