Physics Course Descriptions

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£ denotes a course having a Liberal Arts designation.

PHY 100: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS
(O) A non-laboratory examination of the physical and philosophical assumptions which undergird physics; their historical evolution, limitations, relevance to current issues. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 105: ELEMENTARY MECHANICS and  HEAT           Syllabus
(F) An algebra-based introduction to mechanics and heat.  The methods of science and applications to diverse fields are stressed. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory. (4 cr. hr.) £

PHY 106: ELEMENTARY ELECTRICITY, LIGHT AND SOUND          Syllabus
(S) An algebra-based introduction to electricity, light, and sound.  The methods of science and applications to diverse fields are stressed.  Prerequisite: PHY 105. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory. (4 cr. hr.) £

PHY 129, 229, 329, 429, 529, 629: SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS
A selected topics course which may be taken more than once as the subtitle changes.  Prerequisites: Designated by department as appropriate for content and academic level of credit. (1-4 cr. hr.)

PHY 150: ASTRONOMY        Syllabus Syllabus
(B) A survey of modern astronomy. Topics include the moon and planets, the sun and other stars, stellar structure and evolution, neutron stars, pulsars, black holes, galaxies, quasars and cosmology.  Several evening observing sessions using telescopes may be scheduled depending on seeing conditions. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 186: PROGRAMMING         Syllabus
(F) A first course in computer programming.  Topics include algorithm development, I/O, logical decisions, arrays, subroutines, program coding and syntax, debugging, and documentation.  Program examples are taken from many disciplines. Three lectures incorporating terminal time. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 201: PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS I           Syllabus
(F) Fundamental principles of motion and dynamics using methods of calculus.  Topics include motion in one, two, and three dimensions, mechanical equilibrium, momentum, energy, rotational motion and dynamics, periodic motion, gravitation, and conservation laws.  Three lectures, one two-hour laboratory, and one recitation. Corequisite: MAT 121 or 125. (4 cr. hr.) £

PHY 202: PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS II         Syllabus
(S) Fundamental principles of electricity and magnetism using methods of calculus. Topics include static electricity, currents and simple circuits, electric and magnetic fields, energy, and magnetic materials. Three lectures, one two-hour laboratory, and one recitation. Prerequisite: PHY 201.  Co-requisite: MAT 122 or MAT126.  (4 cr. hr.) £

PHY 203: PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS III           Syllabus
(F) Fundamental principles of thermodynamics, optics, and sound using methods of calculus. Topics include heat, work, and energy of thermodynamics systems, wave motion, geometrical and physical optics, and sound. Three lectures. Prerequisite: PHY 202.
(3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 357: INTERMEDIATE PHYSICS LABORATORY          Syllabus
(S) A laboratory experience stressing precise experimental measurement using a variety of instruments and covering various branches of physics.  Two three-hour laboratories.   Prerequisite: Consent of department. (3 dr. hr.) £

PHY 358: DIGITAL LOGIC SYSTEMS
(O) The design of digital logic circuits using small- and medium-scale logic elements.   Topics include integrated circuitry, Boolean algebra, Karnaugh mapping, flip-flops, shift registers, and memory elements. Two three-hour laboratories.  Prerequisite: Consent of department. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 410: MODERN PHYSICS          Syllabus
(F) A study of modern theories of the atom and their experimental bases.  Topics include the  special theory of relativity, origins of quantum theory, the nuclear atom of Rutherford and Bohr, the electron as a fundamental particle, quantum aspects of radiation, the wave-particle duality, atomic spectra, and x-rays.  Prerequisite: PHY 202. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 420: CLASSICAL MECHANICS           Syllabus
(F) The study of the motion of physical bodies at the macroscopic level.  Topics include the dynamics of a particle, the harmonic oscillator, motion in three dimensions, central forces, systems of particles, and rigid bodies. Prerequisite: PHY 202, MAT 430. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 422: APPLIED MECHANICS
(S) The study of statics and dynamics of rigid bodies.  Topics include simple equilibrium, structural analysis, inertia tensors, centroids, energy and momentum, and strength of materials. Prerequisite: PHY 201; Corequisite: MAT 227. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 425: METHODS OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS
(S) Mathematics needed for the study of the sciences.  Topics include vector analysis, matrix operations, differential equations, functions of a complex variable,   Fourier series, and integral transforms. Prerequisites: MAT 227, PHY 202. (Also listed as MAT 425.) (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 440: ELECTRONICS          Syllabus
(F) A survey of D.C. and A.C. circuits, semiconductor devices, and electronic test equipment. Two lectures, one three-hour laboratory. Prerequisite: PHY 202. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 450: ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM    Syllabus
(S) A study of electromagnetic theory leading to Maxwell's equations.  Topics include electrostatics and Gauss' Law, magnetostatics and Ampere's Law, fields in material media, time-dependent phenomena and Faraday's Law, and Maxwell's equations.  Prerequisites: PHY 202, MAT 227 (4 cr. hr.) £

PHY 460: OPTICS
(O) A Study of geometrical and physical optics.  Topics include the propagation and vectorial nature of light, reflection and diffraction, lenses and aberration, coherence and interference phenomena, polarization, dispersion, the optics of solids, and lasers. Prerequisite: PHY 450. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 495: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHYSICS
(A) Directed study or independent research in a special topics. Prerequisites: PHY 202 or consent of department. (1-3 cr. hr.)

PHY 530: STATISTICAL AND THERMAL PHYSICS    Syllabus
(F) A study of the thermal properties of matter from macroscopic and molecular points of view:  Topics include heat, temperature, entropy; the laws of thermodynamics; kinetic theory; ensembles and distribution functions; and classical and quantum statistics. Prerequisites: MAT 227.  Corequisite PHY 420. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 531: Physical Chemistry I    Syllabus
(F) Kinetic theory of gases, thermodynamics, introductory quantum chemistry, chemical bonding.  Molecular spectroscopy.  Prerequisites: CHE 222 and MAT 126 or 236, and PHY 202.  Not open to students with credit for CHE 431. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 532: Physical Chemistry II     Syllabus
(S) Chemical kinetics, solid and liquid states, phase equilibria, properties of solutions and surface chemistry.  Prerequisite: PHY 531.  Not open to students with credit for CHE 432. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 559: ADVANCED PHYSICS LABORATORY      Syllabus
(A) The development of additional techniques and skills in special areas of physics. May be repeated to perform different experiments. Prerequisite: PHY 202 or consent of department.. (3 cr. hr.)

PHY 565: SOLID STATE PHYSICS          Syllabus
(S-C) The properties of solids.  Topics include crystal structure, electronic and structural properties, the free-electron model, band theory, metals, semiconductors, superconductivity, and magnetism. Prerequisite: PHY 410. Corequisite: MAT 430. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 570: NUCLEAR PHYSICS          Syllabus
(S-C) A study of elementary nuclear theory.  Topics include the properties of nuclei, radioactivity, and transmutation. Prerequisites: PHY 410. Corequisite PHY 450. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 575: INTRODUCTION TO QUANTUM MECHANICS          Syllabus
(S) The study of the physical laws underlying microscopic systems.  Topics include the wavelike properties of matter; the motion of wave packets, Schrodinger's equation in one and three dimensions, operators, expectation values, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, the quantum harmonic oscillator, the hydrogen atom, and approximation methods.   Prerequisite: MAT 430. (3 cr. hr.) £

PHY 690: INDEPENDENT STUDY IN PHYSICS         Syllabus
(O) Graduate independent study and/or research under faculty direction. A written report or thesis is required. May be repeated for not exceeding six semester hours. Prerequisite: Consent of department. (1-3 cr. hr.)

£ denotes a course having a Liberal Arts designation.

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