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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2015/2016

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Physics and Astronomy : Undergraduate (School of Physics and Astronomy)

Undergraduate Course: Geometry and Physics of Soft Condensed Matter (PHYS11055)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Physics and Astronomy CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Year 5 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryIn this course, we explore how to build theories for the complex fluids introduced in the Soft Matter Physics course, often taking examples from the world of biology. Once again, generic features will be emphasised in order to build up a repertoire of theoretical tours that a widely applicable to analysing a diversity of soft materials. Topics covered may vary from year to year depending on the specialisms of the staff involved.
Course description Symmetries and phases of liquid crystals Phases of copolymers
Hydrodynamic theories of complex fluids
Topological defects in liquid crystals and elastic solids Topological properties of DNA: knots and supercoiling
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Introduction to Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS10099)
It is RECOMMENDED that students have passed Soft Condensed Matter Physics (PHYS10097)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2015/16, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 20, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10, Summative Assessment Hours 4, Revision Session Hours 4, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 60 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 80 %, Coursework 20 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) 80% exam 20% coursework
Feedback Not entered
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May)2:00
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that a student will be able to:
1) demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the phases of elastic solids and liquid crystals;
2) write down continuum (hydrodynamic) equations for complex fluids starting from a suitable free energy;
3) be able to identify and describe topological defects in liquid crystals and elastic solids, and explain their consequences on the physics of these materials;
4) demonstrate an understanding of the rheology of complex fluids;
5) discuss the properties of DNA knots and of supercoiled DNA, and their basic con- sequences for DNA physics and enzymology;
6) demonstrate an understanding of the elastic and physical properties of membranes, including examples which are biologically relevant;
7) demonstrate a grasp of the order of magnitude of central quantities and develop confidence with ¿intuitive¿ estimates or ¿back-of-the-envelope¿ calculations based on the concepts of the course.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
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