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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
PHYSICS
(PHY)

1013 Universes
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: MTC 1073 or consent of instructor.
This course is an introduction to contemporary physics and cosmology. The goal is to study some of the profound discoveries in fundamental physics made during the 20th century, and how they have shaped our modern conception of the universe and of our place in it. Topics discussed include Einstein's theories of special and general relativity, quantum physics, modern cosmology (including the very early universe), and the standard model of elementary particles and forces. May not be applied toward the B.S. degree in Physics without prior written approval of the department. May apply toward the Level II Core Curriculum requirement in science. (Formerly AST 1003. Credit cannot be earned for both PHY 1013 and AST 1003.) [TCCN: PHYS 1310.]

1113 Basic Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: MTC 1073 or consent of instructor.
This course is an elementary introduction to physics and the scientific method. It is designed to strengthen mathbased problem solving skills and to prepare the student for more advanced work in the physical sciences. Students who have not had physics in high school and/or need preparation for PHY 1603 or PHY 1904 may find this course especially valuable. Topics discussed include algebra and trigonometry in physics, one- and two-dimensional kinematics, forces, energy, and momentum. May not be applied toward a B.S. or B.A. degree in Physics.

1213 The Fringes of Science
(3-0) 3 hours credit.
This course examines the relationship between science and pseudo-science. It is intended to equip the student with the critical-thinking skills needed to distinguish between solid science and claims often promoted as scientific. Classes are a combination of lectures, readings from the history and philosophy of science, class discussion, field trips, etc. Topics discussed may include astrology, black holes, parapsychology, quantum physics, UFOs, homeopathy and other alternative therapies.

1603 General Physics I
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: MTC 1073 completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Motion, forces, conservation of energy and momentum, fluids, wave motion, and heat. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 1611 recommended. May apply toward the Level II Core Curriculum requirement in science. [TCCN: PHYS 1301.]

1611 General Physics I Laboratory
(1-3) 1 hour credit. Prerequisites: Completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1603; proficiency in DOS, spreadsheets, and word processing.
Laboratory accompanies PHY 1603; uses modern data acquisition and analysis tools to study the classic physics experiments that underlie the concepts discussed in PHY 1603. [TCCN: PHYS 1101.]

1623 General Physics II
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 1603 completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Electrostatics, electromagnetism, light, sound, and atomic and nuclear physics. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 1631 recommended. May apply toward the Level II Core Curriculum requirement in science. [TCCN: PHYS 1302.]

1631 General Physics II Laboratory
(1-3) 1 hour credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1611 completed with a grade of “C” or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1623; proficiency in DOS, spreadsheets, and word processing.
Laboratory accompanies PHY 1623; uses modern data acquisition and analysis tools to study the classic physics experiments that underlie the concepts discussed in PHY 1623. [TCCN: PHYS 1102.]

1904 Technical Physics I
(4-0) 4 hours credit. Prerequisites: MAT 1214 completed with a grade of “C” or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in MAT 1223.
The basic concepts and methods of physics. Mechanics, heat, and fluids. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 1911 and MAT 1223 recommended. May apply toward the Level II Core Curriculum requirement in science. [TCCN: PHYS 2425.]

1911 Technical Physics I Laboratory
(1-3) 1 hour credit. Prerequisites: Completion of with a grade of “C” or better or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1904; proficiency in DOS, spreadsheets, and word processing. Laboratory to accompany PHY 1904: uses modern data acquisition and analysis tools to study the classic physics experiments that underlie the concepts discussed in PHY 1904. [TCCN: PHYS 2125.]

1924 Technical Physics II
(4-0) 4 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1904 and MAT 1223 completed with a grade of “C” or better.
Electricity and magnetism, wave phenomena, and elements of modern physics. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 1931 is recommended. May apply toward the Level II Core Curriculum requirement in science. [TCCN: PHYS 2426.]

1931 Technical Physics II Laboratory
(1-3) 1 hour credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1911 completed with a grade of “C” or better and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 1924; proficiency in DOS, spreadsheets, and word processing.
Laboratory to accompany PHY 1924. [TCCN: PHYS 2126.]

3103 Modern Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 1924.
Special relativity, Planck's Radiation Law, elements of quantum mechanics, atomic and molecular structures, spectra, the atomic nucleus, nuclear reactions, and an introduction to elementary particles.

3123 Semiconductor Technology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1924 and completion of or concurrent enrollment in PHY 3103.
The course will encompass the theoretical and practical aspects of semiconductor technology currently utilized in industry. Topics to be included are: solid state devices, integrated circuits, microprocessor technology, and all stages of manufacturing. Basic principles involving oxidation, photolithography, etching, doping, deposition, and metalization will be covered. Crystal growth and major steps of wafer preparation will also be discussed.

3143 Computer Visualization of Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103.
Simulations of physical processes from classical and quantum mechanics, electrodynamics, and solid state physics. May be applied toward a B.S. degree in Physics with approval of the physics advisor.

3203 Classical Mechanics I
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 1924, concurrent enrollment in PHY 3103, or consent of instructor.
Kinematics, the Newtonian formulation and the Lagrangian formulation, various applications including gravitation and planetary motion, and rigid body motion.

3293 Thermal Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1924, PHY 3103, and MAT 2213.
Fundamentals of thermodynamics: entropy, free energy, phase transitions, and thermodynamic potentials; equilibrium Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distribution functions; derivation of macroscopic equilibrium thermodynamics from statistical mechanics.

3313 Solid State Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103.
Crystalline structures, phonons, energy bands, semiconductor crystals, and devices.

3343 Advanced Physics Laboratory
(0-6) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1924 and PHY 1931.
Laboratory experience in the areas of optics, modern physics, and solid state and surface physics. (Formerly PHY 3346. Credit cannot be earned for both PHY 3343 and PHY 3346.)

3423 Electricity and Magnetism
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1924 and PHY 3823.
Vector calculus, electrostatics, magnetostatics, Faraday's Law, and solution to Laplace's equation.

3443 Modern Optics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3423 or consent of instructor.
Reflection, refraction, absorption, polarization, and diffraction of light. Filters, lasers, nonlinear properties, and Fourier optics.

3453 Lasers: Theory and Applications
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103.
Basic principles and designs of lasers: Einstein A and B coefficients; semiclassical laser theory; the phase-coherent nature of the stimulated emission process; and laser efficiency. Various applications of lasers, such as laser-induced fluorescence, light wave communications, holography, surgery, and laser fusion.

3513 Electrodynamics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 3423 and PHY 3823.
Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, wave guides, radiation from accelerated charges.

3823 Mathematical Physics I
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: MAT 2213 and PHY 1924, or consent of instructor.
Vector analysis, ordinary differential equations, linear algebra, and selected application to problems in mechanics and electromagnetic theory.

4003 Introduction to Astrophysics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103 or consent of instructor.
A survey of the fundamentals of modern astrophysics and gravitation including observed properties of stars (normal, multiple, variable, and peculiar). Stellar and nonstellar radiation laws, stellar and planetary atmospheres and interiors, high-energy astrophysics, collapsed objects (neutron stars and black holes), structure and inventory of normal (Milky Way) and active galaxies, quasars, and an introduction to cosmology.

4013 Relativity: Special and General
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 3203 and PHY 3823.
Special relativity: Lorentz transformations, four-vectors, geometry of flat space-time, relativistic dynamics. General relativity: Principle of equivalence, introduction to tensor calculus, Einstein's field equations, Schwarzschild's solution, black holes. Introduction to cosmology.

4033 Cosmology
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103 or consent of instructor.
Large-scale structure, expansion and age of the universe. Non-Euclidean spaces, big bang cosmology, baryogenesis, nucleosynthesis, cosmic microwave background radiation. Particle physics and inflationary cosmology.

4133 Numerical Methods for Physicists
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1924 and MAT 3613.
Numerical simulation of constrained and unconstrained rigid-body systems that are modeled according to physical laws; numerical solution to stiff systems of differential equations; use of automatic differentiation to compute Jacobian matrices associated with complex stiff systems.

4203 Classical Mechanics II
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3203.
Advanced methods in mechanics; Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations. Nonlinear dynamics, chaos, strange attractors, and fractals.

4233 Environmental Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3103 or consent of instructor.
The essentials of environmental physics: global climate, energy for human use, pollutants, noise, environmental spectroscopy, and LIDAR. (Formerly PHY 3233. Credit cannot be earned for both PHY 4233 and PHY 3233.)

4263 Quantum Mechanics I
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 3103 and PHY 3203.
The Schrodinger equation, operators, and perturbation methods. Applications to the harmonic oscillator and the hydrogen atom.

4423 Quantum Mechanics II
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 4263.
The interaction of radiation with atomic systems, laser oscillations, band theory of electrons in crystals, and charge transport.

4463 The Invention Game
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisites: PHY 1603 and 1623, PHY 1904 and 1924, or consent of instructor.
The entrepreneurial process usually is coupled to innovation, and in today's technological business world, innovation usually involves some form of applied physics. This course begins with the invention process itself and the physics behind some of the most famous inventions. It proceeds to look at the research and developmental physics that typically follow a new product concept. The course then examines the challenges that face the entrepreneur in the technical marketing of the new product, in which the physics must be conveyed to the consumer.

4553 Health Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 1924 or the equivalent.
Applications of electromagnetic radiation to biological systems. Laser-tissue interaction: optical and thermal properties of biological tissues. Lasers in medicine: therapeutic, diagnostic, and surgical applications. Particular utilization of lasers in the field of ophthalmology. Introduction to nuclear medicine for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

4563 Biophotonics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3443 or consent of instructor.
Basic concepts of optical radiation interacting with biological materials will be covered. Discussion will be made as to how the unique properties of photons are exploited to understand the biological structure and its function. Photon absorption and emission in biological materials will be considered to explain their applications, including optical imaging as a noninvasive diagnosis tool, photodynamic therapy (PDT), etc.

4823 Mathematical Physics II
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: PHY 3823.
Partial differential equations of physics, special functions, introduction to complex analysis, group theory.Applications include topics in classical and quantum mechanics, electrostatics and electrodynamics.

4911-3 Independent Study
1 to 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Permission in writing (form available) of the instructor, the student's advisor, the Department Chair, and Dean of the College in which the course is offered.
Independent reading, research, discussion, and/or writing under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor's degree in physics.

4953 Special Studies in Physics
(3-0) 3 hours credit. Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
An organized course offering the opportunity for specialized study not normally or not often available as part of the regular course offerings. Special Studies may be repeated for credit when the topics vary, but not more than 6 semester credit hours, regardless of discipline, will apply to a bachelor's degree.

4993 Honors Research
3 hours credit. Prerequisites: Enrollment limited to candidates for college honors during their last two semesters; approval by the College Honors Committee.
Supervised research and preparation of an honors thesis. May be repeated once with approval.

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