A First Guide to Computational Modelling in Physics

This hands-on text demystifies numerical modelling for early-stage physics and engineering students, with each chapter focusing on an intriguing physics problem. Developed over many years of teaching a computational modelling course, this stand-alone book gives students an essential numerical modelling toolkit for today's data-driven landscape.

This innovative text helps demystify numerical modelling for early-stage physics and engineering students. It takes a hands-on, project-based approach, with each chapter focusing on an intriguing physics problem taken from classical mechanics, electrodynamics, thermodynamics, astrophysics, and quantum mechanics. To solve these problems, students must apply different numerical methods for themselves, building up their knowledge and practical skills organically. Each project includes a discussion of the fundamentals, the mathematical formulation of the problem, an introduction to the numerical methods and algorithms, and exercises, with solutions available to instructors. The methods presented focus primarily on differential equations, both ordinary and partial, as well as basic mathematical operations. Developed over many years of teaching a computational modelling course, this stand-alone book equips students with an essential numerical modelling toolkit for today's data-driven landscape, and gives them new ways to explore science and engineering.