College of Arts and Sciences
Departments
Chemistry, Physics, and Astronomy
Physics
Courses in Physics
- PHYS-P 101 Physics in the Modern World I (4 cr.) Three lectures and one 1 1/2-hour laboratory period each week. Includes elements of classical physics and the ideas, language, and impact of physics today. Not open to students with credit in PHYS-P 100, PHYS-P 103, PHYS-P 151, PHYS-P 201, or PHYS-P 221. (Fall/Spring)
- PHYS-P 201 General Physics I (5 cr.) P: MATH-M 125, MATH-M 126 or equivalent. Newtonian mechanics, wave motion, heat and thermodynamics, fluids. Application of physical principles to related scientific disciplines including life sciences. One discussion section, two lectures, and one two-hour laboratory period each week. Credit cannot be given for PHYS-P 201 and PHYS-P 221. (Fall)
- PHYS-P 202 General Physics II (5 cr.) P: PHYS-P 201. Wave motion, electricity and magnetism, geometrical and physical optics, introduction to concepts of relativity, quantum theory, atomic and nuclear physics. One discussion section, two lectures, and one two-hour laboratory each week. Credit cannot be given for PHYS-P 202 and PHYS-P 222. (Spring)
- PHYS-P 221 Physics I (5 cr.) P: MATH-M 216 or consent of instructor. First semester of a three-semester sequence intended for chemistry, mathematics, and physics majors. Newtonian mechanics, oscillations and waves, heat and thermodynamics. Lectures, discussion section, two-hour laboratory. Credit cannot be given for PHYS-P 201 and PHYS-P 221. (Fall)
- PHYS-P 222 Physics II (5 cr.) P: PHYS-P 221. Second semester of a three-semester sequence. Primarily electricity, magnetism, and geometrical and physical optics. Lectures, discussion, and two-hour laboratory. Credit cannot be given for PHYS-P 202 and PHYS-P 222. (Spring)
- PHYS-P 301 Physics III (3 cr.) P: PHYS-P 222. Third semester of three-semester sequence. Students from PHYS-P 202 who have taken or are now taking MATH-M 216 are also eligible for this course. Special theory of relativity; introduction to quantum theory; atomic, nuclear, solid state, and elementary particle physics. Two lecture periods. (Spring; alternate years)
- PHYS-P 309 Intermediate Physics Laboratory (2 cr.) P: PHYS-P 202 or PHYS-P 222, MATH-M 216 or equivalent. Fundamental experiments in mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, optics, and modern physics. Emphasis is placed upon developing basic laboratory skills and data analysis techniques, including computer reduction and analysis of the data. (Occasionally)
- PHYS-P 331 Theory of Electricity and Magnetism I (3 cr.) P: MATH-M 311 or MATH-M 313, PHYS-P 202 and PHYS-P 222 or consent of instructor. Electrostatic fields and differential operators, Laplace and Poisson equations, dielectric materials, steady currents, power and energy, induction, magnetic fields, scalar and vector potentials, Maxwell's equations. (Occasionally)