# Soft Condensed Matter: An Introduction Course Overview. A journey through soft materials—from everyday foams and gels to polymer networks and interfacial dynamics. We develop the conceptual and mathematical foundations to understand why soft matter behaves so differently from hard solids and liquids. ## Course Goals - Develop a basic understanding of key concepts in Soft Condensed Matter - Recognize parallels and differences between Soft Matter and 'Hard Matter' systems - Engage critically with publications and seminars (assessed in final presentations) - Learn how to contribute to Open Source Science (mid-course assignment) ## Course Structure (Lectures + Bridges) - Lecture 1: [[1-Intro-Soft-Matter|Different Faces of Soft Condensed Matter]] – What is soft matter, why is it soft, and how do we measure softness? - [[1.5-Taylor-Culick-Paradox|Bridge 1.5: The Taylor–Culick Paradox]] – Resolving a century-old paradox through proper energy accounting and momentum conservation - [[1.75-Complementary-Questions-Answers|Homework Solutions: Lecture 1]] – Self-assessed questions with model answers - Lecture 2: [[2-What-is-Viscosity|Viscosity and Momentum Diffusion]] – Viscosity as an emergent property from kinetic theory; the no-slip condition; continuum momentum transport - [[2.5-Conservation-Laws|Bridge 2.5: From Newton's Laws to Conservation Equations]] – Microscopic particle dynamics to continuum momentum balance and Cauchy stress - Lecture 3: Soft Matter Instabilities - Lecture 4: Soft Matter Singularities - Lecture 5: Elastic vs Viscous vs Viscoelastic Behavior - Lecture 6: Rheology – Measuring "Softness" and Time-Dependent Response - Lecture 7: Advanced Topics & Research Frontiers - Lecture 8: Presentations (10:00–12:00) ## Administrative Information > [!info] Course Details > - Format: 8 weekly lectures (2 hours each) > - Homework: Short self-assessed questions at the end of each lecture (model solutions provided) > - Office Hours: Thursdays 14:00–16:00 (Ph255) or email [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) > - Assessments: > - Mid-course: Open Source Science contribution (Week 5) > - Final: Student presentations (Week 8, 10:00–12:00) > - Grading: Participation (20%), take-home assignment (30%), final presentation (50%) ## Key Learning Outcomes By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1. Identify soft matter in everyday materials and explain what makes it "soft" 2. Explain the microscopic origins of soft material properties (entropy, surface tension, weak interactions) 3. Compare and contrast soft and hard condensed matter using scaling arguments and dimensional analysis 4. Apply continuum mechanics to soft matter problems (flows, instabilities, deformations) 5. Interpret rheological data and connect microscopic structure to macroscopic behavior 6. Critically read soft matter research papers and engage in scientific discussion ## How to Use These Lecture Notes - Start here: Read [[1-Intro-Soft-Matter|Lecture 1]] for foundational concepts and examples - Work through systematically: Each lecture builds on the previous one - Try the homework: Self-assessment questions reinforce key ideas - Use the references: Further reading suggestions at the end of each lecture - Engage with videos and figures: Visual examples illustrate abstract concepts --- ## Recommended Prerequisites - Physics: Mechanics (Newton's laws, energy, momentum) - Mathematics: Calculus (derivatives, integrals), linear algebra basics - Chemistry: Basic atomic/molecular structure, thermodynamics concepts No prior knowledge of soft matter or materials science is required. ## Textbooks & References This list will be populated as we go through the course ### Primary References - de Gennes, P.-G. (1979). *Scaling Concepts in Polymer Physics*. Cornell University Press. [Amazon UK](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scaling-Concepts-Polymer-Physics-Pierre-Gilles/dp/080141203X) - Oswald, P. & Pieranski, P. (2005). *Nematic and Cholesteric Liquid Crystals: Concepts and Physical Properties Illustrated by Experiments*. Taylor & Francis. - [DOI: 10.1201/9780203023013](https://doi.org/10.1201/9780203023013) - Detailed experimental and theoretical treatment ### Modern Overviews - Tom McLeish, *Liquid Crystal Polymers* (Oxford University Press, 2018) — contemporary soft matter overview [Link](https://global.oup.com/academic/product/soft-matter-9780198807131?cc=gb&lang=en&) ### Research Journals - *Phys. Rev. Fluids* (APS) - *J. Fluid Mech.* (Cambridge) - *Soft Matter* (Royal Society of Chemistry) - *Langmuir* (ACS) --- ## Contact & Support Instructor: Vatsal Sanjay Email: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) Office Hours: Thu 14:00–16:00 (Ph255) Have questions? Come to office hours or send an email — I'm here to help! --- > [!significance]- Metadata > Author:: [Vatsal Sanjay](https://vatsalsanjay.com)<br> > Date published:: Oct 14, 2025<br> > Date modified:: Oct 30, 2025 > [!link] Back to main website > [Home](https://comphy-lab.org/), [Team](https://comphy-lab.org/team), [Research](https://comphy-lab.org/research), [Github](https://github.com/comphy-lab) > > 📝 [Edit this page on GitHub](https://github.com/comphy-lab/CoMPhy-Lab-Blogs/blob/main/Lecture-Notes/Intro-Soft-Matter/0-README.md)