Universidad de Puerto Rico,
Recinto de Río Piedras
Facultad de Ciencias
Naturales, Departamento de Física
Título: Tópicos Especiales en Física I:
Introduction to Scientific Computing in Python
Código: PHYS
4041
Créditos: 3
Profesor: Julian Velev
Office: Natural Sciences II, C-346
Email: julian.velev@upr.edu
Hours: Tuesday,
Thursday 8:30-9:50; C-311
Office
hours: Tuesday, Thursday 13:00-14:00; C-346
Prerequisites: Sufficient
preparation in calculus and physics to understand the examples. Basic computer
literacy such as text editing, administering the computing environment
(installing applications and libraries), executing code from the command
prompt, etc. Access to a computer where the Python programming environment and
libraries could be installed (preferably a laptop). It is the students’
responsibility to setup their own working Python environment.
Course
description: The goal of this course is to develop basic programming
proficiency for science majors. In class the students will learn the main
programming paradigms: data representation (data types and data structures),
program control (branching and loops); input and output (files and
visualization); error handling (exceptions); and the basics of object-oriented
programming (classes).
This
will be done in the context of examples taken from mathematics, physics,
biology, and economics. The unifying theme of the examples is that they are
statistical in nature. They include numerical methods such as Monte Carlo
integration, Monte Carlo simulations of thermodynamic equilibrium, game theory
and evolutionary game theory. The
students will immediately apply the concepts by implementing the examples in
class and also developing applications at home as homework.
The
course will use the Python programming language because of its remarkable power
coupled with very clean and concise syntax. Python shortens the learning curve
allowing the students to quickly progress to the stage of producing meaningful
applications. At the same time is a very good foundation for those who will
continue to use other programming languages such as C++, Java, and Fortran.
Textbooks:
(1) H. P. Langtangen, A primer on scientific programming with
Python, 5nd edition, (Springer, 2016), ISBN 978-3662498866;
(2) H. P. Langtangen, Python scripting for computational science,
3nd edition, (Springer, 2009), ISBN 978-3540739159
Tentative schedule:
|
Week |
Title |
Reading |
|
1 |
Preliminaries Setup working python environment |
|
|
2 |
Introduction: General introduction to
computing Hands on: Setup the Python
environment. First program |
1.1,2 |
|
3 |
Data structures: Variables. Operators.
Standard data types. Math library Hands on:
Celsius-Fahrenheit conversion; Ball thrown vertically |
1.1,3,6; 6.3 |
|
4 |
Program elements: Branching. Loops Hands on: Calculation of functions
using Taylor expansions |
3.2; 2.1 |
|
|
Assignment 1 (TBA) |
|
|
5 |
Data structures: Tuples and lists Hands on: Celsius-Fahrenheit (table) |
2.2-5; 6.2 |
|
6 |
Data structures: Arrays, strings, and
dictionaries. NumPy library Hands on: Polynomial
evaluation |
5.1,2,5,6 |
|
7 |
Program elements: Functions. Modules Hands on: Numerical differentiation.
Interest rates. |
1.4; 3.1; 4.4 |
|
|
Assignment 2 (TBA) |
|
|
8 |
Input/Output: Standard input/output.
Command line. Files Hands on: Stock returns |
6.1,5; 5.3,4 |
|
9 |
Input/Output: Visualization. Matplotlib
library Hands on: Normal
distribution. Stock returns (plots) |
|
|
10 |
Error handling: Exceptions Hands on: |
4.3 |
|
|
Assignment 3 (TBA) |
|
|
11 |
Numerical methods: Random numbers Hands on: Uniform and normal
distribution histogram |
8.1-3 |
|
12 |
Applications: Monte Carlo sampling Hands on: Numerical
integration. Monte Carlo integration |
8.5 |
|
13 |
Applications: Metropolis Monte Carlo.
Importance sampling Hands on: Ising model |
8.6,7 |
|
14 |
Applications: Game theory.
Evolutionary game theory Hands on: Cournot
duopoly. Hawk-dove game |
|
|
|
Assignment 4 (TBA) |
|
Grading: The grade will be based
on four homework assignments, each contributing 25% of the grade. Collaboration
on the assignments is not allowed unless the project is explicitly assigned to
a group. All assignments will require
the student to produce working codes. The assignments should be submitted in a
report form with introduction, design, implementation and results sections. The
grading scheme is A, B, C, D, F.
University policies:
Los estudiantes que requieren acomodo razonable o reciben
servicios de Rehabilitación Vocacional deben comunicarse con el profesor al
inicio del semestre para planificar el acomodo y equipo necesario conforme a
las recomendaciones de la oficina que atiende los asuntos para personas con
impedimentos en la unidad.
La Universidad de Puerto Rico promueve los más altos estándares de
integridad académica y científica. El artículo 6.2 del Reglamento General de
Estudiantes de la UPR (Certificación Núm. 13, 2009-2010, de la Junta de
Síndicos) establece que "la deshonestidad académica incluye, pero no se limita
a: acciones fraudulentas, la obtención de notas o grados académicos valiéndose
de falsas o fraudulentas simulaciones, copiar total o parcialmente la labor
académica de otra persona, plagiar total o parcialmente el trabajo de otra
persona, copiar total o parcialmente las respuestas de otra persona a las
preguntas de un examen, haciendo o consiguiendo que otro tome en su nombre
cualquier prueba o examen oral o escrito, así como la ayuda o facilitación para
que otra persona incurra en la referida conducta". Cualquiera de estas
acciones estará sujeta a sanciones disciplinarias en conformidad con el
procedimiento disciplinario establecido en el Reglamento General de Estudiantes
de la UPR vigente.
La Universidad de Puerto Rico prohíbe el discrimen par razón de
sexo y género en todas sus modalidades, incluyendo el hostigamiento sexual.
Según la Política institucional contra el Hostigamiento Sexual en la
Universidad de Puerto Rico, Certificación Núm. 130, 2014-2015 de la Junta de
Gobierno, si un estudiante está siendo o fue afectado por conductas
relacionadas a hostigamiento sexual, puede acudir ante la Oficina de la
Procuraduría Estudiantil, el Decanato de Estudiantes o la Coordinadora de
Cumplimiento con Titulo IX para orientación y/o presentar una queja