Course Descriptions
Undergraduate
PHYS 1101. Introductory Physics I. (S) (3) Corequisite:
PHYS 1101L. Introduction to the fundamental principles of natural
phenomena. Topics will be selected from traditional classical
subjects (e.g., Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism) and more
recent developments (e.g. nuclear physics, quantum physics) in
order to illustrate the logical structure of modern science. (Fall,
Spring, Summer)
PHYS 1101L. Introductory Physics I Laboratory. (S) (1)
Corequisite: PHYS 1101. Laboratory investigations illustrating
experimental techniques and fundamental principles of natural
phenomena. Three laboratory hours each week. (Fall, Spring,
Summer)
PHYS 1102. Introductory Physics II. (S) (3) Corequisite:
PHYS 1102L; Prerequisite: PHYS 1101. A continuation of PHYS 1101.
(Fall, Spring, Summer)
PHYS 1102L. Introductory Physics II Laboratory. (S) (1)
Corequisite: PHYS 1102; Prerequisite: PHYS 1101L. A continuation
of PHYS 1101L. Three laboratory hours each week. (Fall, Spring,
Summer)
PHYS 1121. Physical Science I. (S) (4) A lecture and laboratory
course emphasizing a discovery-oriented approach to learning physical
science. Not intended for science majors. Topics include: fundamental
units of measure; density and buoyancy; thermal physics; electric
circuits, and electric and magnetic fields. Six laboratory/lecture
hours per week. (On demand)
PHYS 1122. Physical Science II. (S) (4) Prerequisite: PHYS
1121. A continuation of PHYS 1121. Topics include: force and motion;
energy; properties of waves; optics; atomic physics; and astronomy.
Six laboratory/ lecture hours per week. (On demand)
PHYS 1130. Introduction to Astronomy. (S) (3) Historical
beginnings of astronomy. Motions of celestial bodies. Introduction
to space science. The solar system. Optical and radio astronomy.
Structure and evolution of stars. Galaxies, cosmology. Three lecture
hours each week. If taken together with 1130L, the combination
can be counted toward the general degree requirements in natural
science. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
PHYS 1130L. Introduction to Astronomy Laboratory. (S) (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: PHYS 1130. Experimental investigations
relating to the acquisition of and interpretation of astronomical
data. One three-hour laboratory each week. (Fall, Spring) (Evenings)
PHYS 2221. Dynamics. (S) (3) Prerequisite: MATH 1141. Kinematics
and dynamics of particles; momentum, work, energy; conservation
laws, mechanics of rigid bodies. (Fall, Spring, Summer) (Evenings)
PHYS 2221L. Experimental Physics I. (S) (1) Corequisite:
PHYS 2221. The first course of a laboratory sequence designed
to illustrate physical principles, to develop experimental technique
and to encourage individual investigation by the student. Experiments
in classical mechanics. One three-hour laboratory each week. (Fall,
Spring, Summer) (Evenings)
PHYS 2231. Electricity and Magnetism. (S) (3) Prerequisites:
PHYS 2221 and MATH 1142. Electric and magnetic fields in free
space and in matter; electrostatic potential and capacitance;
elementary circuit theory; electromagnetic induction and inductance;
introduction to Maxwell's equations. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
(Evenings)
PHYS 2231L. Experimental Physics II. (S)(1) Prerequisite:
PHYS 2221L. Corequisite: PHYS 2231. Experiments in electricity
and magnetism. One three-hour laboratory each week. (Fall, Spring,
Summer) (Evenings)
PHYS 2241. Introduction to Waves and Modern Physics. (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 2231. Introduction to waves in elastic media;
sound; light; reflection; refraction; interference and diffraction;
lenses and mirrors; and an introduction to quantum physics, atomic
and nuclear structure, and the wave nature of matter. (Fall,
Spring, Summer)
PHYS 3000. Topics in Physics. (S) (1-4) Prerequisite: consent
of department. Special topics which are introductory in nature.
May not be applied toward the degree requirements for "additional
hours at the 3000/4000 level" without approval of the departmental
Undergraduate Studies Committee. May be repeated. (On demand)
PHYS 3181. Electronics and Microcomputer Interfacing. (4)
Prerequisites: PHYS 2231 and 2231L, CSCI 1100P or 1201 and its
lab, or equivalent programming experience. Study of analog and
digital electronics and microcomputer interfacing. Topics will
include logic gates, counters, decoders, flip-flops, latches, memories,
operational amplifiers, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters,
IEEE-488, RS-232C and current loop interfaces, interrupts, BASIC
programming, and microcomputer input-output techniques. Six lecture/laboratory
hours per week. (Spring) (Alternate years)
PHYS 3281. Advanced Laboratory in Waves and Optics. (2)
Prerequisite or corequisite: PHYS 2241. Selected laboratory work
in physical optics. Areas of study include properties of light
sources and detectors; interferometry; fiber optics; optical retardation;
and dispersion. Emphasis on the development of sound laboratory
techniques, methods of data analysis, and the writing of formal
laboratory reports. Three hours of laboratory each week. (Spring)
PHYS 3285. Advanced Experimental Physics. (W) (3) Prerequisites:
MEGR 2154, PHYS 2241 and MATH 2171. Selected laboratory work in
such areas as classical mechanics, oscillatory phenomena, modern
physics, atomic and nuclear physics, and the interaction of radiation
with matter. Emphasis on development of sound laboratory techniques,
methods of data analysis, and the writing of formal laboratory
reports. Six hours of laboratory each week. (Fall)
PHYS 3400. Internship in Community Education and Service. (3)
Prerequisites: junior standing, acceptance into the internship
program and approval by the Physics Department. A project oriented,
service-learning internship with cooperating community organizations.
Does not count as credit toward departmental requirements in physics.
May be repeated once with permission of the department. This course
is offered on a Pass/No Credit basis. (On demand)
PHYS 3590. Physics Cooperative Work Experience. (0) Prerequisites:
junior standing and consent of department. Registration in PHYS
3590 is required of Co-Op students during each of the semesters
they are working. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
PHYS 3900. Senior Project. (2-3) Prerequisites: senior standing
and consent of the faculty member overseeing the project; PHYS
3285. Independent investigation under the supervision of faculty
member on a project that is approved by the departmental Undergraduate
Studies Committee. (On demand)
Courses indicated by * may be applied toward the 30 hours of
coursework required for the master's degree in Physics..
PHYS 4000. Selected Topics in Physics. (1-4) (1-4G) Prerequisite:
consent of department. Advanced special topics. May not be applied
toward the degree requirements for "additional hours at the
3000/4000 level" without approval of the departmental Undergraduate
Studies Committee. May be repeated. (On demand)
*PHYS 4201. Waves and Optics. (3) (3G) Prerequisites: PHYS
2241 and MATH 2171 or consent of department. Topics include the
mathematics of wave motion, light as an example of an electromagnetic
wave, the superposition of periodic and nonperiodic waves, and
selected topics from geometrical and physical optics. (Spring)
PHYS 4221. Classical Mechanics I. (3) (3G) Prerequisites:
PHYS 2221; MATH 2141 and 2171. The first course of a two-semester
sequence treating particle dynamics, the motion of systems of
particles, rigid body motion, moving coordinate systems. Lagrange's
equations, Hamilton's equations and small oscillations. (Fall)
*PHYS 4222. Classical Mechanics II. (3) (3G) Prerequisite:
PHYS 4221. Continuation of PHYS 4221. (Spring)
PHYS 4231. Electromagnetic Theory I. (3) (3G) Prerequisites:
PHYS 2231; MATH 2141 and 2171. The first course of a two-semester
sequence. Topics considered include electrostatics and magnetostatics
in free space and in matter, the motion of charged particles in
electric and magnetic fields, capacitance, dielectric theory,
field energy, electromagnetic induction and inductance, vector
and scalar potentials, magnetic properties of matter. Maxwell's
equations, solutions of Maxwell's equations in free space and
in matter, propagating electromagnetic waves, and boundary value
problems. (Fall)
*PHYS 4232. Electromagnetic Theory II. (3) (3G) Prerequisite:
PHYS 4231. Continuation of PHYS 4231. (Spring)
PHYS 4241. Modern Physics. (3) (3G) Prerequisites: PHYS
2241; MATH 2141 and MATH 2171. Special relativity, postulates
of quantum physics, solutions of the onedimensional Schrodinger
wave equation, the hydrogen atom and spin. (Spring)
*PHYS 4242. Quantum Mechanics. (3) (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS
4241. An extension of PHYS 4241 to include more advanced topics
such as generalized eigenvalue problems, angular momentum, spin,
the hydrogen atom, and pertubation theory, with selected applications
from atomic, solid state and nuclear physics. (Fall)
PHYS 4251. Thermal Physics. (3) (3G) Prerequisites: PHYS
2241 or consent of department; CHEM 1251 and 1251L, MATH 2141.
An introduction to heat, thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and statistical
physics. Topics include classical thermodynamics, classical and
quantum theory of specific heats, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac
and Bose-Einstein distributions. (Fall)
PHYS 4261. Nuclear Physics. (3) (3G) Prerequisites: PHYS
2231 and 2241, and MATH 2171. A study of the nucleus, radioactivity,
nuclear reactions, fission, fusion interactions of radiation with
matter and measurement of radiation. (Spring) (Alternate
years)
PHYS 4281. Advanced Laboratory in Modern Optics. (3) (3G)
Prerequisite
or corequisite: PHYS 4201 or consent of instructor. Laboratory
in modern optics. Characteristics of light sources and detectors:
interferometry; fiber optics and fiber optics sensors; holography;
heterodyned optical signals. Emphasizing sound techniques, methods
of data analysis, and written laboratory reports. Credit cannot
be obtained for both PHYS 3281 and PHYS 4281. Six hours each week.
(Spring)
PHYS 4800. Investigations. (1-2) (1-2G) Prerequisite: junior
standing. An independent investigation on a topic approved by
the department Undergraduate Studies Committee. May be repeated
for up to four hours credit. No more than two credit hours may
be applied toward the degree requirements for "additional
hours at the 3000/4000 level". (On demand)
PHYS 5000. Selected Topics in Physics. (0-4) (0-4G) Prerequisite:
consent of department. Selected advanced topics in physics. May
be repeated with approval of the department. (On demand)
PHYS 5210. Theoretical Physics. (3) (3G)
Prerequisite:
consent of department. Topics include: Matrices, power series,
solutions to ordinary and partial differential equations, Hilbert
space, Fourier integrals, boundary value problems, Green's functions,
and complex analysis. (Fall)
PHYS 5220. Computational Methods in Physics. (3) (3G) Prerequisite:
consent of department. Use of computers in solving physics problems
including computational and mathematical methods to solve problems
in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, nuclear
physics, optics, and solid state physics. Computer solutions include
numerical methods of integration, solving differential equations,
curve fitting, and statistical analysis in physics. (On demand)
PHYS 5281. Modern Optics Laboratory. (3) (3G) Prerequisite:
consent of instructor. Selected experiments in such modern optics
areas as fiber optic, holography, spectroscopy, and fourier optics.
Six laboratory hours each week. (Spring)
PHYS 6121. Classical Dynamics. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS
4222. Variational principles and Lagrange's equations. Hamilton's
principles and mechanics of particles. The two body central force
problem. Rigid body motion. Small oscillations and the eigenvalue
equation. (Spring) (Alternate years)
PHYS 6131. Classical Electromagnetism I. (3G) Prerequisite:
PHYS 4232. Electrostatic and boundary value problems. Multipole
expansions, dielectrics and magnetostatics. Maxwell's equations,
time varying fields and conservation laws. Plane electromagnetic
waves and wave propagation. Wave guides and resonant cavities.
Simple radiating systems. Scattering and diffraction theory. (Fall)
(Alternate years)
PHYS 6132. Classical Electromagnetism II. (3G) Prerequisite:
PHYS 6131. Special theory of relativity. Dynamics of relativistic
particles and electromagnetic fields. Charged particle collisions
and scattering. Radiation by moving charges. Bremsstrahlung, virtual
quanta, and beta decay theory. Multipole expansion and fields.
Radiation damping. Self fields of particles. Scattering and absorption
of radiation by a bound system. (On demand)
PHYS 6141. Quantum Theory I. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS 4242.
Non-relativistic wave mechanics. The Schrodinger equation, linear
harmonic oscillator and WKB approximation. Central forces and
angular momentum. The hydrogen atom. (Fall) (Alternate years)
PHYS 6142. Quantum Theory II. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS 6141.
Scattering theory, linear vector spaces, spin, two level systems.
Quantum dynamics, symmetry operations, bound state and time-dependent
pertubation theory. Theory of scattering, angular momentum, and
identical particles. (On demand)
PHYS 6201. Fourier Optics and Holography. (3G) Prerequisite:
PHYS 4201 or consent of department. Principles of scalar, Fresnel,
and Fraunhofer diffraction theory. Coherent optical imaging systems,
optical filtering, optical data processing, and holography. Application
of Fourier optics and holography. (Fall)
PHYS 6211. Quantum Electro-Optics. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS
4201 or consent of department. Theory of laser oscillation, optical
resonators, interaction of radiation and atomic systems, giant
pulsed lasers, laser systems. Wave propogation in non-linear media,
modulation of optical radiation, noise in optical detection and
generation. Interaction of light and sound. Laser types and applications
including the free-electron laser. (Spring)
Undergraduate/Available for Graduate Credit
Graduate and Advanced Undergraduate
Graduate Only
PHYS 6251. Statistical Physics. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS 4251 or consent of department. Classical and quantum statistical mechanics. Statistical thermodynamics. Ensembles, partition functions, fluctuations, ideal Fermi and Bose gas systems. (On demand)
PHYS 6261. Nuclear and Particle Physics. (3G) Prerequisite: PHYS 4261 or consent of department. Properties of nuclei, nuclear models, and interactions. Nuclear reactions, fission, and fusion. Alpha, beta, and gamma decay. One and two particle states. Relativistic kinematics, principle of invariance, quantum numbers, elementary particles and models. (On demand)
PHYS 6271. Advanced Solid State Physics. (3G) Prerequisite: consent of department. Crystal structure. Electromagnetic, electron, mechanical, and elastic wave interactions with crystals. Theory of X-ray diffraction. Energy band theory of metals and semiconductors. Optical properties of solids, phase transitions, and amorphous solids. Quantum mechanics of covalent bonding, phonon excitation, and thermal energy. (On demand)
PHYS 6900. Physics Thesis Research. (0-4G) Prerequisite: consent of department. Research for the thesis. A student must enroll for a cumulative minimum of six hours credit but may receive no more than 10 hours credit. (Fall, Spring, Summer)