The course listing represents a sampling of courses taught by the faculty in this department in the 2009-10 academic year. To select courses for Fall 2009, see the catalog listing; similarly, for Spring 2010 refer to the relevant catalog.
ASTR-100 - Introductory Astronomy
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 3 Hours
This course, designed primarily for students with little scientific background, is an introduction to what we know about astronomy and how we know it. We will study light, the tools of astronomy, stars, galaxies and cosmology. We will also cover sky basics such as seasons, moon phases, eclipses, and constellations. There will be required participation in five planetarium sessions (half an hour per biweekly session) and four observatory sessions during the semester.
ASTR-117 - Meteorite Impacts in Space and Time
Offered: Second Semester, First ModuleCredit Hours: 1 Hour
This course examines where and why impacts take place and what happens when they do. Enormous amounts of energy are released when meteorites, asteroids, comets and planets collide at “cosmic velocities.” Serious collisions create impact craters, which occur in abundance throughout the solar system. Topics will include: Did an asteroid kill all the dinosaurs? Do meteorites from Mars contain evidence of extraterrestrial life? Could a large impact end human civilization?
ASTR-301 - Astrophysics I: Stars and Planets
Offered: Second Semester, 2010-2011Credit Hours: 3 Hours
Astrophysics is physical analysis applied to astronomical problems. We will develop some of the basic tools of astrophysics in this course. Radiation theory including thermal and non-thermal radiation will be studied as well as the transfer of radiation through typical astrophysical media. Other topics will include star formation, degenerate matter, atomic physics in an interstellar setting, and the detection of electromagnetic radiation over a broad range of wavelength regimes.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212.
FYSP-143 - Athletics, Identity, and Culture in America
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
In this class, athletics becomes a lens for better understanding historical and contemporary debates about the meanings of race, class, gender , dis/ability, and sexuality. While exploring the ways that physical bodies are interpreted socially and culturally, students will be challenged to engage different questions and arguments about identity, sports, and bodies, and to read and write critically about a wide range of written and visual texts related to athletics, identity formation, and culture.
PHYS-51 - Einstein and Relativity
Offered: First Semester, First ModuleCredit Hours: 1 hour
An examination of the special and general theories of relativity and how these theories have changed our conception of space and time.
Note: CR/NE or P/NP grading.
PHYS-52 - The Strange World of Quantum Mechanics
Offered: First Semester, Second ModuleCredit Hours: 1 hour
The behavior of atoms and electrons is governed by rules that seem bizarre to our eyes because our opinion of what is usual and what is strange is based on only macroscopic experience. This course investigates these strange conceptual underpinnings of quantum mechanics.
CR/NE or P/NP grading. Notes: Students earning credit in both PHYS 051 and PHYS 052 may also earn half quantitative proficiency certification through this course.
PHYS-68 - Energy Technology
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of issues associated with the generation and consumption of energy in modern society. Topics to be covered include the sun?s energy, electric energy production, distribution, and storage, the hydrogen economy, and energy use in transportation, buildings and industry. Technologies discussed include photovoltaic and wind energy, nuclear power, heat pumps, fuel cells, and hybrid cars.
PHYS-103 - Elementary Physics I
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
An introduction to classical mechanics, fluids, waves, and optics, intended primarily for students majoring in the life or earth sciences, but also accessible to non-science majors having good high-school mathematics preparation; those planning to major in physics should take PHYS 110 instead. Algebra and trigonometry are used extensively.
The laboratory is an integral part of this course and may not be taken alone. Notes: Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section. Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 103 and PHYS 110.
PHYS-104 - Elementary Physics II
Offered: Second Semester, Second SemesterCredit Hours: 0-4 hours
An introduction to electricity and magnetism, special relativity, and modern physics, including applications to geology, biology, and medicine. Intended primarily for students in the life and earth sciences; those planning to major in physics should take PHYS 111 instead. The laboratory is an integral part of this course and may not be taken alone.
Prerequisite: PHYS 103 or consent of instructor. Notes: Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section. Students may not receive credit for both PHYS 104 and PHYS 111.
PHYS-110 - Mechanics and Relativity
Offered: First Semester, First SemesterCredit Hours: 0-4 hours
A study of Newtonian mechanics and special relativity, focusing on conceptual understanding, problem solving and laboratory work. Topics include point-particle dynamics, conservation principles, oscillation, systems of particles, rotation; time dilation, length contraction, and the relativity of simultaneity. This is the first course in a three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence.
Prerequisite: MATH 133. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 134 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 111. Students must register for both the lecture and one workshop section. May not be taken for credit in addition to PHYS 103.
PHYS-111 - Electricity, Magnetism and Thermodynamics
Offered: Second Semester, Second SemesterCredit Hours: 0-4 hours
This is the second course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory sequence. Topics include electric and magnetic fields, electric and magnetic properties of matter, direct and alternating current circuits, electromagnetic phenomena, thermodynamics and kinetic theory.
Prerequisites: PHYS 110 and MATH 134. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 231 is highly recommended as it is a prerequisite for PHYS 212. Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section. May not be taken for credit in addition to PHYS 104.
PHYS-151 - Introduction to Climate Modeling
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
This course will consider Earth's climate as an example of a complex system that can be explored best through computational modeling. Main components affecting the climate --- atmospheric composition, ice cover, global ocean and atmospheric currents, solar insolation, and carbon reservoirs and cycling --- will be considered and dealt with using simple heuristic models. The emphasis will be on developing student modeling skills and intuition rather than a fully-detailed climate model.
Math 133 or permission of the instructor.
PHYS-212 - Modern Physics
Offered: First Semester, First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
This is the last course in the three-semester calculus-based introductory physics sequence. The course covers waves and topics in modern (20th century) physics. Topics include relativistic dynamics, quantum properties of light, wave properties of matter, elementary wave mechanics, nuclear and particle physics, and statistical physics.
Prerequisites: PHYS 111 and MATH 231. Notes: Concurrent or prior enrollment in MATH 234 is highly recommended for students intending to major in physics. Students must register for both the lecture and one laboratory section.
PHYS-242 - Electronics
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
This course provides a basic introduction to analog and digital electronic circuits. Students will be asked to design, construct, and analyze electric circuits both using computer simulation software and with actual circuit components. Students will be required to attend three-hour afternoon lab periods, twice weekly.
Prerequisites: PHYS 104 or PHYS 111, or consent of instructor.
PHYS-268 - Environmental Physics
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
This class investigates environmental topics in some depth from a physics perspective. Potential topics include energy efficiency, photovoltaic, solar thermal, and wind power, carbon capture and storage, batteries, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage. The class will be fairly quantitative.
Prerequisites and Notes: Physics 104 or Chem 102 or Math 134
PHYS-290 - Computational Physics
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
There are many problems in the physical sciences that cannot be solved using pen and paper. This course will introduce the methods that a computational physicist uses to understand the world around us. Topics may include various techniques, e.g. solving ODEs, Monte Carlo simulations, and genetic algorithms, as well as applications, e.g. orbital dynamics, chemical kinetics, molecular dynamics, and chaos. We will use the JAVA programming language, but prior experience with JAVA is not required.
Prerequisites and Notes: PHYS 111 or instructor consent.
PHYS-310 - Classical Mechanics
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
A more in-depth study of Newtonian mechanics of particles and systems. Topics include Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations, oscillator systems, central force motion, rigid body motion, and noninertial reference frames. We will also make use of computational methods to solve for equations of motion.
Prerequisites: PHYS 212 and MATH 234.
PHYS-311 - Electricity and Magnetism
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
An in-depth study of electric and magnetic fields and their effects on matter. Vector calculus will be used extensively after briefly reviewing it. We will learn to solve a variety of boundary value problems using techniques useful in many areas of physics. We will explore Maxwell's equations in detail, culminating in an introduction to electromagnetic radiation. Practical topics will be interspersed throughout the course.
Prerequisites: PHYS 310 and MATH 234.
PHYS-312 - Quantum Mechanics
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
A rigorous study of the foundations of quantum mechanics, with applications to one-dimensional systems, angular momentum, and the hydrogen atom. Stationary-state perturbation theory. Mathematical solutions to the Schrodinger equation will be developed.
Prerequisites: PHYS 212 and PHYS 310 and MATH 234.
PHYS-314 - Intermediate Laboratory
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
Introduction to physics laboratory techniques, such as the use of vacuum systems, optical devices, lock-in amplifiers, cryostats, and nuclear instrumentation. Each student attends two laboratory sessions per week and turns in short reports for each experiment with two longer ones at the middle and end of the semester.
Prerequisite: PHYS 212.
PHYS-316 - Waves and Optics
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
A study of optical radiation. Course will cover geometrical, wave, and nonlinear optics. Topics include physical optics, the wave equation, interference effects, pulse propagation, lasers, and selected topics from modern optics. Prerequisites and Notes: PHYS 310 and MATH 234
PHYS-410 - Statistical Mechanics
Offered: First SemesterCredit Hours: 4 hours
Thermodynamics, classical and quantal statistical mechanics, entropy, temperature, chemical potential, ensembles. Applications include magnetism, phase transitions, heat capacities of gases and solids, thermal radiation, ideal fermion and boson gases.
Prerequisite: PHYS 312 or CHEM 339.
PHYS-411 - Electrodynamics
Offered: Second Semester, Second ModuleCredit Hours: 2 hours
20.Maxwell's equations. Electromagnetic energy and momentum. Waves and radiation. Relativistic electrodynamics.
Prerequisites and Notes: PHYS 311.
PHYS-412 - Applied Quantum Mechanics
Offered: Second Semester, First ModuleCredit Hours: 2 hours
Quantum mechanics applied to atoms and molecules, including time-dependent perturbation theory and the quasiclassical (WKB) approximation.
Prerequisites and Notes: PHYS 312.
PHYS-414 - Advanced Laboratory
Offered: Second SemesterCredit Hours: 3 hours
Each student attends two laboratory sessions per week and performs, semi-independently, five to six experiments chosen from the fields of atomic, nuclear, and elementary particle physics, condensed matter physics, and optics. Students must keep an organized laboratory notebook, turn in short reports describing the key results of each experiment, and write a longer paper describing one experiment in the form of a research publication.
Prerequisite: PHYS 314.
PHYS-451 - Special Problems in Physics and Astronomy
Offered: First Semester, Second SemesterCredit Hours: 1-5 hours
Special coursework or research projects for students at all levels who are prepared to work independently. Consent of instructor required.
Note: CR/NE or P/NP grading.
PHYS-555 - Research
Offered: First Semester, Second SemesterCredit Hours: 2-6 hours
Projects for individual investigation. Consent of instructor required.
Interested students are encouraged to speak with faculty members about possible projects. Students in the Physics Honors program are required to enroll.
PHYS-995 - Private Reading
Offered: First Semester, Second SemesterCredit Hours: 1-3 hours
Signed permission of the instructor required.
To register for a private reading, the student must obtain the signatures of the instructor and department chair on a private reading card and turn the card in to the Office of the Registrar.
