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NS 214
Oscillations, Waves and Optics

Faculty Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Semester Spring 2025-2026
Course NS 214 - Oscillations, Waves and Optics
Time/Place
Time
Week Day
Place
Date
13:40-15:30
Thu
FASS-G006
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
08:40-09:30
Fri
FENS-G032
Feb 16-May 22, 2026
Level of course Undergraduate
Course Credits SU Credit:3, ECTS:6, Basic:6
Prerequisites NS 101
Corequisites -
Course Type Lecture

Instructor(s) Information

Emrah Kalemci

Course Information

Catalog Course Description
Linear oscillators. Coupled oscillators and normal modes with mechanical and electromagnetic examples. Inertia, restoring force and damping. Driven systems and resonance. The continuum limit. Waves and wave equations. Dispersion relations. Phase. Interference and diffraction. Wave packets. Impedance, reflection, absorption and transmission. Polarization. Geometrical optics. Brief introduction to nonlinearity.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. A student who has taken NS 214 would have an idea of linearity and superposition, would be able to recognize oscillators and wave systems in different contexts as analogues for the same basic physics, would be able to identify inertia and restoring force terms, derive normal modes, be familiar with concepts of damping, resonance, absorption transmission and reflection, dispersion relations and phase and group velocities.
2. She/he would be able to use these concepts in simple applications in electrical, mechanical and optical systems and to derive simple interference and diffraction patterns.
3. She /he would be able to visualize wave propagation and polarization. Mathematically the student will learn to use complex numbers, matrices and solve eigenvalue problems in this course, if she/he did not know these methods before.
Course Objective
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Related to This Course:
Sustainable Cities and Communities

Course Materials

Resources:
Vibrations and Waves - Çağlayan Kitap & Yayıncılık & Eğitim
https://www.caglayan.com/urundetay/760370/Vibrations-and-Waves-George-C-King-9781118681787-ebook#sthash.YgljVmxR.dpbs
Technology Requirements:
TOPHAT participation

Policies