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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

SAMPLE COURSE DESCRIPTION

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GENERAL EDUCATION DESIGNATION

DEPARTMENTS OFFERING DIVERSIFICATION COURSES

Courses

Physics (PHYS)

College of Natural Sciences

A grade of C (not C-) or better is required in all prerequisite courses. Credit toward the degree is 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 non-science majors. DP

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). DY

PHYS 109 Physics in the Arts (3) Introduction to physics of sound and light, with applications to music and visual arts: sound perception, harmony, musical scales, instruments; lenses, cameras, color perception and mixing. Uses algebra and geometry. Intended primarily for non-science majors. DP

PHYS 121 How Things Work: Physics for Everyday Life (3) Introduction to physics and science in everyday life. It considers objects from our daily environment, and focuses on the principles such as motion, forces, heat, electromagnetism, optics, and modern physics. A-F only. DP

PHYS 151 College Physics I (3) Non-calculus physics. Mechanics, wave motion, heat. Pre: MATH 140, or 215 or higher; or qualifying score on math assessment exam. DP

PHYS 151L College Physics Lab I (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Introduction to experimental analysis, physical observation and measurement, experiments on conservation laws, fluid friction, oscillations. Pre: 151 (or concurrent). DY

PHYS 152 College Physics II (3) Electricity, magnetism, optics, modern physics. Pre: 151 or 170. DP

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). DY

PHYS 170 General Physics I (4) Calculus-based mechanics of particles and rigid bodies: kinematics, force, energy, momentum, rotation, gravitation, fluids, oscillations and waves. Intended for physical science and engineering majors. Pre: MATH 242 (or concurrent) or MATH 252A (or concurrent). MATH 216 may be substituted with consent. DP

PHYS 170A Honors General Physics I (4) Special format for topics: mechanics of particles and rigid bodies, wave motion, thermodynamics and kinetic theory. Pre: MATH 242 (or concurrent) or MATH 252A (or concurrent). MATH 216 may be substituted with consent. Co-requisite: 170L. DP

PHYS 170L General Physics I Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Similar to 151L but at 170 level. Pre: 170 (or concurrent) or 170A (or concurrent). DY

PHYS 272 General Physics II (3) Electricity and magnetism and geometric optics. Pre: 151 or 170 and MATH 242 or MATH 252A, MATH 216 may be substituted with consent. DP

PHYS 272A Honors General Physics II (3) Special format for topics: electricity and magnetism and geometric optics. A-F only. Pre: 151 or 170 and MATH 242 or MATH 252A, MATH 216 may be substituted with consent. Co-requisite: 272L.

PHYS 272L General Physics II Lab (1) (1 3-hr Lab) Similar to 152L but at 272 level. Pre: 151L or 170L, and 272 (or concurrent) or 272A (or concurrent). DY

PHYS 274 General Physics III (3) Relativity, introduction to quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics, and physical optics. Pre: 152 or 272 and MATH 243 (or concurrent) or MATH 253A (or concurrent); or consent. DP

PHYS 274L General Physics III Lab (2) (1 4-hr Lab) Experiments illustrating selected concepts of 274, including diffraction and interference of light, wave nature of matter, photoelectric effect, atomic spectra, and semiconductors. Pre: 152L or 272L, and 274 (or concurrent). DY

PHYS 305 Computational Physics (4) (3 Lec, 1 3-hr. Lab) Analysis of physical systems and problem solving using computers and numerical methods. Pre: 152 or 272 or 272A, and MATH 244 (or concurrent) or MATH 253A (or concurrent); or consent. DP

PHYS 310 Theoretical Mechanics I (3) Particle dynamics, rigid-body dynamics, planetary motion. Pre: 151 or 170 or 170A, and MATH 244 (or concurrent) or MATH 253A (or concurrent); or consent. DP

PHYS 311 Theoretical Mechanics II (3) Rigid-body mechanics continued, fluid dynamics, wave motion, theory of relativity. Pre: 310. DP

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 or 272A; and MATH 244 (or concurrent) or MATH 253A (or concurrent); or consent. DP

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 244 or MATH 253A, and MATH 307 or 311; or consent. Recommended: upper division mathematics course. DP

PHYS 430 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3) Laws of thermodynamics, heat transfer, kinetic theory, statistical mechanics. Pre: 274 and MATH 244 or MATH 253A. DP

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). DP

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. DP

PHYS 450 Electromagnetic Waves (3) Field equations, plane, spherical and guided waves. Pre: 350. DP

PHYS 460 Physical Optics (3) Fundamentals of classical physical optics emphasizing linear systems theory, including optical fields in matter, polarization phenomena, temporal coherence, interference and diffraction (Fourier optics). Specialized applications include Gaussian beams, laser resonators, pulse propagation, and nonlinear optics. Pre: 450 (or concurrent with a minimum grade of C) or EE 372 (or concurrent with a minimum grade of C-), or consent. (Cross-listed as EE 470) DP

PHYS 475 Electronics for Physicists (4) (3 Lec, 1 3-hr Lab) Investigation of Kirchoff’s Laws, electromagnetic circuit theory. Fourier analysis and stability theory with circuits. Applications to physical measurements are stressed. A-F only. Pre: junior standing, and 152L or 272L. DP

PHYS 476 Modern Electronics for Physicists (3) Introduction to high performance solid state instrumentation by means of practical research electronics: printed circuit board design/fabrication; complex programmable logic design/verification; integrated circuit SPICE simulation. Detector fabrication and test emphasis during final project. Pre: 475 (or equivalent) or consent. (Spring only)

PHYS 480 Quantum Mechanics I (3) Wave mechanics, Schroedinger equation, angular momenta, potential problems. Pre: 274, 310, 350, 400 (or concurrent); either MATH 244 or 253A; and either MATH 311 or 307; or consent. DP

PHYS 480L Advanced Physics Lab (2) Advanced experiments including angular correlations in positronium annihilation, optical polarization phenomena, chaos, measurements of c and the muon lifetime, crystal diffraction and the Mossbauer effect. Numerical simulations of particular physics experiments are included. Pre: 274L and 480 (or concurrent), or consent. DY

PHYS 481 Quantum Mechanics II (3) Continuation of 480; atomic physics, scattering, perturbation theory. Pre: 480. DP

PHYS 481L Advanced Physics Lab (2) Advanced experiments including angular correlations in positronium annihilation, optical polarization phenomena, chaos, measurements of c and the muon lifetime, crystal diffraction, and the Mossbauer effect. Numerical simulations of particle physics experiments are included. Pre: 274L, 480, and 480L; or consent. DY

PHYS 485 Professional Ethics for Physicists (1) Student seminar on ethical principles and their application to research in physics and astronomy and closely-related fields. Historical examples will be presented and discussed by the participants. PHYS, ASTP, and ASTR majors only. A-F only. Pre: 310 or ASTR 300 (or concurrent), or consent.

PHYS 490 Modern Physics (3) Introduction to nuclear and elementary-particle physics. Pre: 480 (or concurrent). DP

PHYS 500 Master’s Plan B/C Studies (1) Enrollment for degree completion. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Pre: master’s Plan B or C candidate and consent.

PHYS 505 Physics Workshop 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, or consent. Repeatable one time. (Cross-listed as NSCI 505)

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 (3) Dynamics of particles, particle systems; rigid bodies; Lagrangian and Hamiltonian equations; special relativity. Pre: 600 (or concurrent); or MATH 402.

PHYS 650 Electrodynamics I (3) Potential theory, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves, boundary value problems. Pre: 450; and 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) Contemporary advanced applications in optics including nonlinear optics and optical parametric oscillators, atomic lasers and laser systems, and free-electron lasers. Pre: 460. (Alt. even years)

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: 400 or 481 or 600 and MATH 402.

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 six times 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 five times 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) Repeatable unlimited times. Pre: consent.

PHYS 700 Thesis Research (V) Research for master’s thesis. Repeatable unlimited times.

PHYS 711 Topics in Particles and Fields (3) Topics in current theoretical research; e.g., unified field theories, general relativity, gravitation, and cosmology. Repeatable four times. 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 four times. 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 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. Repeatable unlimited times.