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.
135-136.
PHYSICS I, II 4 cr. each. Prerequisites
or corequisites: MT 135, 136; PH 135L-136L. For science, mathematics,
and pre-engineering majors. 135: mechanics and thermal physics
136: 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.
135L-136L.
PHYSICS WORKSHOPS I, II 1 cr. each. Corequisites: PH
135-136. Experiments designed to aid assimilation of selected
topics treated in PH 135-136. Two hours of laboratory per week.
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.
246.
MODERN PHYSICS 3
cr. Prerequisite: PH 136 or 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:
PH 136 or PH 216, 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:PH 136 or
PH 216, 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:PH
136 or PH 216,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. SENIOR RESEARCH OR DESIGN PROJECT 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 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. 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. ELECTRONICS 3 cr. Prerequisites:PH 136 or
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. ELECTRONICS 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.
479.
FEEDBACK SYSTEMS 3cr. Prerequisite: EP 217, EP 260, or
EP 265; Corequisite: 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.
