63100801 Methods of Physics

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Liberal Arts Education Program

Lecture Code 63100801 Subject Classification Area Courses

Subject Name Methods of Physics

Subject Name
（Katakana）

Subject Name in
English Methods of Physics

Instructor TANAKA SHINPEI

Instructor
(Katakana) タナカ　シンペイ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 1st-Year, Second Semester, 3Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (3T) Thur1-4：IAS K105

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Lecture materials are uploaded in Moodle. Read them and solve given exercises. Questions are welcome, and answered via Moodle.

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction E : English

Course Level 1 : Undergraduate Introductory

Course Area（Area） 25 : Science and Technology

Course Area（Discipline） 06 : Physics

Eligible Students

Keywords Modeling, Dimensional analysis, Scaling, Measurement & uncertainty, Physical quantities, Numerical simulation

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status within
Liberal Arts Education Area Courses（Courses in Natural Sciences)　Category：Physics / Astronomy / Applied Physics
Expected Outcome By the end of the course, students will be able to:
* Build simple physics models from real phenomena and make testable predictions.
* Use units, scaling, and Fermi estimates to check formulas and identify dominant effects.
* Understand key quantities like energy and entropy and how they organize physical thinking.
* Design basic measurements and analyze data with calibration and uncertainty (plots, simple fits).

Class Objectives
/Class Outline Methods of Physics is a first-year course on how physicists build reliable knowledge from observations. Students learn modeling basics, key organizing quantities (energy, entropy, temperature, heat capacity), and practical tools like units, scaling, and order-of-magnitude estimates. The course also covers experimental measurement (calibration, uncertainty), data analysis (plots and fitting), and indirect methods such as fluctuation/response, plus a gentle introduction to numerical simulation and reproducible workflows.

Class Schedule 1. What is a “method” in physics? Modeling and the scientific cycle
2. Units, dimensions, and nondimensionalization
3. Key physical quantities in science: energy, entropy, temperature, heat capacity, potentials
4. Scaling, approximation, and regimes
5. Order-of-magnitude estimation and sanity checks (Fermi problems)
6. Experimental design: controls, operational definitions, reproducibility
7. Measurement and calibration: instruments, resolution, systematic vs random errors
8. Uncertainty and error propagation; significant figures
9. Data visualization: choosing plots (log plots, linearization)
10. Data fitting and model checking (residuals, overfitting)
11. Fluctuations as a measurement tool (noise, variance, correlation time)
12. Response as a measurement tool (linear response, step/sine response, time constants)
13. Fluctuation–response connection (conceptual applications to material properties)
14. Differential equations as physics models (relaxation, stability, driven systems)
15. Numerical methods and simulation workflow (discretization, stability, Monte Carlo, reproducibility)

Text/Reference
Books,etc. Textbooks are introduced in the lecture.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Handouts, Visual Materials, moodle

(More Details) Textbooks and handouts

Learning techniques to be incorporated

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Solve all the exercises given in the lecture. Ask question both in the lecture and after lecture whenever you have problems to understand the concepts.

Requirements It is recommended to take Principles of Physics before taking this lecture.

Grading Method Understandings of each topic are evaluated by the final examination and reports on exercises.

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Liberal Arts Education Program
Lecture Code	63100801	Subject Classification	Area Courses
Subject Name	Methods of Physics
Subject Name （Katakana）
Subject Name in English	Methods of Physics
Instructor	TANAKA SHINPEI
Instructor (Katakana)	タナカ　シンペイ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	1st-Year, Second Semester, 3Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(3T) Thur1-4：IAS K105
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face
Lecture materials are uploaded in Moodle. Read them and solve given exercises. Questions are welcome, and answered via Moodle.
Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	E : English
Course Level	1 : Undergraduate Introductory
Course Area（Area）	25 : Science and Technology
Course Area（Discipline）	06 : Physics
Eligible Students
Keywords	Modeling, Dimensional analysis, Scaling, Measurement & uncertainty, Physical quantities, Numerical simulation
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Liberal Arts Education	Area Courses（Courses in Natural Sciences)　Category：Physics / Astronomy / Applied Physics
Expected Outcome	By the end of the course, students will be able to: * Build simple physics models from real phenomena and make testable predictions. * Use units, scaling, and Fermi estimates to check formulas and identify dominant effects. * Understand key quantities like energy and entropy and how they organize physical thinking. * Design basic measurements and analyze data with calibration and uncertainty (plots, simple fits).
Class Objectives /Class Outline	Methods of Physics is a first-year course on how physicists build reliable knowledge from observations. Students learn modeling basics, key organizing quantities (energy, entropy, temperature, heat capacity), and practical tools like units, scaling, and order-of-magnitude estimates. The course also covers experimental measurement (calibration, uncertainty), data analysis (plots and fitting), and indirect methods such as fluctuation/response, plus a gentle introduction to numerical simulation and reproducible workflows.
Class Schedule	1. What is a “method” in physics? Modeling and the scientific cycle 2. Units, dimensions, and nondimensionalization 3. Key physical quantities in science: energy, entropy, temperature, heat capacity, potentials 4. Scaling, approximation, and regimes 5. Order-of-magnitude estimation and sanity checks (Fermi problems) 6. Experimental design: controls, operational definitions, reproducibility 7. Measurement and calibration: instruments, resolution, systematic vs random errors 8. Uncertainty and error propagation; significant figures 9. Data visualization: choosing plots (log plots, linearization) 10. Data fitting and model checking (residuals, overfitting) 11. Fluctuations as a measurement tool (noise, variance, correlation time) 12. Response as a measurement tool (linear response, step/sine response, time constants) 13. Fluctuation–response connection (conceptual applications to material properties) 14. Differential equations as physics models (relaxation, stability, driven systems) 15. Numerical methods and simulation workflow (discretization, stability, Monte Carlo, reproducibility)
Text/Reference Books,etc.	Textbooks are introduced in the lecture.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Handouts, Visual Materials, moodle
(More Details)	Textbooks and handouts
Learning techniques to be incorporated
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Solve all the exercises given in the lecture. Ask question both in the lecture and after lecture whenever you have problems to understand the concepts.
Requirements	It is recommended to take Principles of Physics before taking this lecture.
Grading Method	Understandings of each topic are evaluated by the final examination and reports on exercises.
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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