Covers mathematical theory of electricity and magnetism, including electrostatics, magnetostatics, and polarized media, and provides an introduction to electromagnetic fields, waves, and special relativity. Requisites: Requires prerequisite courses of PHYS 2210 (minimum grade C-).
Uses interactive group work to aid student learning in co-requisite course PHYS 3310. In this tutorial, students will work in small groups to practice how to solve challenging problems and their underlying conceptual basis, as well as using hands-on activities, demonstrations, and other techniques to help learn content. Requisites: Requires a corequisite course of PHYS 3310.
One lect. and one three-hour lab per week. Introduces laboratory electronics for physical science students. Includes basic electronic instruments, dc bridge circuits, operational amplifiers, bipolar transistors, field-effect transistors, photodiodes, noise in electronic circuits, digital logic, and microcontrollers. Students gain hands-on experience in designing, building, and debugging circuits. Concludes with a three-week project in which students design and build an experiment of their choice and present a seminar on the results. Requisites: Requires prerequisite courses of PHYS 2150 and PHYS 2130 or PHYS 2170 (all minimum grade C-).
Same as PHYS 5130 and MCDB 4130. Requisites: Requires a prerequisite course of EBIO 1220 or MCDB 1150 or MCDB 4500 or MCDB 5550 or PHYS 1120 or PHYS 2020 (minimum grade D-).
Discusses the fundamentals of plasma physics, including particle motion in electromagnetic fields, wave propagation, collisions, diffusion, and resistivity. Presents examples from space plasmas, astrophysical plasmas, laboratory fusion plasmas, and plasmas in accelerators. Requisites: Requires a prerequsite course of PHYS 3310 and a prerequisite or corequisite course of PHYS 3320 (all minimum grade of C-).
Statistical mechanics applied to macroscopic physical systems; statistical thermodynamics, classical thermodynamics systems; applications to simple systems. Examines relationship of statistical to thermodynamic points of view. Requisites: Requires a prerequisite course of PHYS 2210 and a prerequisite or corequisite course of PHYS 3320 (all minimum grade of C-).
Discusses crystal structure, lattice dynamics, band theory, semiconductors, and ferromagnetism. Same as ECEN 4345. Requisites: Requires a prerequsite course of PHYS 3220 (minimum grade of C-).
Extends quantum mechanics to include perturbation theory and its applications to atomic fine structure, interactions with external forces, the periodic table, and dynamical processes including electromagnetic transition rates. Requisites: Requires prerequisite courses of PHYS 3220 and PHYS 3310 (all minimum grade of C-).
Introduces structure of the atomic nucleus, spectroscopy of subnuclear particles, scattering, reactions, radioactive decay, fundamental interactions of quarks and leptons. Requisites: Requires a prerequsite course of PHYS 4410 (minimum grade of C-).
Experiments introduce students to realities of the experimental physics so they gain a better understanding of theory and an appreciation of the vast amount of experimental work done in the physical sciences today. One lecture, one lab per week. Same as PHYS 5430. Requisites: Requires a prerequsite course of PHYS 3330 (minimum grade of C-).
Investigates the role of experiment in physics; case studies in the history and philosophy of physics and in scientific methodology. Same as PHYS 5450, PHIL 4450. Requisites: Requires a prerequisite course of PHYS 1020 or PHYS 1120 or PHYS 2020 (minimum grade of C-).
Learn how people understand key concepts in physics. Through examination of physics content, pedagogy and problems, through teaching, and through research in physics education, students will explore the meaning and means of teaching physics. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how education research is done and how people learn. Useful for all students, especially for those in interested in physics, teaching and education research. Same as PHYS 5560 and EDUC 4460. Requisites: Requires prerequisite courses of PHYS 3210 and PHYS 3310 (all minimum grade of C-).
Basic electromagnetic theory of light, using Maxwell's equations. Examples in geometrical optics; extensive applications in physical optics including diffraction and polarization. Spectra, including Zeeman effect and fluorescence. Recent advances in experimental techniques: microwaves, lasers, image converters. Requisites: Requires a prerequisite course of PHYS 3320 (minimum grade of C-).
Students are matched with a faculty member and work independently on a research topic. Typically, the honors program lasts three semesters. A senior thesis and an oral presentation of the work are required. See also PHYS 4620 and PHYS 4630. Department enforced prereq., mininimum 3.00 GPA. Registration by special arrangement with the Department of Physics.
Students are matched with a faculty member and work independently on a research topic. Typically, the honors program lasts three semesters. A senior thesis and an oral presentation of the work are required. See also PHYS 4610 and PHYS 4630. Department enforced prereq., mininimum 3.00 GPA. Registration by special arrangement with the Department of Physics.
Students are matched with a faculty member and work independently on a research topic. Typically, the honors program lasts three semesters. A senior thesis and an oral presentation of the work are required. See also PHYS 4610 and PHYS 4620. Department enforced prereq., mininimum 3.00 GPA. Registration by special arrangement with the Department of Physics.
Various topics not normally covered in the curriculum Requisites: offered intermittently depending on student demand and availability of instructors. See also PHYS 4820 and PHYS 4830. May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.
Same as PHYS 5970 and MCDB 4970. Requisites: Requires a prerequisite course of PHYS 1120 or PHYS 2020 and MCDB 1060 or MCDB 1150 or EBIO 1220 (minimum grade D-).
This course and its continuation, PHYS 5040, form a survey of classical mathematical physics. Studies complex variable theory and finite vector spaces, and includes topics in ordinary and partial differential equations, boundary value problems, potential theory, and Fourier analysis. Same as MATH 5030. Requisites: Restricted to graduate students only.
Continuation of PHYS 5030. Includes group theory, special functions, integral transforms, integral equations, and calculus of variations. Recommended prereq., PHYS 5030. Same as MATH 5040.
Covers magnetohydrodynamics and a few related areas of plasma physics applied to space and astrophysical systems, including planetary magnetospheres and ionospheres, stars, and interstellar gas in galaxies. Same as ASTR 5140. Requisites: Restricted to Physics (PHYS) or Astronomy (ASTR) graduate students only.
