PHYSICS
(PH)
101.
EARTH SCIENCE I 3 cr. No
prerequisite; corequisite: PH 101L. Primarily for
students who are not majoring in the physical sciences. Physical
and historical geology. Rocks and minerals, weathering the hydrologic
cycle, glaciers, earthquakes, plate tectonics, igneous activity,
geologic time, earth history, and oceanography.
101L.
EARTH SCIENCE LABORATORY I 1
cr. No prerequisite; corequisite: PH 101.
Application of basic concepts of earth science presented in PH
101 to collecting facts,
examining information, and drawing conclusions in a scientific
manner.
102.
EARTH SCIENCE II 3 cr. No prerequisite; corequisite:
PH 102L. Primarily for
students not majoring in the physical sciences. Structure and
composition of the atmosphere, moisture, pressure and winds, weather
and climate, human impact. Introduction to astronomy; the earth’s
place in the universe; the solar system; light and astronomical
observations; stars and galaxies.
102L.
EARTH SCIENCE LABORATORY II 1 cr. No prerequisite; corequisite:
PH 102.
Application of basic concepts of earth science presented in PH
102 to collecting facts,
examining information, and drawing conclusions in a scientific
manner.
107.
INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS BY EXPERIMENT I 4 cr. No prerequisite;
corequisite: PH 107L. For students who are not majoring in the
physical sciences.
Computer-aided tools used to study a selected number of topics,
mainly in classical
mechanics. Group projects. Meets for two 2-hour sessions weekly
in a laboratory setting.
107L.
INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS BY EXPERIMENT LABORATORY I 0 cr.
Corequisite: PH 107. This laboratory is an integral part of PH
107.
113.
INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY 3 cr. No prerequisite; corequisite:
PH 113L. For
students who are not majoring in the physical sciences. Historical
development of the
understanding of the universe; tools and techniques. The sun as
a star; stellar origin and evolution; galaxies and the universe;
the solar system as known through space exploration. Slides, films,
and observing with telescopes.
113L.
INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite:
PH 113.
Experiments designed to develop an appreciation of the scientific
method and of the
methodology used to acquire data. Software developed in the CLEA
Project provides a
number of experiments that allow the measurement of properties
of stars, and the study of planetary motion.
125.
GENERAL PHYSICS I 3 cr. Corequisite: PH 125L. Suitable
for biology, premedical,
and predental majors. Topics from the areas of mechanics, vibration
and sound, wave motion, solids and fluids, and thermodynamics.
High school physics or a conceptual physics course such as PH
107 is strongly recommended as a prerequisite. Students who have
not had high school physics and who wish to take this course should
consult with the department chair prior to registering. Offered
every fall.
125L.
GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY I 1 cr. each. Prerequisite
or corequisite: PH
125. Experiments designed to complement PH 125. Two hours of laboratory
per week.
Offered every fall.
126.
GENERAL PHYSICS II 3 cr. Prerequisite: PH 125; corequisite:
126L. Suitable for
biology, premedical, and predental majors. Topics from the areas
of optics, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics. Offered
every spring.
126L.
GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY II 1 cr. each. Prerequisite
or corequisite:
PH 126. Experiments designed to complement PH 126. Two hours of
laboratory per week. Offered every spring.
197.
SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS 1-3 cr. No prerequisite; corequisite:
PH 197L. For
non-science majors. Topics are published in the schedule of classes
for the applicable term.
197L.
SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite:
appropriate
section of PH 197. Experiments designed to complement the material
covered in PH 197. For non-science majors.
215-216.
PHYSICS I, II 3 cr. each. Prerequisites or corequisites:
MT 135, 136; PH 215L- 216L. For science, mathematics, and pre-engineering
majors. 215: mechanics. 216: electricity, magnetism, vibrations,
and waves. Emphasis on the foundations of physics and applications
to the physical sciences and engineering. High school physics
or a conceptual physics courses such as PH 107 is strongly recommended
as a prerequisite. Students who have not had high school physics
and who wish to take this course should consult with the department
chair prior to registering.
215L-216L.
PHYSICS WORKSHOPS I, II 1 cr. each. Corequisites: PH
215-216.
Experiments designed to aid assimilation of selected topics treated
in PH 215-216. Two hours of laboratory per week. 246. MODERN PHYSICS
3 cr. Prerequisite: PH 216; corequisite: MT 233. Basic physical
theories governing elementary particles, nuclei, atoms, molecules,
and their interactions; relativity, quantum theory. Offered every
fall.
247.
MODERN PHYSICS LABORATORY 1 cr. Prerequisite: PH 246.
Experiments from
modern physics. Measuring fundamental constants. Error propagation
and analysis. Two hours of laboratory per week. Offered every
spring.
315.
CLASSICAL MECHANICS 3 cr. Prerequisite: EP 217; corequisite:
PH 315L.
Kinematics, Newtonian mechanics, oscillatory motion, central-force
motion, rotating
reference frames, and dynamics of rigid bodies. Mathematical concepts
that arise in
mechanics, including vector analysis. Offered every other year.
315L.
CLASSICAL MECHANICS WORKSHOP 1 cr. Corequisite: PH 315.
Two hours
of workshop per week supporting the classical mechanics course.
Includes mathematical, computer, and experimental exercises. Offered
every other year.
325.
THERMAL PHYSICS 3 cr. Prerequisite: EP 217. Laws
of thermodynamics, entropy,
phase transitions, classical and quantum statistical mechanics.
Application to ideal and nonideal systems. Usually offered every
other year.
347.
ADVANCED LABORATORY 2 cr. Prerequisite: PH 247. Four
hours of laboratory
per week. Students will perform a range of experiments in contemporary
physics. The main focus will be on advanced laboratory techniques
using research-grade equipment and on data analysis and presentation.
Offered every fall.
365.
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 3 cr. Prerequisite: EP 217.
Classical theory of
electricity and magnetism. Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetic
fields, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations,
and radiation. Mathematical concepts that arise in E & M,
including boundary value problems. Offered every other year.
365L.
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM WORKSHOP 1 cr. Corequisite:
PH 365.
Two hours of workshop per week supporting the electricity and
magnetism course. Includes mathematical, computer, and experimental
exercises. Offered every other year.
395.
INDEPENDENT STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: junior standing
and acceptance of the
study topic by a member of the Physics Department who agrees to
monitor the study.
396.
INDEPENDENT LABORATORY STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: junior
standing and
acceptance of the study topic by a member of the Physics Department
who agrees to monitor the study.
397.
SPECIAL TOPICS 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: junior standing.
Topics may be published in
the schedule of classes for the applicable term.
407,
408. PHYSICS LABORATORY RESEARCH 2 cr. each. Prerequisite:
senior standing. Four hours of laboratory per week. Participation
in one of the research activities of the department.
445.
QUANTUM PHYSICS 3 cr. Prerequisites: PH 246, EP 217;
corequisite: PH 445L.
Origin of quantum theory, Schrödinger’s wave mechanics,
one-dimensional systems,
operators, eigenfunctions and eigenvalues, harmonic oscillator,
angular momentum, the hydrogen atom. Perturbation theory and application
to atoms and molecules. Mathematical concepts that arise in quantum
mechanics, including operators, eigenvectors and eigenvalues,
and boundary value problems. Offered every other year.
445L.
QUANTUM MECHANICS WORKSHOP 1 cr. Corequisite: PH 445.
Two hours of
workshop per week supporting the quantum mechanics course. Includes
mathematical, computer, and experimental exercises. Offered every
other year.
485.
INTRODUCTION TO CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS 3 cr. Prerequisites:
PH 246, EP 217. Atomic structure of crystals, electronic structure
of metals, insulators, and
semiconductors; electron transport; optical properties. Usually
offered every other year.
495.
INDEPENDENT STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisites: senior standing
and acceptance of the study topic by a member of the Physics Department
who agrees to monitor the study.
496.
INDEPENDENT LABORATORY STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: senior
standing.
Independent laboratory project under the supervision of a faculty
member. Requires approval of a faculty member and permission of
the Physics Department.
497.
SPECIAL TOPICS 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: senior
standing. Topics may be published in
the schedule of classes for the applicable term.
ENGINEERING
PHYSICS (EP)
217. MATHEMATICAL METHODS OF PHYSICS AND ENGINEERING
3 cr.
Prerequisite: MT 136. Complex numbers, complex exponential, logarithmic,
and
trigonometric functions. First-and second-order differential equations,
including use of
Laplace transformation; Fourier series; matrices and determinant;
systems of linear equations.Offered every spring.
260.
DC/AC CIRCUITS AND ELECTRONICS 3 cr. Prerequisites: PH
216 and MT 136;
corequisite: EP 260L. Topics include DC/AC circuits and their
analysis and basic
semiconductor devices and their application. Offered every spring.
260L.
BASIC ENGINEERING PHYSICS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite:
EP 260.
Two hours of laboratory per week. Familiarization with oscilloscopes
and other test
instruments. D.C. and A.C. circuit measurements. Experiments with
diode and transistor
circuits. Offered every spring.
451.
NUMERICAL PHYSICS 3 cr. Prerequisites: EP 217. Computational
methods for
physics and engineering using MATLAB®. Topics include curve
fitting, solution of systems
of equations, solution of ordinary and partial differential equations.
Offered every other year.
451L.
NUMERICAL PHYSICS WORKSHOP 1 cr. Corequisite: EP 451.
Two hours of
workshop per week supporting the numerical physics course. Includes
mathematical and
computer exercises. Offered every other year.
454.
APPLIED OPTICS 3 cr. Prerequisite: EP 217; Corequisite:
EP 454L. Geometric and
physical optics, lasers, fiber optics, and optical instruments.
Usually offered every other year.
454L.
APPLIED OPTICS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite: EP 454.
Two hours of
laboratory per week. Experiments in optics including lenses and
mirrors, polarization,
diffraction, fiber optics, and lasers. Usually offered every other
year.
467.
SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS 3 cr. Prerequisites: EP 217; EP 260
or EP 265;
corequisite: EP 467L. Techniques of dealing with discrete-time
and continuous-time signals
in linear systems, in both the time domain and the frequency domain.
Fourier analysis
(including the Fast Fourier Transform), Laplace transformation,
and z-transformation applied
to real engineering problems. Signal processing sampling effects
and digital filters. Usually
offered every other year.
467L.
SIGNALS AND SYSTEMS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite: EP
467.
Experiments complement EP 467. Practical experience with discretetime
and continuous time
signals. Simulation of discrete-time and continuous-time systems
using PSpice® and
MATLAB® software. Two hours of laboratory per week. Usually
offered every other year.
475.
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS 3 cr. Prerequisites: EP 217; EP 260
or EP 265;
corequisite: EP 475L. Analysis and design of circuits using discrete
or special electronic
devices. Transistors, FETs, and thyristors; power supply circuits;
optoelectronic devices.
Usually offered every other year.
475L.
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite: EP
475.
Experiments complement EP 475. Practical experience in designing,
breadboarding, testing
circuits using discrete solid-state devices. Two hours of laboratory
per week. Usually offered
every other year.
478.
DIGITAL DESIGN 3 cr. Prerequisite: MT 136; corequisite:
EP 478L. Boolean
algebra, combinational and sequential logic design, arithmetic
and logic circuits. Hardware
description languages and design using complex programmable logic
devices. Offered every
other year.
478L.
DIGITAL DESIGN LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite: EP 478.
Two hours of
laboratory per week. Practical experience in designing, implementing,
and testing fairly
complex digital circuits using Xilinx® software and prototyping
circuit boards.
EP 479L. Discussion of feedback systems and design and analysis
of circuits using integrated
circuit operational amplifiers and other analog circuits. Characteristics
of operational
amplifiers and their limitations. Frequency and transient response
using Laplace techniques,
pole-zero diagrams, and Bode plots; active filters. Usually offered
every other year.
479L.
FEEDBACK SYSTEMS LABORATORY 1 cr. Corequisite: EP 479.
Experiments
complement EP 479. Practical experience in designing, breadboarding,
and testing circuits
employing operational amplifiers and other analog circuits. Simulation
of such circuits using
PSpice® and MATLAB® software. Two hours of laboratory
per week. Usually offered
every other year.
495.
INDEPENDENT STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisites: senior standing
and acceptance of the
study topic by a member of the Physics Department who agrees to
monitor the study.
496.
INDEPENDENT LABORATORY STUDY 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: senior
standing.
Independent laboratory project under supervision of a faculty
member. Requires approval of a
faculty member and permission of the Physics Department.
497.
SPECIAL TOPICS 1-3 cr. Prerequisite: senior standing.
Topics may be published in
the schedule of classes for the applicable term.
