Numerical Methods in Physics

About

The course is a hands-on introduction to the numerical and computational techniques used in modern physics. While most bachelor level physics courses present examples where there exist elegant analytical solutions, most real-world problems are solved with the help of computers and numerical techniques.

Focus will be on the application of numerical methods to example problems, but will also touch upon the theoretical foundations of many of these methods.

Course leader

Mathias Spliid Heltber

Target group

Bachelor students

Course aim

Knowledge:

The student will be able to recognise the different approaches that can be used to tackle a problem numerically and will understand the differences between using explicit vs. implicit time-stepping. The student will understand and be able to employ finite difference methods. The student will also be familiar with the existence of grid-free approaches such as spectral methods, and will be able to do simple stochastic simulations.

Skills:

After the course the students will be able to program numerical methods for solving numerous problems that arise in physics. These include:

Initial-value and boundary-value problems for Ordinary Differential Equations
Partial Differential Equations
Stochastic Simulations

Competences:

The student will gain some overview of numerical tools frequently used in modern physics. In addition, the student will be aware of potential caveats and will be able to better direct themselves in the extensive literature on numerical and computational techniques.

Fee info