Physics (PHYS)
College of Natural Sciences
Credit toward the degree given for either 151/ 151L
or 170/170L; and similarly for either 152/152L or 272/272L. However, the
courses may come from different sequences.
PHYS 100 Survey of Physics (3) Mechanics,
electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, atomic and nuclear physics.
Only algebra and geometry used. For nonscience majors. NS2
PHYS 100L Survey of Physics Lab (1) (1 3-hr lab) Hooke’s
law, falling bodies, collisions, Boyle’s law, electric and magnetic
fields, induction, waves, optics. Pre: 100 (or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 122 Introduction to Science: Physical (3) Characteristics
of science, historical development of scientific concepts, and
interactions with society illustrated by topics from physical sciences. NS2
PHYS 122L Introduction to Physical Lab (1) (1 3-hr
Lab) Lab experiments illustrating topics and methods in the physical
sciences. Pre: 122 (or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 151 College Physics (3) Noncalculus
physics. Mechanics, wave motion, heat. Pre: MATH 140 or knowledge of
trigonometry. NS2
PHYS 151L College Physics Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Introduction
to experimental analysis, physical observation and measurement,
experiments on conservation laws, fluid friction, oscillations. Pre: 151
(or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 152 College Physics II (3) Electricity,
magnetism, optics, modern physics. Pre: 151. NS2
PHYS 152L College Physics Lab II (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Optics,
electric and magnetic fields, DC and AC circuitry. Pre: 151L or 170L,
and 152 (or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 170 General Physics I (4) Mechanics of
particles and rigid bodies, wave motion, thermodynamics and kinetic
theory. Pre: MATH 206 (or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 170L General Physics I Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Similar
to 151L but at 170 level. Pre: 170 (or concurrent). NS2
PHYS 272 General Physics II (3) Electricity
and magnetism. Pre: 151/151L or 170/170L and MATH 206. NS2
PHYS 272L General Physics II Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Similar
to 152L but at 272 level. Pre: 272 (or concurrent), and 151L or 170L. NS2
PHYS 274 General Physics III (3) Relativity,
introduction to quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics,
geometrical and physical optics. Pre: 272/272L or 152/152L, and MATH 231
(or concurrent).
PHYS 274L General Physics III Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Experiments
illustrating concepts of 274, including speed of light, photoelectric
effect, neutron activation of silver, Michelson interferometer. Pre:
152L or 272L, and 274 (or concurrent).
PHYS 305 Computational Physics (3) Computer
basics, numerical methods, and the solution of physics problems using
computers. Pre: 152 or 272, and MATH 232 (or concurrent); or consent.
PHYS 310 Theoretical Mechanics I (3) Particle
dynamics, rigid-body dynamics, planetary motion. Pre: 151 or 170, and
MATH 232 (or concurrent).
PHYS 311 Theoretical Mechanics II (3) Rigid-body
mechanics continued, fluid dynamics, wave motion, theory of relativity.
Pre: 310.
PHYS 350 Electricity and Magnetism (3) Electrostatic
and magnetostatic fields in vacuum and in matter; induction; Maxwell’s
equations; AC circuits. Pre: 152 or 272; and MATH 232 (or concurrent).
PHYS 399 Individual Work in Advanced Physics (V) Limited
to students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 or a minimum GPA of 3.0
in physics.
PHYS 400 Applications of Mathematics in Physical
Sciences (3) Mathematical methods, techniques; applications to
problems in physical sciences. Pre: MATH 232 and MATH 311, or consent.
Recommended: upper division mathematics course.
PHYS 430 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
(3) Laws of thermodynamics, heat transfer, kinetic theory,
statistical mechanics. Pre: 274 and MATH 232.
PHYS 440 Solid-State Physics I (3) Crystal
structure: lattice vibrations; phonon effects; electronic processes in
solids (metals, semiconductors, and superconductors). Pre: 274 and 350
(or concurrent).
PHYS 441 Solid-State Physics II (3) Energy-band
calculations, optical processes, Josephson effect, theories of
dielectrics and magnetism, physics of color centers, order-disorder
transformation. Pre: 440.
PHYS 450 Electromagnetic Waves (3) Field
equations, plane, spherical and guided waves. Pre: 350.
PHYS 460 Physical Optics (3) Polarization,
coherence, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction, optics of solids, laser
optics. Pre: 274.
PHYS 475 Electronics for Physicists (3) AC/ DC
circuits, transistors, analog/digital integrated circuits, simple
computer interfacing. Interfacing electronics to laboratory experiments
is stressed. Pre: junior standing, and 152L or 272L.
PHYS 480 Quantum Mechanics I (3) Wave
mechanics, Schroedinger equation, angular momenta, potential problems.
Pre: 274, 310, 350, and MATH 232. Co-requisite: 400, MATH 402.
PHYS 480L Advanced Physics Lab (2) Advanced
experiments in gamma spectroscopy, x-rays, light scattering, Mössbauer
effect, spin resonance, Zeeman effect, solid-state devices. Pre: 274L
and 480 (or concurrent), or consent.
PHYS 481 Quantum Mechanics II (3) Continuation
of 480; atomic physics, scattering, perturbation theory. Pre: 480.
PHYS 481L Advanced Physics Lab (2) Advanced
experiments in gamma spectroscopy, x-rays, light scattering, Mössbauer
effect, spin resonance, Zeeman effect, solid-state devices. Pre: 274L
and 480 (or concurrent), or consent.
PHYS 490 Modern Physics (3) Introduction to
nuclear and elementary-particle physics. Pre: 480 (or concurrent).
PHYS 500 Master’s Plan B/C Studies (1) Enrollment
for degree completion. Pre: master’s Plan B or C candidate and
consent.
PHYS 505V Conceptual Physics for Teachers (V) Major
concepts of physics taught by means of hands-on conceptual activities
for elementary and secondary teachers. Restricted to in-service
teachers. Repeatable once.
PHYS 600 Methods of Theoretical Physics (3) Mathematical
tools of theoretical physics. Continuation of 400 but with an
independent selection of topics. Pre: 400 or consent. (Alt. years)
PHYS 610 Analytical Mechanics I (3) Dynamics
of particles, particle systems; rigid bodies; Lagrangian and Hamiltonian
equations; special relativity. Pre: 400 (or concurrent), 600 (or
concurrent); or MATH 402. (Alt. years)
PHYS 650 Electrodynamics I (3) Potential
theory, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves, boundary value
problems. Pre: 450; and 400 (or concurrent), 600 (or concurrent), or
MATH 402. (Alt. years)
PHYS 651 Electrodynamics II (3) Relativistic
electrodynamics, radiation by charged particles. Pre: 650. (Alt. years)
PHYS 660 Advanced Optics (3) Wave motion,
interference, diffraction, fundamentals of spectroscopy, optics from the
point of view of electromagnetic theory, lasers. Pre: 460.
PHYS 670 Quantum Mechanics (3) Physical basis
and formulation of quantum theory. Exact solutions of Schroedinger
equation and their applications. Approximation methods. Applications to
atomic, nuclear, and molecular physics. Pre: 481 and MATH 402, or
equivalent.
PHYS 671 Quantum Mechanics (3) Physical basis
and formulation of quantum theory. Exact solutions of Schroedinger
equation and their applications. Approximation methods. Applications to
atomic, nuclear, and molecular physics. Pre: 670.
PHYS 690 Seminar (V) Discussions and reports on
physical theory and recent developments. CR/NC only. Pre: graduate
standing or consent.
PHYS 694 Condensed Matter Seminar (1) Results
and discussions of current topics in condensed matter physics.
Repeatable with consent.
PHYS 695 Seminar on Atomic and Solid-State Physics
(1) Reports and discussion on recent developments in atomic,
surface, and solid-state physics. Repeatable with consent.
PHYS 696 Seminar on Elementary Particle Physics (1)
Reports and discussion on recent developments in elementary particle
physics. Repeatable four times. Pre: consent.
PHYS 699 Directed Research (V) Pre: consent.
PHYS 700 Thesis Research (V) Research for
master’s thesis.
PHYS 711 Topics in Particles and Fields (3) Topics
in current theoretical research; e.g., unified field theories, general
relativity, gravitation, and cosmology. Repeatable. Pre: consent.
PHYS 712 Special Topics: Experimental Physics (3) Topics
in current experimental research in low-energy physics, high-energy
physics, cross-disciplinary physics. Repeatable in different topics.
Pre: consent.
PHYS 713 Advanced Topics in Condensed Matter Theory
(3) Topics in condensed matter theory, e.g., group theory, many-body
techniques, renormalization group, density functional theory, other
topics of current interest. Repeatable. Pre: 670 and consent.
PHYS 730 Statistical Physics I (3) Equilibrium
thermodynamics; Gibbs ensembles; quantum statistics; ideal and non-ideal
Fermi; Bose and Boltzmann gases; phase transitions; and critical
phenomena. Pre: 670. (Alt. years)
PHYS 731 Statistical Physics II (3) Nonequilibrium
thermodynamics, transport theory, fluctuation dissipation theorem,
many-body Green’s function methods, normal Fermi and Bose liquids,
superfluidity, superconductivity. Pre: 670 and 730. (Alt. years)
PHYS 772 Quantum Field Theory I (3) Relativistic
wave equations and their solutions. Dirac’s theory of the electron,
propagator techniques. Applications to quantum electrodynamics. Pre:
671. (Alt. years)
PHYS 773 Quantum Field Theory II (3) Local
gauge invariance, Yang-Mills theory: quantum chromodynamics, spontaneous
symmetry breaking and Goldstone bosons; the standard electroweak theory;
grand unified theories. Pre: 772. (Alt. years)
PHYS 777 Nuclear and Particle Physics (3) Nuclear
physics; electrodynamics; hadron structure and partons. Techniques of
particle physics. Pre: 481 and 671. (Alt. years)
PHYS 778 Nuclear and Particle Physics II (3) Quantum
chromodynamics; electroweak interactions; the standard model. Techniques
of particle physics. Pre: 777 and 772, or consent. (Alt. years)
PHYS 785 Solid-State Theory (3) Crystal
symmetry, electronic excitations in solids, transport theory, optical
properties, cohesive energy, lattice vibrations, electron-phonon
interaction, electron-electron interaction, magnetism,
superconductivity. Pre: 670. (Alt. years)
PHYS 786 Solid-State Theory (3) Crystal
symmetry, electronic excitations in solids, transport theory, optical
properties, cohesive energy, lattice vibrations, electron-phonon
interaction, magnetism, superconductivity. Pre: 785. (Alt. years)
PHYS 800 Dissertation Research (V) Research
for doctoral dissertation.
For key to symbols and abbreviations, see the first
page of this section. |