Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2015 - 2016 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2015 - 2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions


 

Physics

  
  • PHY 101 - The Flying Circus of Physics: Motion and Heat

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: one unit of high-school algebra. Practical and everyday aspects of physics concepts such as kitchen physics, walking on fire, mechanics of sports, and electricity.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 102 - The Flying Circus of Physics: Sound and Light

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: one unit of high-school algebra. Topics include waves, optics, and modern physics, how the eye and camera work, the laser, the theory of relativity, and some basic cosmology (just what is a “black hole” anyhow?).

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 103 - The Flying Circus of Physics Laboratory

    [1 credit(s)]
    Corequisites: PHY 101 or PHY 102 or PHY 115 must be taken concurrently. Selected experiments in physics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 115 - Energy and Society

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: One unit of high school algebra. Introduction to the physical principles behind one of the most important issues for our society, i.e. the use, storage and transport of energy and its impact on the environment. Topics covered include both a study of non-renewable energy sources (fossil and nuclear fuels), as well as an analysis of the potential of renewable ones (solar, hydro, wind).

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 116 - Energy and Society Laboratory

    [1 credit(s)]
    Corequisite: PHY 115 must be taken concurrently. Selected experiments related with the physical fundamentals of energy concepts.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 200 - Astronomy Laboratory

    [1 credit(s)]
    This course provides hands-on experience with simple observational astronomy activities. It compliments the educational experience of the Astronomy lecture courses PHY 201 and PHY 202. Either PHY 201 or PHY 202 must be taken concurrently.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 201 - Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: One unit of high-school algebra. Introduction to astronomy, including stars, stellar evolution, origin of elements, galaxies, and cosmology.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 202 - Astronomy: Planets, Asteroids and Comets

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: one unit of high-school algebra. Introduction to solar system, including the moon, sun, planets, asteroids, comets, and meteors.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 221 - College Physics I

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science. Algebra-based physics, including mechanics, thermodynamics, fluids, and acoustics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 222 - College Physics II

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science, PHY 221. Algebra-based physics, including electricity, magnetism, optics, atoms, nuclei, and elementary particles.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 231 - College Physics I - BioMedical Applications

    [4 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science. Algebra-based physics, including kinematics, dynamics, mechanical equilibrium, harmonic motion: spring and pendulum, fluids, thermodynamics: temperature, heat, ideal gases, heat engines. Physical principles are applied to problems from biology and medicine.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 232 - College Physics II - Biomedical Applications

    [4 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science, PHY 231. Algebra-based physics, including sound waves, electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic waves and spectrum of light, lenses and microscopes, wave-like properties of particles and structure of atoms, nuclei, and radioactivity. Physical principles are applied to problems from biology and medicine.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 241 - University Physics I

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: MTH 181, three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science, Corequisite: MTH 182. Calculus-based physics, including mechanics, thermodynamics, and acoustics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 242 - University Physics II

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, MTH 181, MTH 182, three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science. Corequisite: MTH 281or MTH 283, Calculus-based physics, including electricity, magnetism, optics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 243 - University Physics I (Writing)

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: MTH 181, three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science, Corequisite: MTH 182. Calculus-based physics, including mechanics, thermodynamics, acoustics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 243H - H:University Physics I

    [5 credit(s)]


    Prerequisite:  Honors students.  MTH 181, 3 units of high school math, 3 units of high school science.  Co-requisite: MTH 182.  Calculus based honors physics with lab:  Mechanics, Thermodynamics,  Acoustics.


    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 244 - University Physics II (Writing)

    [5 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, MTH 181, MTH 182, three units of high-school math, three units of high-school science, Corequisite: MTH 281 or MTH 283 Calculus-based physics, including electricity, magnetism, and optics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 244H - H:University Physics II Honors

    [5 credit(s)]


    Prerequisite:  Honors students: PHY 241/243/243H, MTH 182, 3 units of high school math, 3 units of high school science: Co-requisite MTH 281 or MTH 283. Calculus based honors physics with lab: electricity, magnatism, optics.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  

     


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 301 - Research Methods in the Sciences - Writing

    [3 credit(s)]


    Prerequisites: EUT 215 and EUT 217, three units of high school math and three units of high school science. This course is designed to meet the needs of future science teachers. It provides students with the tools that scientists use to solve scientific problems, gives them the opportunity to use these tools to design and perform experiments in a laboratory setting, and enables them to become acquainted with the way scientific information is communicated.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 320 - Introduction to Computational Physics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: PHY 221 or PHY 241. Elements of modeling of physical and engineering phenomena using a programming package such as MATHCAD. Topics covered include solving systems of equations, graphing functions, differential equations, and random processes.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 325 - Introduction To Theoretical Physics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H, MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Physics applications of differentiation, integration, Fourier series, differential equations, complex numbers.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 330 - Introduction to Modern Physics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H, MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Theory of special relativity, wave properties of particles and particle properties of light, atomic and nuclear structure, radioactivity, semiconductors.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 335 - Modern Physics Laboratory

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241(or PHY 243 or PHY 243H), PHY 242(or PHY 244 or PHY 244H), PHY 330. Course gives hands on exposure to experimental basis of modern physics, including : Milikan oil drop experiment, blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, NMR, microwaves, X-rays.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 340 - Mechanics and Vibrations I

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H, PHY 330, MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Central force motion, classical scattering, rotational motion: tops, precession, damped and driven oscillations.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 341 - Mechanics and Vibrations II

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H, PHY 330, PHY340 MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Motion in Noninertial frames, Calculus of Variation, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian Mechanics, Coupled oscillaytions, Nonlinear oscillations and chaos.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 350 - Electricity and Magnetism I

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 330, MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Vector analysis; Gauss law, electrostatic potential; electric dipoles; dielectrics; Ampere law and Biot-Savart law; magnetic dipoles, magnetic materials.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 351 - Electricity and Magnetism II

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 330, PHY350 MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Vector analysis; Gauss law, electrostatic potential; electric dipoles; dielectrics.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 360 - Electronics Laboratory

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H; MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. AC and DC circuit analysis; steady states and transients; equivalent circuits; diodes, transistors and microprocessors; digital integrated circuits; sequential logic circuits.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 380 - Physics Content Mid School Teacher

    [3 credit(s)]
    Enrollment is restricted to students seeking middle school licensure. No credit towards physics major or minor. Physics concepts relevant to students seeking middle school licensure will be discussed with related timely issues. Lectures will coordinate with laboratory exercises and inquiry-based activities. Co-requisite PHY 381.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 381 - Physics Content Mid School Teacher Lab

    [1 credit(s)]
    Enrollment is restricted to students seeking middle school licensure. No credit towards physics major or minor. Selected exercises designed to reinforce concepts covered in PHY 380. Co-requisite PHY 380.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  
  • PHY 415 - Introduction to Biological Physics

    [4 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 221, PHY 222 or PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H. As the body of knowledge in physics expands and diffuses into the life sciences, the need for instruction in biological physics increases. Students learn how to use the concepts of physics to analyze and understand important aspects of biological systems. The course is appropriate for students majoring in physics, chemistry, biology, or engineering.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 416 - Macromolecular Crystallography

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 221, PHY 222 or PHY 231, PHY 232, or PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H and MTH 181, MTH 182. Macromolecular crystallography is at the heart of the genomics age allowing the determination of the three-dimensional structures of proteins that genomes code for. This information is used to determine and understand their function and develop new drugs. Students learn the fundamentals of diffraction theory, crystal properties and the basic concepts of solving the structures of macromolecular crystals. The course is appropriate for advanced undergraduates majoring in physics, chemistry and biology.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 440 - Quantum Physics I

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 330, PHY 340. The uncertainty principle, the Schroedinger equation, probability and measurement, potential barrier and well problems, rigid rotator and harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 441 - Quantum Physics II

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 440 and PHY 350; closed to freshmen and non degree students. Angular momentum and magnetic moment, Pauli spin matrices, time independent and time dependent perturbation theory, variational approximation, atomic fine structure and hyperfyne structure, partial wave analysis and the Born approximation for quantum mechanical scattering.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 450 - Optics and Electromagnetic Waves

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: PHY 330. Maxwell equations; electromagnetic energy; electromagnetic waves; interaction of light with dielectric and metallic materials: dispersion; geometric optics; lenses and lens aberrations, mirrors, polarization, birefringence, interference, interferometer design, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 455 - Optics Laboratory

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: PHY 450 or permission of instructor. Advanced optics laboratory that gives students “hands-on” experience with optical instruments and techniques; experiments on dispersion in glass, interferometry, spectral analysis, diffraction, Gaussian wave optics; student-designed experiment.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 460 - Laser Physics and Photonics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H. Basics of laser operation and photonics. Topics include spontaneous and stimulated emission, the laser principle, laser types, optical detectors, integrated optics


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 470 - Environmental Physics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: PHY 221 or PHY 241/243/243H. Study of physical phenomena underlying a set of current environmental issues. Topics include energy and entropy laws; electromagnetic radiation; forms of energy, including fuels, nuclear, solar; percolation model; chaos theory, including population dynamics, and climate; computer simulations.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 474 - Thermal Physics

    [4 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H, MTH 181, MTH 182, MTH 281. Temperature, entropy, thermal equilibrium, equations of state, thermodynamic potentials, thermodynamic stability, and phase transitions; applications, including fluids, electromagnetic radiation, and computer simulations.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 475 - Statistical Physics

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 330, PHY 474. Microcanonical, canonical, grand-canonical ensembles, fermions, bosons; and applications, including fluids, normal modes, solids, metals, electromagnetic radiation, phase transitions, and computer simulations.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 480 - Optical Materials

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H. This course covers: dielectric waveguides and optical fibers; semiconductor concepts and energy bands; semiconductor junctions; light emitting diodes (LEDs); lasers; photodetectors and photovoltaic devices; optical modulators.


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 482 - Optical Materials

    [3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisites: PHY 241/243/243H, PHY 242/244/244H. Same content as PHY 480 but includes writing-requirement credit.

    This course may fulfill a General Education Requirement.  


    Click here for the schedule of courses

  
  • PHY 493 - Advanced Topics in Physics

    [1-3 credit(s)]
    Prerequisite: Faculty permission. Topics approved by the physics faculty. May be repeated up to 3 times for a total of 5 credits.


    Click here for the schedule of courses