Topic outline

  • Course Description

    The use of computers in Physics has grown enormously in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, to the point where computers play a central role in virtually every new physics discovery. Assuming no previous computer programming experience, the course will introduce the basic ideas and programming skills of computational physics and students will develop their own computer software to solve problems in quantum physics, electromagnetism, biophysics, mechanics, chaos, nonlinear dynamics, mathematical methods in physics, geophysics, spectral analysis and other areas.

    This course gives a modern introduction to the basic methods in computational Physics and an overview of the recent progress in scientific computing. Many examples from recent research in Physics and related areas are given with the Mathematica and other computer packages and computer languages. Basic computational tools and routines, including the ones for numerical integrations, differential equations, mathematical modeling, data visualization, spectral analysis, and matrix operations, are dealt with through relevant examples, and more advanced topics, such as quantum mechanics, mathematical methods in physics, geophysics, wavelet analysis, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo simulations and quantum computing are also treated.


  • Day 01

  • Student feedback form

  • Mathematica 13.2.1 Software - License Version

  • Reading and Writing Files

  • A/L Marks

  • Continuous Assessment Marks

  • Final Exam

    • PHY 308 1.0 Computational Physics Final Examination File

      Dear All,

      The Computational Physics Final exam will be commencing on the 17th of January 2024. The list of students and their groups are attached herewith. Please check it and let me know if any changes are required. 

      Also if there are any repeat students, please contact me as soon as possible at ssivayini@sjp.ac.lk.

  • Rescheduling of Final Examination and Repeat Examination 2024

    Dear All,

    The practical Examination which was scheduled for the 18th of January 2024 had to be cancelled due to the non-academic token strike held that day. The examination has been re-scheduled for this Thursday the 25th of January 2024 from 9.00 to 12 noon.

    Also please note that the repeat examination has been scheduled for the 2nd of February 2024 from 9.00 - 12.00 noon. Please pass this message to anyone you know of is looking to sit for this examination.