25 courses with the subject PHY, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PHY 110Energy, Environment and Climate4
Earth’s reliance on carbon-based, non-renewable energy sources comes at a severe environmental, economic and political cost. Are there alternatives? This course offers a hands-on exploration of renewable energy technologies with an emphasis on understanding the underlying scientific principles. Students assess worldwide energy demand; study the limits to improved energy efficiency; explore the science and technology of solar, wind and hydropower; understand the science behind global warming; investigate climate models; and evaluate strategies for a sustainable future. This course also includes in-class experiments and field trips. {N}
First semester of an algebra-based introductory physics course with an emphasis on biological and chemical systems. Topics include: the modeling of physical interactions in terms of mechanical and electrical forces; random motion and diffusion; mechanical properties of cells; fluid flow, viscosity and surface tension; energy transfers due to mechanical movement; the formation and breaking of chemical bonds; and temperature gradients. This course includes a full lab component, integrated into the regular class meeting times, as well as in-class review of all necessary mathematics with a focus on the use of math to represent information in the physical world (physical modeling). PHY 111 fulfills the algebra-based physics prerequisites for health professions schools. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PHY 117. Enrollment limited to 28. {N}
Second semester of an algebra-based introductory physics course with an emphasis on biological and chemical systems. Topics include: thermal energy, enthalpy and Gibbs free energy; probability and the Boltzmann distribution; electric fields, capacitance and potential differences across cell membranes; electric currents and charge flow, including electrical properties of nerve cells; oscillations and waves, including biochemical oscillations; the ray model of light and optics; the wave model of light and the electromagnetic spectrum; the photon model of light, including fluorescence. This course includes a full lab component, as well as in-class mathematics review with a focus on the use of math in the physical world (physical modeling.) PHY 113 fulfills the algebra-based physics prerequisites for health professions schools. Prerequisite: PHY 111. Enrollment limited to 28. {N}
The concepts and relations (force, energy and momentum) describing physical interactions and the changes in motion they produce, along with applications to the physical and life sciences. Lab experiments, lectures and problem-solving activities are interwoven into each class. In-class discussion sections offer additional help with mathematics, data analysis and problem solving. This course fulfills the calculus-based physics prerequisites for health professions schools and engineering. Prerequisite: MTH 111 or equivalent. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PHY 111 or PHY 119. Enrollment limited to 28. {N}
The concepts and relations (force fields, energy fields and potentials) underlying electrical, magnetic and gravitational interactions, as well as an exploration of simple harmonic motion, oscillations and waves. Lab experiments are integrated into the in-class lectures, discussions and problem solving activities. Satisfies medical school and engineering requirements for an introductory physics II course with lab. PHY 118 fulfills the calculus-based physics prerequisites for health professions schools and engineering. Prerequisite: PHY 117 or equivalent. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PHY 113 or PHY 119. Enrollment limited to 28. {N}
This course is designed for incoming students who have significant prior experience with the topics covered in PHY 117 (Newtonian mechanics) and PHY 118 (electricity and magnetism), but who nevertheless would benefit from a course in introductory physics at the college level. Students develop their problem-solving, experimental-design, data-analysis, scientific- computing and communication skills on a variety of more advanced applications of the standard introductory physics topics related to mechanics and E & M. Specific applications may include the physics of the solar system(s), numerical solution of F=ma, the atomic theory of matter, the laws of thermodynamics, electric circuits and electromagnetic waves. Prerequisite: MTH 111 or equivalent. Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken PHY 111, PHY 112, PHY 117 or PHY 118. Enrollment limited to 28. Instructor permission required. {N}
PHY 210Mathematical Methods of Physical Sciences and Engineering4
This course covers a variety of math topics of particular use to physics and engineering students. Topics investigated in class include ordinary differential equations, linear algebra, Fourier analysis, partial differential equations and a review of multivariate calculus, with particular focus on physical interpretation and application. A working knowledge of differential and integral calculus, Taylor series expansions, complex numbers, and partial derivatives is assumed. Students can arrange to work independently with the instructor in a review of these prerequisites if needed. Prerequisites: MTH 212 and (PHY 111, PHY 117 or PHY 119) or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 30. {M}{N}
PHY 211Computational Methods in the Physical Sciences4
This course provides an overview of commonly used computational methods and their applications to physics problems. Using the Python programming language, students begin with learning how programs send instructions to computers, move on to simple data visualization, error analysis and uncertainty in computational calculations, and then progress to numerical integration and differentiation, machine learning and stochastic methods. In each case, students examine the method’s applications to relevant physics scenarios. This course is project-based, with multiple short projects throughout the semester intended to build the skills and generate a set of modules that can be used as part of a final project applying a computational method to an appropriate physics problem of the student’s choice. Prerequisites: PHY 113, PHY 118 or PHY 119; and MTH 112. Enrollment limited to 30. {M}{N}
The special theory of relativity, the wave equation and mathematics of waves, optical phenomena of interference and diffraction, particle and wave models of matter and radiation, Bohr model of atomic structure, introduction to fundamental principles and problems in quantum mechanics, and introduction to nuclear physics. Prerequisites: PHY 113, PHY 118 or PHY 119; and MTH 112. {N}
A semester of experiments in electronics, with emphasis on designing, building, making measurements, and trouble-shooting circuits. Analog circuits: filters, AC circuits, operational amplifiers, semiconductors, and microcontrollers. Final individual or small group design project. Priority given to physics majors and minors, and students planning to major or minor in Physics. Prerequisite: PHY 113, PHY 118 or PHY 119, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 18. Instructor permission required. {N}
This course gives students a practical introduction to experimental atomic physics by having students do real, publishable research. While this course-based research program is focused on high precision spectroscopy, students gain skills that can be generally applied to investigational science in experimental design, experimental iteration, and systematic error analysis, data analysis, and writing scientific papers for publication. In addition, students learn about basic atomic physics and quantum mechanics, atom and light interactions, and optics, and they gain a basic understanding in how experiment and theory interact to further the knowledge of nature. Corequisite: PHY 242L. Enrollment limited to 12. {N}
PHY 242LLaboratory in High Precision Spectroscopy1
This lab course gives students a practical introduction to experimental atomic physics by having students do real, publishable research. While this course-based research program is focused on high precision spectroscopy, students gain skills that can be generally applied to investigational science in experimental design, experimental iteration and systematic error analysis, data analysis, and writing scientific papers for publication. In addition, students learn about basic atomic physics and quantum mechanics, atom and light interactions, and optics, and they gain a basic understanding in how experiment and theory interact to further the knowledge of nature. Corequisite: PHY 242. Enrollment limited to 4.
A course emphasizing the pedagogy in physics based on Physics Education Research (PER). Readings and discussion emphasize the research literature and strategies for implementing successful and effective methods of teaching physics at the introductory level in the classroom. May be repeated once for credit. S/U only. Prerequisites: PHY 111, PHY 113, PHY 117 or PHY 119. Instructor permission required. {N}
A practicum course involving actual classroom experience in implementing methods of teaching based on Physics Education Research (PER). Students have direct interaction with learners in the classroom during group activities, laboratory exercises and problem-solving. May be repeated once for credit. Corequisite: PHY 300. Prerequisites: PHY 111, PHY 113, PHY 117 or PHY 119. Instructor permission required. {N}
Newtonian and Lagrangian dynamics of particles and rigid bodies, oscillations and planetary orbits. Prerequisite: PHY 210 and PHY 215, or equivalent. {N}
Introduction to (relativistic) local field theory. Electrostatic and magnetostatic fields in vacuum and in matter, Maxwell’s equations of electrodynamics and electromagnetic waves. Prerequisite: PHY 210 and PHY 215, or equivalent. {N}
The formal structure of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, including operator methods. Wave packets; quantum mechanical scattering and tunneling; central potentials; matrix mechanics of spin, addition of angular momenta; corrections to the hydrogen spectrum; identical particles and exchange symmetry; EPR paradox, Bell’s Theorem and the interpretation of quantum mechanics. Prerequisites: PHY 210 and PHY 215, or equivalent. PHY 317 recommended. {N}
An advanced laboratory course for juniors and seniors in which students learn and make use of advanced signal recovery methods to design and perform laboratory experiments drawn from a wide range of topics in modern and contemporary physics. Students planning on special studies or honors work in experimental physics as seniors should take PHY 350 during their junior year. Prerequisites: PHY 210, PHY 215 and PHY 240, or equivalent. Enrollment limited to 12. {N}
PHY 360GRAdvanced Topics in Physics-General Relativity4
This course covers the basics of general relativity. The class discusses tensors and metric spaces and re-frames special relativity in those terms. Students then generalize the rules of special relativity to non-inertial frames and use the equivalence principle to extend those ideas to spaces with gravitational fields. The class explores “Einstein’s equation” relating matter and geometry. Finally, students discuss basic applications, including black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology. Prerequisites: PHY 210 and PHY 215, or equivalent. {N}
Electromagnetic waves; polarization and polarizing devices; reflection and refraction at interfaces; optical properties of dielectrics and metals; birefringent materials and devices; multiple beam interference and interferometers; diffraction and optical resolution; lasers. Prerequisite: PHY 210. {N}
Students read articles and attend talks on diverse topics in physics; attendance at bi-weekly Physics Seminars is required. The emphasis is put on oral presentation and discussion of the new phenomena using knowledge from other physics courses. Prerequisite: PHY 215, or equivalent. Restrictions: Juniors and seniors only. Enrollment limited to 8. {N}
