Physics

Thomas Ekkens, Chair; Roy Campbell, Frederic Liebrand.

The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics. It also offers a major in biophysics in cooperation with the department of biology. A degree in physics prepares a student for a career in industry, for graduate study, and/or for careers in research and teaching. The Bachelor of Science degree is designed to provide extensive preparation for each of these, with the opportunity to gain practical experience in a research or industrial setting.

The interdisciplinary biophysics major fills the needs of the student who plans a career in medicine or who plans on research and advanced study into the physics of living systems.

For entrance, 30 semester credits of secondary mathematics chosen from algebra, plane and solid geometry, and trigonometry are required. (See the Interdisciplinary section of this bulletin)

PHYSICS MAJOR (Bachelor of Science)

A student majoring in physics must complete 60 quarter hours in the major, the required cognates, the general studies program, and all baccalaureate degree requirements as outlined in this bulletin. Senior students are required to take the Graduate Record Examination, general and subject (Physics) sections and report the results to the Physics Department.

Each Bachelor of Science major is required to perform either: 1) a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program or equivalent; 2) an industrial co-op experience; or 3) an on-campus project undertaken with departmental faculty under the course listing PHYS 479, Directed Research/Project.

Major Requirements:

*Students completing PHYS 211, 212, 213 may meet the PHYS 251, 252, 253 requirement upon departmental validation

Physics electives may be chosen from the following courses or chosen in consultation with adviser:

Required Cognates:

Recommended Courses:

BIOPHYSICS MAJOR (Bachelor of Science)

The biophysics major is a joint program offered by the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Physics. See the Interdisciplinary Programs section of this bulletin.

PHYSICS MINOR

A student minoring in physics must complete 27 quarter hours in physics. Either the Principles of Physics sequence or the General Physics sequence, but not both, are required of all minors. PHYS 310 Modern Physics I and PHYS 314 Modern Physics Laboratory I are required of all minors. For students also completing the BSE, these requirements are modified as below:

1. For BSE students with a concentration in Electrical Engineering or a concentration in Computer Engineering the following modifications apply:

• If the student has satisfactorily completed PHYS 313 Thermodynamics as a substitution for ENGR 332 Thermodynamics, the total required quarter hours for a minor are reduced by 4 quarter hours.
• If the student has received departmental certification of satisfactory knowledge of PHYS 401 after satisfactory completion of ENGR 451 the total required quarter hours for a minor are reduced by 3 quarter credit hours.
• If the student has received departmental certification of satisfactory knowledge of PHYS 312 and PHYS 315, respectively by satisfactory completion of ENGR 312 and ENGR 315, respectively, the total required quarter hours for a minor are reduced by 3 and 1 quarter credit hours, respectively.

2. For BSE students with a concentration in Mechanical Engineering the following modifications apply:

• If the student has satisfactorily completed ENGR 332 Thermodynamics and received departmental certification of satisfactory knowledge in PHYS 313 Thermodynamics, the total required quarter hours for a minor are reduced by 4 quarter hours.

Because of the unique nature of the professional curriculum of the engineering degree, any physics course taken to meet any requirement for the BSE degree is considered a cognate and therefore can be simultaneously counted toward the credit requirements for a physics minor.

As a result of overlap in course content of ENGR 312, ENGR 315, and ENGR 332 with physics courses, these courses may be simultaneously counted toward both a BSE degree and a physics minor.

ASTRONOMY COURSES (ASTR)

ASTR 141, 142, 143 GENERAL ASTRONOMY 3, 3, 3

Introduction to modern astronomy with emphasis on the place of astronomy in man's cultural and scientific thought and experience. First quarter includes study of planets, moons, comets, meteors, and the solar system as a unit. Second quarter includes the sun and other stars, stellar life cycles and the fate of our sun. Third quarter includes black holes and quasars, galaxies, theories of the origin and fate of the universe, as well as perspectives on the search for other life in the universe. Any two quarters may be taken to satisfy the general science requirement. Corequisite: ASTR 144, 145, 146.

ASTR 144, 145, 146 GENERAL ASTRONOMY LABORATORY 1, 1, 1

Laboratory and observatory activities integrated with ASTR 141, 142, 143. Corequisite: ASTR 141, 142, 143. (Course fees apply.)

PHYSICS COURSES (PHYS)

PHYS 201, 202 CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS 3, 3

Investigation, explanation, and understanding of the natural world using the ideas and concepts of physics. Topics include mechanics, properties of matter, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, light, atomic and nuclear physics, relativity, and astrophysics. Does not apply towards a major or minor. Corequisites: PHYS 204, 205

PHYS 204, 205 CONCEPTUAL PHYSICS LABORATORY 1, 1

Laboratory work integrated with PHYS 201, 202. Does not apply towards a major or minor. (Course fees apply.)

PHYS 211, 212, 213 GENERAL PHYSICS 3, 3, 3

Introduction to mechanics, heat, sound, light, electricity, atomic and nuclear physics, elementary particles, quantum mechanics, and special relativity; designed primarily for non-physics majors to acquaint them with the ideas and methods of physics for possible application to problems in other areas of human endeavor. Prerequisites: MATH 121, 122 or equivalent. Must be taken in sequence. Corequisites: PHYS 214, 215, 216 .

PHYS 214, 215, 216 GENERAL PHYSICS LABORATORY 1, 1, 1

Laboratory work integrated with PHYS 211, 212, 213. (Course fees apply.)

PHYS 251, 252, 253 PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS* 3, 3, 3

Introduction to mechanics, relativity, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, wave motion, and optics; designed to provide the science and engineering major with an intuitive and a mathematical understanding of fundamental physical concepts. Must be taken in sequence. Prerequisites: MATH 181, 281. Corequisites: PHYS 254, 255, 256; MATH 282, 283.

PHYS 254, 255, 256 PRINCIPLES OF PHYSICS LABORATORY 1, 1, 1

Experimental exploration and study of the fundamental concepts of physics integrated with PHYS 251, 252, 253. (Course fees apply.)

UPPER DIVISION PHYSICS PREREQUISITES

PHYS 251, 252, 253 or equivalent and MATH 281, 282, 283 are prerequisites for all courses numbered PHYS 300 or above except PHYS 395.

PHYS 310 MODERN PHYSICS I 3

Study of the basic principles of quantum theory and their application to atomic and molecular properties. Corequisites: PHYS 314.

PHYS 311 MODERN PHYSICS II 3

Study of special relativity, elementary particles, nuclei and the solid state. Prerequisites: PHYS 310; MATH 315. Recommended corequisite PHYS 416. Offered odd years only.

PHYS 312 PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS (OR ENGR 312) 3

Study of the physical principles of solid state electronics devices. Prerequisites: MATH 283, PHYS 253; PHYS 310. Corequisite: PHYS 315.

PHYS 313 THERMODYNAMICS 4

Study of thermodynamics and elementary statistical mechanics. Systems containing very large numbers of particles are discussed, bridging the gap between the microscopic and macroscopic description of such systems. Heat, temperature, and pressure are covered and related to the motions and energies of individual atoms. Irreversible processes and their implications are also covered. Prerequisite: PHYS 310.

PHYS 314 MODERN PHYSICS LABORATORY I 1

Laboratory activities integrated with PHYS 310 Modern Physics. Corequisite: PHYS 310.

PHYS 315 PHYSICAL ELECTRONICS LABORATORY (OR ENGR315) 1

Experimental study of the physical principles of solid state electronics devices. Corequisite: PHYS 312.

PHYS 316 MODERN PHYSICS LABORATORY II 1

Laboratory activities integrated with PHYS 311 Modern Physics. Corequisite: PHYS 311. Offered odd years only.

PHYS 321 MODERN OPTICS I 3

Study of optical phenomena and its technological applications beginning with their basis in Maxwell's equations. Includes the phenomena of reflection, refraction, dispersion, diffraction, interference, coherence, polarization, scattering, and their role in the operation of modern devices. Corequisite: PHYS 326. Offered odd years.

PHYS 325 MODERN OPTICS II 3

Continuation of the study of light and matter. Non-linear effects in materials, lasers, and device applications in fiber optics and photonics. Prerequisite: PHYS 321 or permission of instructor. Corequisite: PHYS 327. Offered odd years.

PHYS 326 MODERN OPTICS LABORATORY I 1

Laboratory work integrated with the topics of PHYS 321. Corequisite: PHYS 321. Offered odd years.

PHYS 327 MODERN OPTICS LABORATORY II 1

Laboratory work integrated with the topics of PHYS 325. Corequisite: PHYS 325. Offered odd years.

PHYS 331 INTRODUCTION TO NANOTECHNOLOGY 3

Covers material properties and technology at the nanoscale. Applications involving material science, optical and semiconductor technology, and organic materials are introduced. This course is designed to complement PHYS 312 Physical Electronics and PHYS 321, PHYS 325 Modern Optics. Corequisite PHYS 332. Offered odd years.

PHYS 332 INTRODUCTION TO NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY 1

Laboratory work integrated with the topics of PHYS 331 emphasizing current industrial technologies. Corequisite: PHYS 331. Offered odd years.

PHYS 340 INTRODUCTION TO MATLAB AND MATHEMATICA 2

An introduction to two of the prevailing computing tools used in physics, engineering, and other disciplines. One class and one lab per week. Offered odd years only.

PHYS 401, 402 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM 4, 4

Study of electric and magnetic field theory, polarization, magnetization, solutions to the equations of Laplace and Poisson, Maxwell's equations, applications to plane waves, and dipole radiation. Offered even years.

PHYS 414 EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS I 1

An introduction to the tools of modern experimental physics. Topics include instrumentation, data acquisition techniques and computer interfacing. Offered odd years.

PHYS 415 EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS II 1

Study of experimental methods in physics. Topics include physical measurement, experiment design and data analysis. Experiments in classical and modern physics will be performed. A term project is required. Offered odd years.

PHYS 419 GRADUATE REVIEW 1

An integrated review of the main concepts and problems of lower and upper-division physics. The review prepares students for taking the Physics Subject Test of the Graduate Record Exam during their senior year.

PHYS 420, 421 CLASSICAL MECHANICS 3, 3

Study of kinematics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies, harmonic and orbital motion, using the methods of Newton, Lagrange, and Hamilton. Offered even years.

PHYS 422, 423 QUANTUM MECHANICS 3, 3

Study of the experimental and theoretical foundations of modern atomic and sub-atomic physics. Topics include wave mechanics, matrix mechanics, perturbation theory, and particle physics. Prerequisite: PHYS 420. Offered odd years.

PHYS 431, 432 MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS (OR MATH 431, 432) 3, 3

In-depth study of the mathematical foundations of physics and their applications to physical problems. Particular attention is paid to the theory of linear vector spaces in developing tensor analysis group theory and Hilbert Space theory. This course is recommended for students planning to attend graduate school in physics, or having a strong interest in the applications of mathematics to the physical world. Offered even years.

PHYS 470 BIOPHYSICS (OR BIOL 470) 4

Study of the structure and function of biological systems from the perspective of the physical sciences. Prerequisites: BIOL 143; PHYS 213 or PHYS 253; MATH 123 or MATH 181 or permission of instructor. Offered even years.

PHYS 494 COOPERATIVE EDUCATION 0

Individual contract arrangement between a cooperating employer and a student which provides the student with practical experience in an off-campus setting. Graded S or NC. Prerequisites: CDEV 210 or equivalent, completion of at least ten credit hours of upper division physics courses, and departmental approval.