PHYSICS
Professors D.R. Lehman, B.L. Berman, L.C. Maximon (Research), W.C. Parke, W.J. Briscoe, C. Bennhold (Chair), M.E. Reeves
Associate Professors H. Haberzettl, K.S. Dhuga, G. Feldman, I. Strakovsky (Research), R.L. Workman (Research), A. Eskandarian, F.X. Lee, A. Opper, C. Zeng
Assistant Professors J.J. Balbach, W. Peng, H. Griesshammer, Y. Ilieva (Research)
Professorial Lecturer B. Ratnam
Associate Professorial Lecturers J.T. Broach, M.F. Corcoran
Bachelor of Arts with a major in physics—The following requirements must be fulfilled:
1. The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Prerequisite courses—Phys 21, 22, 23; Math 31, 32, 33.
3. Required courses in related areas—Chem 11 or BiSc 13; one approved 100-level math course.
4. Required courses in the major—Phys 151, 152, 161, 164, 165, 167, and two approved 100-level physics electives (Phys 195 is recommended).
Bachelor of Science with a major in physics—The following requirements must be fulfilled:
1. The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Prerequisite courses—Phys 21, 22, 23; Math 31, 32, 33.
3. Required courses in related areas—Chem 11 or BiSc 13; one approved course in computer programming and two approved 100-level math courses.
4. Required courses in the major—Phys 151, 152, 161, 164, 165, 167, 195, and two approved 100-level physics electives.
Bachelor of Science with a major in biophysics—The following requirements must be fulfilled:
1. The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.
2. Prerequisite courses—Phys 21, 22, 23; Math 31, 32, 33.
3. Required courses in related areas—Chem 11–12, 151–52; BiSc 13, 14, 109, and either 103 or another approved 100-level BiSc course; Stat 127; one approved computer programming course.
4. Required courses in the major—Phys 127, 128, 151, 152, 161, 164, 165, 195.
Special Honors—To graduate with Special Honors, a student must meet the eligibility requirements stated under the University Regulations and submit for departmental approval an honors thesis based on a two-semester research project. In addition, the student must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 in physics courses and 3.0 overall.
Minor in physics—Required: Phys 21, 22, 23, plus two approved 100-level physics courses.
Minor in biophysics—Required: Phys 21, 22, 23, 127, 128. With permission, a limited number of graduate courses in the department may be taken for credit toward an undergraduate degree. See the Graduate Programs Bulletin for course listings.
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| 5 |
How Things Work (4) |
Feldman |
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Primarily for non-science majors. Physical principles are introduced through a study of everyday objects to see what makes them tick. This unconventional approach is primarily conceptual in nature and intended for students seeking a connection between science and the world in which they live. Prerequisite: high school algebra and trigonometry. Laboratory fee, $55. (Spring) |
| 7 |
Music and Physics (4) |
Berman |
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Primarily for non-science majors. A comparative study of music and physics, showing parallels in the history of the two fields and emphasizing those topics in physics related to the theory of music and the production of sound by musical instruments, particularly classical mechanics and wave motion. Prerequisite: high school algebra and geometry. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall) |
| 8 |
Origin and Evolution of Ideas in Physics (4) |
Staff |
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Primarily for non-science majors. The evolution of ideas and their historical continuity in the search for basic physical theories. By presenting the world-views of great physicists of the past, the division of physics into many sub-disciplines is avoided and a humanistic approach is achieved. Prerequisite: high school algebra. Laboratory fee, $55. |
| 11 |
General Physics I (4) |
Bennhold, Feldman, Balbach |
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Classical physics. Mechanics, including Newton's laws of motion, force, gravitation, equilibrium, work and energy, momentum, and rotational motion; periodic motion, waves, and sound; heat and thermodynamics. Prerequisite: high school trigonometry. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall and spring) |
| 12 |
General Physics II (4) |
Feldman, Bennhold, Balbach |
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Classical and modern physics. Electrostatics, electromagnetism, direct and alternating current circuits, and electromagnetic radiation; geometrical and physical optics; special relativity; quantum theory; atomic physics; nuclear physics; particle physics; astrophysics and cosmology. Prerequisite: Phys 1. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall and spring) |
| 21 |
University Physics I (4) |
Lee, Opper, Zeng |
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Classical mechanics using calculus. Newtonian mechanics: force, momentum, work and energy, mechanical equilibrium, linear, periodic and rotational motion. Gravitation and fields. Atoms, physical properties of matter. Energy transfer and waves, sound. Prerequisite: Math 31; corequisite: Math 32. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall and spring) |
| 22 |
University Physics II (4) |
Lee, Opper, Zeng |
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Thermodynamics and classical electromagnetism using calculus. Equations of state, heat, and the laws of thermodynamics. Electrostatics, Gauss's law, capacitance. Electric resistance, electric current. Magnetism. Electrodynamics and electromagnetic induction. Maxwell's theory and electromagnetic radiation. Geometric and physical optics. Prerequisite: Phys 21. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall and spring) |
| 23 |
University Physics III (3) |
Reeves, Balbach, Feldman |
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Modern physics using calculus. Relativity. Wave–particle duality, quantum mechanics. The hydrogen atom, Pauli principle. Quantum statistics and radiation. Quantum theory of the condensed state, superconductivity. Nuclear physics. Applications to astrophysics and nucleosynthesis. General relativity. The big bang theory. Prerequisite: Phys 22; corequisite: Math 33. (Fall) |
| 127 |
Biophysics: Macroscopic Physics in the Life Sciences (3) |
Parke |
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Physical principles applied to biological systems and medicine, and current instrumentation and technology. Topics include blood flow, ultrasonics, spectroscopy, radiation biology, bioenergetics, ordering theory, and neural networks. Prerequisite: Phys 12, 22; Math 32. (Fall) |
| 128 |
Biophysics: Microscopic Physics in the Life Sciences (3) |
Balbach, Zeng |
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Physical principles applied to biological systems on the nanometer scale. Topics include intermolecular forces, statistical principles applied to biological microstates, determining protein and nucleic acid structures, operation of protein motors and transport systems, together with nanotechnology and instrumentation. Prerequisite: Phys 12, 22; Math 33. (Spring) |
| 151 |
Intermediate Laboratory I: Techniques and Methods (3) |
Staff |
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Experiments in electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, atomic and nuclear physics with emphasis on experimental methods. Laboratory fee, $55. (Fall) |
| 152 |
Intermediate Laboratory II: Instrumentation (3) |
Staff |
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Elementary electric and electronic analog and digital circuits. Topics include passive and active components in DC and AC circuits and operational amplifiers, with emphasis on measurement techniques. Laboratory fee, $55. (Spring) |
| 161 |
Mechanics (3) |
Staff |
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Mechanics of mass points and rigid bodies. Newton's laws, conservation laws, Euler's equations, inertia tensor, small vibrations, and elements of Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations. Prerequisite: Phys 23; Math 33. (Spring) |
| 163 |
Physical and Quantum Optics (4) |
Staff |
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Wave motion, electromagnetic aspects of light, dispersion of light in media, geometrical optics, polarization and optical properties of crystals, interference, diffraction, lasers, holography. Mathematical tools, including Fourier methods, developed as needed. The quantum description of light complements the classical description. Prerequisite: Phys 23; Math 33. Laboratory fee, $55. |
| 164 |
Thermal and Statistical Physics (3) |
Zeng, Peng |
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Principles and application of thermodynamics to reversible and irreversible processes, with derivation from statistical postulates applied to the microscopic behavior of large systems at or near equilibrium. Topics include equilibrium thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and kinetic theory of gases. Prerequisite: Phys 23; Math 33. (Spring) |
| 165 |
Electromagnetic Theory I (3) |
Staff |
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Electrostatics and magnetostatics, electric and magnetic fields in matter, scalar and vector potentials, electromagnetic induction. Maxwell's equations. The methods of vector and tensor calculus are developed as needed, as are the method of images, Fourier series, and some computational methods. Prerequisite: Phys 23; Math 33. (Fall) |
| 166 |
Electromagnetic Theory II (3) |
Staff |
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Conservation laws, electromagnetic waves, radiation, relativistic formulation of electrodynamics and potential fields. Prerequisite: Phys 165. (Spring) |
| 167 |
Principles of Quantum Physics (3) |
Parke, Reeves, Zeng |
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The conceptual framework and mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics. Wave–particle duality, wave functions, and eigenvalues. Schršdinger Equation and one-dimensional potential problems. Angular momentum, central potentials, and the hydrogen atom. Identical particles and spin. Scattering theory. Perturbation theory. Prerequisite: Phys 23; Math 33. (Fall) |
| 170 |
Solid-State Physics (3) |
Reeves, Zeng, Balbach |
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Structure of solids, lattices and lattice defects, deformation, vibrational and electronic contribution to specific heats, binding energies, electronic states in metals and semiconductors, magnetic properties of solids, superconductivity. Prerequisite: Phys 167 or permission of instructor. (Spring) |
| 175 |
Nuclear Physics (3) |
Berman, Briscoe, Workman |
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Application of quantum physics to the description of nuclei and their interactions. Properties of nuclei, nuclear models, nuclear forces, and nuclear reactions are considered. Specific topics include the deuteron, n-p scattering, the optical model, the shell model, the liquid-drop model, beta decay, fission, and fusion. Prerequisite: Phys 167 or permission of instructor. (Spring) |
| 181 |
Computational Physics (3) |
Dhuga, Haberzettl, Eskandarian |
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Topics include celestial mechanics, chaotic systems, fluid dynamics, and other such complex systems that require a computational approach. Prerequisite: Math 33; at least one 100-level physics course; working knowledge of C, FORTRAN, or Java. Laboratory fee, $55. |
| 190 |
Special Topics in Physics (3) |
Staff |
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Courses offered by visiting faculty or other experimental offerings. Topics announced on a semester basis. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs. |
| 192 |
Independent Study in Physics |
Staff |
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Independent readings or directed study under the supervision of a faculty member. Credit varies, depending upon the nature of the work. May be repeated once for credit. |
| 195 |
Undergraduate Research (3) |
Staff |
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Research on problems approved by the faculty. May be repeated once for credit. Laboratory fee, $55. |
| 196 |
Undergraduate Research in Biophysics (3) |
Staff |
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Research on problems in biophysics approved by the faculty. May be repeated once for credit. |
| 197 |
Undergraduate Research in Nuclear Physics (3) |
Staff |
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Research on problems in nuclear physics approved by the faculty. May be repeated once for credit. |
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