Course Descriptions

Department of Physics

Professors T.W. Adair III, G. Agnolet, R.E. Allen, W.H. Bassichis, K. Becker, M. Becker, R.A. Bryan, S. Chin, D.A. Church, N.M. Duller, A.L. Ford, E.S. Fry (Head), S. A. Fulling, C.A. Gagliardi, J. C. Hardy, D. R. Herschbach, C.R. Hu, T. Kamon, G.W. Kattawar, L. V. Keldysk, R.A. Kenefick, C.M. Ko, O. Kocharovskaya, V. Kocharovsky, P.M. McIntyre, D. V. Nanopoulos, D.G. Naugle, V. L. Pokrovsky, C.N. Pope, J.F. Reading, J.H. Ross,Jr., W.M. Saslow, H.A. Schuessler, M.O. Scully, E. Sezgin, N. B. Suntzeff, R.E. Tribble, R.C. Webb,Sr., M.B. Weimer, G.R. Welch, J.T. White, D.H. Youngblood, M. S. Zubairy; Associate Professors B. Dutta, I. F. Lyuksyutov, G. G. Paulus, R. F. Rapp, A. V. Sokolov, W. Teizer, D. Toback, W. Wu; Assistant Professors A. G. Abanov, A. A. Belyanin, S. Mioduszewski, J. Sinova; Lecturers J. A. Bryan, J. W. Guikema

Physics
(PHYS)

101. Topics in Contemporary Physics. (1-0). Credit 1. I

Modern developments in the frontier areas of experimental and theoretical physics. Research specialties in the Department of Physics will be represented, including equipment demonstrations and visiting speakers. For physics majors. Registration by non-majors requires approval of physics department head.

201. (PHYS 1301 and 1101, 1401) College Physics. (3-3). Credit 4. I, II, S

Fundamentals of classical mechanics, heat, and sound. Primarily for architecture, education, premedical, predental, and preveterinary medical students. Prerequisite: MATH 103 or equivalent.

202. (PHYS 1302 and 1102, 1402) College Physics. (3-3). Credit 4. I, II, S

Continuation of PHYS 201. Fundamentals of classical electricity and light; introduction to contemporary physics. Prerequisite: PHYS 201.

205. Concepts of Physics. (3-3). Credit 4.

General survey physics course for K-8 preservice teachers integrating physics content and laboratory activities relevant to physics-related subject matter included in the current Texas and national standards for elementary school science; includes aspects of mechanics, waves, electricity, magnetism and modern physics. Prerequisite: Major in interdisciplinary studies or interdisciplinary technology or approval of instructor.

208. Electricity and Optics. (3-3). Credit 4. I, II, S

Continuation of PHYS 218. Electricity, magnetism and optics. Primarily for engineering students. Prerequisites: PHYS 218; MATH 152 or 172 or registration therein.

218. (PHYS 2325 and 2125, 2425) Mechanics. (3-3). Credit 4. I, II, S

Mechanics for students in science and engineering. Prerequisite: MATH 151 or 171 or registration therein.

219. (PHYS 2326 and 2126, 2426) Electricity. (3-3). Credit 4. I, II

Continuation of PHYS 218; electricity, magnetism and introduction to optics; PHYS 219 is the second semester of a three-semester sequence in general physics: the first course of the sequence is PHYS 218 and the third course is PHYS 221. Prerequisites: PHYS 218; MATH 152 or 172 or registration therein.

221. Optics and Thermal Physics. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Wave motion and sound, geometrical and physical optics, kinetic theory of gases, laws of thermodynamics. Prerequisites: PHYS 208 or 219; MATH 152 or 172; registration in MATH 221; 308.

222. Modern Physics for Engineers. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Atomic, quantum, relativity and solid state physics. Prerequisites: PHYS 208 or 219; MATH 308 or registration therein.

225. Electronic Circuits and Applications. (3-3). Credit 4. II

Linear circuit theory and applications of solid-state diodes, bipolar and field-effect transistors, operational amplifiers and digital systems. Prerequisites: PHYS 208 or 219; MATH 308.

285. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4.

Special work in laboratory or theory to meet individual requirements in cases not covered by regular curriculum; intended for use as lower-level credit. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

289. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.

Selected topics in an identified area of physics. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

291. Research. Credit 1 to 4.

Research conducted under the direction of faculty member in physics. May be repeated 2 times for credit. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification and approval of instructor.

302. Advanced Mechanics. (4-0). Credit 4. I

Motion of a particle in various force fields, systems of particles; rigid body motion, coupled oscillators and accelerated frames of reference. Prerequisites: PHYS 221; MATH 308; registration in MATH 311.

304. Advanced Electricity and Magnetism I. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Electrostatics; dielectrics; electrical current and circuits; magnetic fields and materials; induction; Maxwell's equations. Prerequisites: PHYS 221; MATH 311; registration in MATH 412.

305. Advanced Electricity and Magnetism II. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Radiation and optics. Electromagnetic waves; radiation; reflection and refraction; interference; diffraction; special relativity applied to electrodynamics. Prerequisite: PHYS 304.

306. Basic Astronomy. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II, S

Qualitative approach to planets, stars, galaxies and cosmology; aspects of the sky, determining the properties of celestial bodies; birth, life and death of stars: nebulae, pulsars, supernovas, black holes; origin and fate of the universe; active galactic nuclei and other super-energetic phenomena; modern knowledge of the Solar System and its origin, life in our and other systems.

307. Observational Astronomy. (0-3). Credit 1. I, II, S

Observational and laboratory course which may be taken in conjunction with PHYS 306 or 314. Use of techniques and instruments of classical and modern astronomy. Prerequisite: PHYS 306 or 314, or registration therein.

309. Modern Physics. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Special relativity; concepts of waves and particles; introductory quantum mechanics. Prerequisites: PHYS 221; MATH 221; MATH 308.

314. Survey of Astronomy. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Primarily for majors in science and engineering. Kepler's laws, law of gravitation, solar system, stars, stellar evolution, nucleosynthesis, cosmology, clusters, nebulae, pulsars, quasars, black holes. Prerequisite: PHYS 208 or 219.

327. Experimental Physics. (2-3). Credit 3. II

Laboratory experiments in modern physics and physical optics with an introduction to current, state-of-the-art recording techniques. Prerequisites: PHYS 225; PHYS 309.

401. Computational Physics. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Computational techniques in physics applications and research; including numerical interpolation, differentiation and integration, symbolic computation, Monte Carlo methods, vector and matrix operations, graphics, differential equations, variational methods and fast Fourier transforms. Prerequisites: MATH 311; MATH 412; PHYS 302; PHYS 309. Ability to program in a high level language, such as FORTRAN. CPSC 203 can be used to satisfy this requirement.

408. Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics. (4-0). Credit 4. I

Statistical method, macroscopic thermodynamics, kinetic theory, black body radiation, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac Statistics. Prerequisites: PHYS 412; MATH 311 or equivalent.

412. Quantum Mechanics I. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Postulates of wave mechanics; wave packets; harmonic oscillator; central field problem; hydrogen atom; approximation methods. Prerequisites: PHYS 302 and 309; MATH 412.

414. Quantum Mechanics II. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Continuation of PHYS 412. Electron spin; addition of angular momenta; atomic structure; time dependent perturbations; collision theory; application of quantum mechanics to atomic, solid state, nuclear or high energy physics. Prerequisite: PHYS 412.

425. Physics Laboratory. (0-6). Credit 2. II

Experiments in nuclear, atomic, and molecular physics using modern instrumentation and equipment of current research. Prerequisite: PHYS 327 or equivalent.

426. Physics Laboratory. (0-6). Credit 2. I

Experiments in solid state and nuclear physics. Modern instrumentation and current research equipment are employed. Prerequisite: PHYS 327 or equivalent.

485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 or more. I, II, S

Special work in laboratory or theory to meet individual requirements in cases not covered by regular curriculum. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

489. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Selected topics in an identified field of physics. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

491. Research. Credit 1 to 4.

Research conducted under the direction of faculty member in chemistry. May be repeated 2 times for credit. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification and approval of instructor.