PHY 107 Class 13: 9/30/09 Previous class –Customized curve fitting with KaleidaGraph –Good communication skills Homework Week #7 –see –Due Monday 10/5/09; 3:00 pm

Announcements Physics Colloquium #3 Dr. Zhili Xiao, NIU and Argonne Nat’l. Lab. ”Superconductivity of Nanoscale Materials” –Thursday, October 15, 2009, 4:00 pm, MLT 210

Announcements 2 Physics Department Picnic People’s Park –On University St. between parking garage and Beaufort St. Sign up for free food in MLT 311 before Friday, 10/2 Sign the list at the picnic, drop an extra HW grade, IF you talk to me long enough to help me learn your name Play some volleyball, get to know your colleagues –Wednesday, October 7, 2009, 4:30 - 7:00

Using Mathematica Physics department has 25 licenses - can be accessed from departmental computer labs What the software does  Almost anything... Calculator, algebra, calculus, vector calculus, differential equations, tranforms, special functions, etc. Numerical calculations, simulations, cellular automata, etc. Graphics, animation, audio, video, etc.

Using Mathematica 2 Sounds great, what’s the downside?  Mathematica has a long learning curve  It may be slower than a well-written C or Fortran program  It’s not cheap (unless you’re a student...) How do I access Mathematica?  The same way you use any application Log on to a Physics department computer Locate Mathematica in the Applications folder or in the Dock

Using Mathematica 3 How do I learn how to use it?  Download the Intro to Mathematica notebook from the PHY 107 course webpage  Go through it and try each command  Use the online Help (it’s actually pretty good)  Use the “BIG Book” in MLT 308 computer lab  Come to class today and see it in action Download the Intro to Mathematica 