Topics in engineering physics textbooks

A process in finding the skeleton of engineering physics for a course

Sparisoma Viridi
5 min readFeb 11, 2024
Photo by Dan Cristian Pădureț on Unsplash

I am interested in knowing what topics studied in engineering physics since I do not quite understand the difference between it and physics, the science counter part. In this story topics found in some textbooks about engineering physics are listed. Please comment if you have any suggestion about what topics should be studied in engineering physics.

Aithal & Ravindra (2011)

  • Modern Physics: Blackbody Radiation Spectrum, Photo-electric Effect, Compton Effect, Wave Particle Dualism, Matter Waves and their Characteristic Properties;
  • Quantum Mechanics: Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle and its Physical Significance, Application of Uncertainty Principle, Wave function, Properties and Physical Significance, Probability Density and Normalization of Wave Function, Setting up of a One Dimensional, Time Independent, Schrödinger Wave Equation, Application of Schrödinger Wave Equation;
  • Electrical Conductivity in Metals: Properties of Metals, Classical Free Electron Theory, Quantum Free-electron Theory;
  • Dielectric and Magnetic Properties of Materials: Dielectric Constant and Polarization of Dielectric Materials, Types of Polarization, Equation for Internal fields in Liquids and Solids, Classius–Mussoti Equation, Frequency dependence of dielectric constant, Ferro and Piezo — electricity, Important Applications of Dielectric Materials, Classification of Magnetic Materials, Hysteresis in Ferromagnetic Materials, Soft and Hard Magnetic Materials;
  • Laser: Characteristics of Laser, Principle and Production of Laser, He-Ne Laser, Semiconductor Laser, Application of Laser, Holography;
  • Optical Fibers and Superconductivity: Introduction to Optical Fiber, Types of Optical Fibers, Propagation Mechanism in Optical Fibers, Attenuation in Fibers, Applications of Optical Fibers, Introduction to Superconductivity, Effect of Magnetic Field, BCS Theory, High Temperature Superconductors, Applications of Superconductors;
  • Crystal Structures: Introduction, Space Lattice, Crystal Systems, Direction and Planes in a Crystal, Co–ordination Number, Atomic Packing Factor, Bragg’s Law;
  • Material Science: Introduction to Nano-Science and Nano-Technology, Nano-Materials, Shapes of Nano-Materials, Characterization, Wonders of Nano-Technology, Applications of Nanotechnology, Ultrasonic Waves & Non-Destructive Testing of Materials, Measurements of Velocity in Solids and Liquids;

Avadhanulu & Kshirsagar (2010)

(1) Oscillation and Waves; (2) Electrostatics; (3) Magnetostatics and Electrodynamics; (4) Electromagnetic Waves; (5) Light; (6) Interference; (7) Diffraction; (8) Polarization; (9) Optical Activity; (10) Optical Fibers; (11) Architectural Acoustics; (12) Ultrasonics; (13) Electron Emission; (14) Electron Ballistics; (15) Electron Optics; (16) Elements of Thermodynamics; (17) Thermoelectricity; (18) Special Theory of Relativity; (19) Atomic Physics; (20) Quantum Mechanics; (21) Atomic Nucleus and Nuclear Energy; (22) Cosmic Rays and Elementary Particles; (23) Nuclear Instruments; (24) Lasers; (25) Holography; (26) Crystal Structures; (27) Crystal Defects; (28) Conductors; (29) Band Theory of Solids; (30) Semiconductors; (31) Semiconductor Diodes; (32) Bipolar Junction Transistor; (33) Dielectrics, (34) Magnetic Materials; (35) Superconductivity; (36) Modern Engineering Materials; (37) Non Destructive Testing; (38) Vacuum Technology; (39) Nanotechnology; (40) Geometrical Optics.

Khan & Panigrahi (2017)

  • (1) Oscillation and Waves; (2) Interference; (3) Diffraction; (4) Polarization; (5) Electromagnetism; (6) Electromagnetic Waves; (7) Elementary Concepts of Quantum Physics; (8) Applications of Quantum Mechanics; (9) Special Theory of Relativity; (10) Architectural Acoustics; (11) Ultrasonics; (12) Non-Destructive Testing; (13) Nuclear Accelerators; (14) Holography;
  • (1) Crystal Structure; (2) Defects in Crystals; (3) X-rays; (4) Bonding in Solids; (5) Magnetic Properties of Materials; (6) Suparconductivity; (7) Optical Properties of Materials; (8) Optoelectronics Devices; (9) Dielectric Materials; (10) Electronic Theory of Solids; (11) Energy Bands in Solids; (12) Semiconductors; (13) Nano Structure and Thin Films.

Malik & Singh (2018)

(1) Interference; (2) Diffraction; (3) Polarisation (4) Lasers and Holography; (5) Fibre Optics; (6) Electron Optics; (7) Waves and Oscillations; (8) Simple Harmonic Motion and Sound Waves; (9) Sound Waves and Acoustics of Buildings; (10) Dielectrics; (11) Electromagnetism; (12) Theory of Relativity; (13) Applied Nuclear Physics; (14) Crystal Structure; (15) Development of Quantum Mechanics; (16) Quantum Mechanics; (17) Free Electron Theory; (18) Band Theory of Solids and Photoconductivity; (19) Magnetic Properties of Solids; (20) Superconductivity; (21) X-Rays; (22) Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Mukherji (2006)

  • (1) Crystallography and Crystal Imperfection; (2) Thermoelectricity; (3) Thermionic Emission; (4) Ultrasonic; (5) Acoustics; (6) Semiconductors; (7) Magnetic Materials;
  • (1) Interference, Diffraction and Polarisation; (2) X-Rays; (3) Motion of the Charged Particle in Electric and Magnetic Field; (4) Quantum Physics and Schrödinger Wave Equation; (5) Laser, Holography and Fiber Optics; (6) Radioactivity and Nuclear Reactions; (7) Superconductivity;

Sharma & Sharma (2018)

(1) Basic Concepts; (2) Properties of Matter; (3) Thermal Physics; (4) Oscillations and Waves; (5) Diffraction; (6) Interference; (7) Polarization; (8) Special Theory of Relativity; (9) Ultrasonics; (10) Shock Waves; (11) Acoustics; (12) Wave Particle Duality and Uncertainty; (13) Quantum Mechanics; (14) Lasers; (15) Holography; (16) Photonics and Fiber Optics; (17) Electrostatics; (18) Electromagnetic Theory; (19) Dielectric Materials; (20) Magnetic Materials; (21) X-ray Crystallography; (22) Crystal Structure; (23) Solid State Materials; (24) Semiconducting Material; (25) Semiconductor Devices; (26) Nanotechnology; (27) Superconductors; (28) Non-Destructive Testing; (29) Electron Optics; (30) Atomic Structure; (31) X-ray Physics; (32) Radioactivity; (33) Interaction of Radiation with Matter; (34) Nuclear Physics; (35) Nuclear Fission and Fusion; (36) Particle Accelerators; (37) Nuclear Radiation Detectors; (38) Nuclear Reactor Physics; (39) Analytical Instruments.

Overlaps

From studied textbooks following are the overlaps, while table of contents are skimmed. Reading in detail for all books are not performed nor necessary at this stage.

The top topics overlap are polarization, holography, crystal structure, and quantum mechanics. The last is surprised me a lot . Then, perhaps the difference between Physics and Engineering Physics must be also discussed in brief.

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