Professors T.W.AdairIII, G.Agnolet,
R.E.Allen, R.L.Arnowitt, W.H.Bassichis, 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, C.R.Hu, T.Kamon, G.W.Kattawar,
R.A.Kenefick, C.M.Ko, O. Kocharovskaya, 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,
R.E.Tribble, R.C.Webb,Sr., M.B.Weimer, G.R.Welch, J.T.White,
D.H.Youngblood, M. S. Zubairy; Associate
Professors V. Kocharovsky, G. G. Paulus; Assistant
Professors A. A. Belyanin, R. F. Rapp, J. Sinova, A. V.
Sokolov, W. Teizer, D. Toback
101. Topics in Contemporary
Physics. (1-0). Credit 1. I
Modern developments in the frontier areas of experimental
and theoretical physics. Research specialities 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. 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. 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. Mechanics. (3-3). Credit
4. I, II, S
Mechanics for students in science and engineering. Prerequisite:
MATH 151 or 171 or registration therein.
219. 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.
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.
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.
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. I
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. II
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.