Courses
Physics department offers courses for physics major, physics minor and non-major students.
PHYS 101 Introductory Physics I with Lab (4)
Prerequisite: high school algebra. A thorough basic course studying fundamental physics and laboratory techniques necessary for understanding science and its relation to everyday experiences. One three-hour lab per week.
PHYS 102 Introductory Physics II with Lab (4)
Prerequisite: PHYS 101. A continuation of PHYS 101. One three-hour lab per week.
PHYS 106 Introductory Astronomy (3)
Prerequisite: high school algebra. A descriptive course dealing with the celestial sphere, the solar system, stars and galaxies. It presents the astronomical phenomena of the universe in the context of physical science and examines related laws in the context of current issues in planetary and space sciences. This course is open to all students who desire a basic understanding of their astronomical environment. Of value to future teachers and anyone interested in how mathematics is integrated into science. Night viewing sessions are required.
PHYS 111 General Physics I with Lab (5)
Corequisite: MATH 131. A thorough basic course in all major branches of classical physics with an emphasis on mathematical analysis. Designed for physics, chemistry, and engineering majors. Required for advanced physics courses. One three-hour lab per week.
PHYS 112 General Physics II with Lab (5)
Prerequisite: PHYS 111. Corequisite: MATH 132. A continuation of PHYS 111. Designed for physics, chemistry, and engineering majors. Required for advanced physics courses. One three-hour lab per week.
PHYS 204 Energy and Environment (3)
Prerequisite: sophomore standing. An examination of energy-related problems both ecological and social from a physical science perspective. Investigation is made of the historical origins of these problems, a description is given of the problems as they exist in various cultures today, and some policies of energy usage are examined, followed by a scenario of outcomes as a result of implementation of various policies. Emphasis is placed on the natural principles underlying the problems and evaluations of the problems in this light. Does not count toward the major.
PHYS 211 Analog Electronics with Lab (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 112. Topics covered include voltage dividers, filters, diodes, rectifiers, bipolar and FET transistors and related circuits, operational amplifiers and related circuits, oscillators, and power supplies. Another goal of this course is to enable students to use modern electronic laboratory instruments with a basic understanding of how they work. Three hours of lab per week.
PHYS 212 Digital Electronics with Lab (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 211 or instructor’s permission. Topics covered include gates and combinational circuits, flip-flops, counters and other sequential circuits, memories, digital-to-analog conversion and analog-to-digital conversion, and CPUs. The final series of labs, in which a microcomputer gradually takes form from the chip level, draws together every one of the several circuit elements met earlier. The CPU’s assembly language is used to run programs on the microcomputer. Three hours of lab per week.
PHYS 221 Modern Physics I (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 112. Special theory of relativity, quantization of electromagnetic waves and photons, wave properties of matter, structure of the atom, and introductory quantum mechanics.
PHYS 222 Modern Physics II (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 221. Continuation of PHYS 221. Applications of introductory quantum theory to the subjects of solid state physics and nuclear physics. An introduction to sub-atomic particles called quarks and leptons.
PHYS 321 Electricity and Magnetism I (3)
Prerequisites: PHYS 112; Pre- or corequisites: MATH 231 or instructor’s permission. Electrostatics, electric fields in matter, magnetostatics, and magnetic fields in matter.
PHYS 322Pq Optics (3)
Prerequisites: PHYS 112. Corequisite: MATH 231 or instructor’s permission. Light as an electromagnetic wave, propagation of light, geometrical optics, polarization, interference, diffraction, and their applications.
PHYS 324 Thermodynamics (3)
Prerequisites: PHYS 112; Pre- or corequisites: MATH 231 or instructor’s permission. First and second laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic potentials, and an introduction to kinetic theory and statistical mechanics.
PHYS 326 Analytical Mechanics (4)
Prerequisites: PHYS 112; Pre- or corequisites: MATH 231 or instructor’s permission. Dynamics of a single particle, oscillations, noninertial reference frames, central forces, gravitation, Kepler’s laws, dynamics of systems of particles, mechanics of rigid bodies, and Lagrangian mechanics.
PHYS 328 Engineering Problems (4)
Prerequisites: MATH 231 and PHYS 112 and instructor’s permission. Series solutions of differential equations, Bessel’s equation, Legendre’s equation; orthogonal functions; the Laplace transform and applications; differential and integral calculus; Fourier series; solutions of partial differential equations of mathematical physics.
PHYS 331 Advanced Laboratories (2)
Corequisites: PHYS 221 and junior standing. A laboratory investigation of all major branches of physics with an emphasis on experimental design and procedures, precise data collection, quantitative data analysis, and professional written reports in a research atmosphere of independent thinking. Two semesters required for a major.
PHYS 412 Quantum Mechanics (4)
Prerequisites: PHYS 221; Pre- or corequisites: MATH 231 or instructor’s permission. The Schrödinger equation, hydrogen atom, simple harmonic oscillator, expectation values, eigenvalues, eigenfunctions, operators.
PHYS 421 Electricity and Magnetism II (3)
Prerequisite: PHYS 321. A continuation of PHYS 321. Electric currents, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations, energy, momentum and angular momentum of electromagnetic fields and their conservation, electromagnetic waves, fields of moving charges, and radiation of electromagnetic waves.
PHYS 397/497 Internship (Arr)
Prerequisites: departmental approval and instructor’s permission. An applied experience in the major, requiring a minimum number of hours of work per credit hour. Includes conferences with the on-campus instructor and an evaluation by the job supervisor. Pass/no record basis.
PHYS 498 Tutorial Research (Arr)
Prerequisites: PHYS 222 and instructor’s permission. Intensive library and laboratory or theoretical research in topics of special interest to advanced students.