NIET

B. Tech Physics

Dr Satish Teotia
Asst. Prof. Dept. of Physics
NIET, NIMS University
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UNIT – 1 : Relativistic Mechanics

Frame of reference, Inertial & non-inertial frames, Galilean transformations,
Michelson Morley experiment, Postulates of special theory of relativity, Lorentz
transformations, Length contraction, Time dilation, Velocity addition theorem,
Variation of mass with velocity, Einstein’s mass energy relation, Relativistic relation
between energy and momentum, Massless particle.

UNIT – 2 : Electromagnetic Field Theory

Continuity equation for current density, Displacement current, Modifying equation
for the curl of magnetic field to satisfy continuity equation, Maxwell’s equations in
vacuum and in non-conducting medium, Energy in an electromagnetic field,
Poynting vector and Poynting theorem, Plane electromagnetic waves in vacuum and
their transverse nature. Relation between electric and magnetic fields of an
electromagnetic wave, Energy and momentum carried by electromagnetic waves,
Resultant pressure, Skin depth.
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UNIT – 3 : Quantum Mechanics:
Introduction to quantum Mechanics, Wave-particle duality, Matter waves,
Heisenberg’s uncertainty Principle, Wave function and basic postulates, Time
dependent and time independent Schrodinger’s Wave Equation, Physical
interpretation of wave function and its properties, Applications of the Schrodinger’s
Equation: Particle in one dimensional box.
UNIT – 4 : Wave Optics:
Coherent sources, Interference in uniform and wedge shaped thin films, Newton’s
Rings and its applications. Fraunhoffer diffraction at single slit and at double slit,
Diffraction grating, Dispersive power, Resolving power of grating, Rayleigh’s
criterion of resolution, Resolving power of grating, X-ray diffraction and Bragg’s
law.
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UNIT – 5 : Fiber Optics & Laser:

Fiber Optics: Introduction to fiber optics, Total internal reflection, Critical angle,
Acceptance angle, Numerical aperture, Normalized frequency, Classification of
fiber, Attenuation and Dispersion in optical fibers. Laser: Absorption of radiation,
Spontaneous and stimulated emission of radiation, Einstein’s coefficients,
Population inversion, Various levels of Laser, Ruby Laser, He-Ne Laser, Laser
applications.
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Frames of Reference,
Inertial and Non- Inertial
Frames
 FRAMES OF REFERENCE NIET

“The frame relative to which the position or the motion

of a body is specified is called the frame of reference.”

The position of other objects is specified relative to the

frame of reference being assumed to be connected
with a rigid body. For this, a convenient point is chosen
as the position vector of the body from the origin.

Generally, the observer is considered to be coinciding

with the origin.
The frame of reference are of two kinds:
1) Inertial frames of reference.
2)Non-inertial frames of reference.
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The frames of reference in which the Newton’s law holds, are

called the inertial frames.

According to Newton’s law, a body not acted upon by any external

force, has an uncelebrated motion.

In other words, if the body is at rest, it remains at rest, but if it is in

motion, it remains moving with the same speed in the same
direction unless an external force is
applied.

Example: If no external force acts on a body, its acceleration

remains zero.
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■ You know that a person sitting on a bus

watching a ball roll across the ground will have
a very different measurement of the ball’s
velocity than a person standing outside the bus
would measure the ball’s velocity.
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That
ball is
moving
at 5km/h

That ball is
moving at
15 km/h

Bus moves at 20km/h

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■ The person inside the bus and the person

outside the bus are measuring from different
frames of reference.
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■ Let’s change things a little…

■ Imagine that you are travelling on the bus with a
ball beside you sitting on the floor. The bus is
moving forward at a constant velocity of 20km/h.

Bus moves at 20km/h

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■ The ball on the floor does not move, which is as

it should be because there is no net force acting
on it and Newton’s first law says that it should
stay resting unless acted on by some force.

The ball is
still. All is
well.

Bus moves at 20km/h

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■ Suddenly, the bus starts to decelerate…

Bus is slowing down

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■Suddenly, the bus starts to decelerate…

… and The ball starts to accelerate toward the
front of the bus...

Wait…
what
the…

Bus is slowing down

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■ Since there is no net force acting on this ball (no

one pushed it) what is going on? Does this
violate Newton’s first law?

The laws of
physics are
deteriorating!

Bus is slowing down

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■ The laws of physics seem to momentarily break

down for you sitting on the bus. In reality, what
has happened is that your frame of reference
has been compromised.
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■ An inertial frame of reference is a frame of

reference in which the law of inertia and other
physics laws are valid.

■ Any frame moving at a constant velocity relative

to another frame is also an inertial frame of
reference.
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■ When the breaks are applied to the bus, the bus

undergoes a negative acceleration. At this
moment, it becomes a non-inertial frame of
reference.

■ A non-inertial frame of reference is a reference

frame in which the law of inertia does not
hold.
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■ Although the ball accelerates toward the front of

the bus, there is no net force causing the
acceleration.
■ But if you are sitting on the bus, you observe the
ball accelerating forward. That would imply to
you as you sit on the bus that there is a net
force forward on the ball.
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■ If you were observing the motion from the road

(which is an inertial frame of reference) the ball
just continues to move forward at the speed it
was already going, and it’s motion is easily
explained by the law of inertia.

■ To an observer in the inertial frame of reference

(the ground) the bus experiences a net force
causing it to decelerate. The ball just continues
it’s forward velocity with no net force.
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■ To explain the ball’s motion if you are sitting on

the bus, you need to invent a force that acts on
the ball toward the front of the bus. This is
called the fictitious force. It is an invented
force that we can use to explain the observed
motion in the accelerated frame of reference.
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Is Earth an inertial or a non-inertial frame of reference

justify your answer?

Earth is an Inertial Reference Frame as it revolves

around the Sun at a constant velocity.

But Earth rotating and at the same time revolving at a

constant velocity is also due to a centripetal
acceleration. So we can conclude that Earth in
accordance with Sun is a Non Inertial Reference
Frame.