Course Descriptions
PS 15 General Physics I
Mechanics and heat for students whose field of concentration will be physics, mathematics, or chemistry. An introductory course. Rigorous mathematical derivations are used freely. A study of velocity and acceleration, Newton's Laws of Motion, work, energy, power, momentum, torque, vibratory motion, elastic properties of solids, fluids at rest and in motion, properties of gases; measurement and transfer of heat, elementary thermodynamics.
3 credits
PS 15L Laboratory for General Physics I
This laboratory course engages the students in experimental measurements spanning the areas of mechanics and thermal stresses on matter. Its objectives are to train students in experimental measurements, data manipulation and analysis, error analysis, deductive thinking, and instrumentation. It provides depth in the students' understanding of the phenomena taught in General Physics I. Specific experimental measurements include accelerated motion, periodic motion, the gravitational force, ballistics, conservation of energy and momentum and rotational dynamics; also, measurements of the coefficient of linear expansion and the heat of fusion. A weekly report is required.
1 credit
PS 16 General Physics II
Electricity, light, and sound. A continuation of PS 15. A study of magnetism and electricity, simple electric circuits, electrical instruments, generators and motors, characteristics of wave motion, light and illumination, reflection, refraction, interference, and polarization of light, color, and the spectrum; production and detection of sound waves.
3 credits
PS 16L Laboratory for General Physics II
This laboratory is designed to allow students a greater understanding of electromagnetic phenomena, wave phenomena, and optics, in support of General Physics II. Measurements of microscopic quantities, like the charge and mass of the electron, give the students an opportunity to explore the structure of matter. Other experiments involve the physics of electrical currents, electric properties of bulk matter, magnetic fields and their effect on beams, wave phenomena, the nature of light and its interaction with optical materials. In terms of experimental skills, this course shares the same objectives as PS 15L, i.e., measurement techniques, data and error analysis and instrumentation. A weekly report is required.
1 credit
PS 30 Programming the Personal Computer*
This is a programming course in BASIC for the Apple computer. Students learn to write programs with application to numerical and non-numerical problems in a wide range of topics, including science, business, linguistics, and education; other topics include artificial intelligence, robot programming, machine language, sound, graphics and use of commercially available software. Classes meet frequently in the computer room for hands-on use of the computer.
3 credits
PS 70 Computers in Contemporary Society**
The course provides a general introduction to computers for the non-science major. Topics covered include computer programming in BASIC, history of computers, hardware and software, data processing, and simulation; also computers in education, industry, business, health care, and the social implications of computers.
3 credits
PS 71 Physics of Light and Color
This course is intended for students who are not majoring in the physical sciences. The particle-wave duality of light will be covered as will the relationship of light to other electromagnetic waves. Other topics discussed include polarization, vision, color and the perception of color, optical phenomena in nature, and in biological systems, color and light in art, simple optical instruments, sources of light and their spectra, lasers, and holography.
3 credits
PS 73 Man and Technology
Major concepts of modern information science are considered with emphasis on the man-technology interaction. These concepts include modeling and decision making in such areas as energy, population, pollution, transportation, and computers.
3 credits
PS 76 Physics of Sound and Music
The physical principles in the production of sound are examined with emphasis on sound produced by musical instruments. This includes the nature of wave motion as produced by vibrating strings and organ pipes, as well as harmonic content, musical scales and intervals, and the mechanism of the hearing process. Applications are made to the construction and characteristics of musical instruments, and to the design of auditoriums and concert halls.
3 credits
PS 77 The Science and Technology of War and Peace - The Way Things Work
A critical discussion and descriptive exposition of the swords and plowshares dilemma, of what we mean when we say that science and technology have been used both to build up and tear down civilization, and of the forces of civilization driving and being driven by the dual nature of our technological heritage. The course will cover from the first lever and club through laser surgery and star-wars lasers, taking both an historical approach and a thematic approach where appropriate. An emphasis will be placed on describing in the simplest terms the way important real devices work (TV, telephones, lasers, gas turbines, thermo-nuclear weapons, etc.) their illustration of and limitations from scientific principles at a qualitative level (mathematics: high school algebra or less), "the technical future" from a past, present and "future" perspective: What we can, could, didn't, might and cannot do. Illustrations of the moral and ethical implications of science will be discussed where appropriate.
3 credits
PS 78 The Nature of the Universe
Geocentric and heliocentric models of the universe from the ancient Greeks to Newton, the life cycle of stars, evidence for an expanding universe, modern concepts of space, black holes, evolutionary and steady state theories of the universe.
3 credits
PS 83 General Physics for the Life and Health Sciences I
Mechanics, heat and thermodynamics, wave motion and sound. The fundamentals of each area are treated rigorously. A study of velocity and acceleration. Newton's Laws of Motion, work, energy, power, momentum, torque, vibratory motion, and elastic properties of solids; properties of gases, transfer of heat, and elementary thermodynamics. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory period.
3 credits
PS 83L Laboratory for General Physics for the Health and Life Sciences I
Same as PS 15L.
1 credit
PS 84 General Physics for the Life and Health Sciences II
A continuation of PS 83. Light, electricity and magnetism - a study of the nature of light, reflection, refraction, diffraction, and polarization; electrostatics, DC circuits, magnetic forces, electromagnetic induction, AC circuits, electrical instruments, generators and motors. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory period.
3 credits
PS 84L Laboratory for General Physics for the Health and Life Sciences II
Same as PS 16L.
1 credit
PS 87 Fundamentals of Astronomy
This one-credits course introduces the student who is not majoring in science to the principal areas, traditional and contemporary, of astronomy. The traditional topics to be studied will be: an historical background to astronomy, telescopes, the sun, the moon, the major and minor planets, comets, and meteors. After these subjects have been discussed in detail, the areas appropriate to modern astronomy will be discussed. These topics will include: the composition and evolution of stars, star clusters, quasars, pulsars, black holes, and cosmological models.
3 credits
PS 92 History and the Cultural and Social Impact of Science
The objectives of this course are (a) to trace the historical development of science and induce an appreciation of universal natural laws, (b) to investigate the scientific influence on the development of culture and society, (c) to take a critical view of the culture and social institutions of today and examine to what extent science is responsible for their ills or virtues, and (d) to determine if it is possible that a concerted action on the part of the scientific enterprise can truly improve the human condition. The first part of the course focuses on culture, the second on social institutions.
6 credits
PS 93 Energy and Environment
This course is designed to introduce students not majoring in the natural sciences to topics relating to work, energy, and power. Many of the environmental consequences resulting from our use of energy will be explored. The finite nature of our fossil fuels will be examined, as well as many of the alternatives to energy resources, including solar energy, wind, tidal, and geothermal energy, nuclear fission, and nuclear fusion. Mathematical prerequisites are limited to arithmetic and simple algebra.
3 credits
PS 95 Meteorology
The course introduces the science of meteorology to the student who has little formal training in physics and mathematics. It includes a study of the composition and structure of the earth's atmosphere; the scientific instruments which measure atmospheric changes; and the forces which produce winds and storms. Applications are made to weather forecasting, to the economic impact of weather, and to the modification of weather and climate.
3 credits
PS 203 Laboratory in Optics and Lasers
This is a course in classical optical experimental methods, with experiments in geometrical optics, optical instruments, optical materials, velocity of light, interference, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction, Michelson and Fabry-Perot interferometers, polarization; it also includes an introduction to spectroscopy, fiber optics and lasers.
1 credit
PS 204 Laboratory in Modern Experimental Methods I
PS 204 and PS 205 each offer laboratory experience in modern experimental methods and techniques. They each involve laboratory investigation of fundamental concepts in modern physics including: atomic, nuclear, solid-state, X-ray, acoustic, superconductivity and quantum physics. Laboratory procedures are designed to emphasize hands-on work with basic experimental equipment such as: vacuum systems, power supplies, electronics and instrumentation, detectors, diagnostic techniques, computer interfaces, data acquisition and control hardware and software, etc. These two laboratory courses are designed to give the student the maximum amount of opportunity to work on his/her own with minimum supervision.
1 credit
PS 205 Laboratory in Modern Experimental Methods II
See Catalog description for PS 204.
1 credit
PS 206 Laboratory in Advanced Optics and Optical Communications
This laboratory course offers experiments in Fourier Optics, holography, fiber optics systems, optical modulation and detection, noisy signal analysis, and topics in quantum optics and coherence, including pulsed and CW lasers, optical cavities, quantum optics and optical scattering (Rayleigh, Raman). Computational simulation of optical systems will be employed in some experiments. Students are encouraged to propose and carry out individual projects in advanced optics with the advice and consent of the instructor.
1 credit
PS 211 Digital Electronics and Microprocessors
This is a lecture and laboratory course where students will be trained in the practical aspects of digital electronics, beginning with simple transistor circuits and advancing to the design and development of microprocessor circuits. The following topics are presented: number systems (decimal, binary, octal, hexidecimal, BCD); Boolean algebra; integrated circuits versus discrete components; logic gates; AND/OR/NAND/NOR/XOR circuits; flip-flops; multiplexers and decoders; counters; registers; memory devices; arithmetic and logic units; analog/digital and digital/analog conversion techniques. Students will also utilize laboratory equipment such as "bread-boarding" equipment, pulsers, oscilloscopes, and logic probes.
4 credits
PS 212 Circuit Analysis and Analog Systems
This is a lecture and laboratory course where students will be introduced to the theory and practice of basic electronics and linear/analog circuitry. Topics covered include: Kirchhoff's laws and applications; concepts of capacitive and inductive reactance; impedance calculation using vector and complex notation; DC, AC, and transient circuit behavior; operation of basic solid state devices (diodes, junction transistors, FET's, SCR's); operational amplifiers; active and passive filters; feedback techniques; and frequency dependent effects. The students also work with the basic laboratory test equipment such as the digital volt-ohm-amp meter, function generator, oscilloscope, and counter/timer.
4 credits
PS 220 Pollution in the Environment
(cross-listed under Chemistry as CH 220)
This lecture/laboratory course introduces students to a range of physical and chemical techniques used to monitor and assess the sources, level and flux of pollutants in the environment. The course considers: the specific pollution sources, pathways by which pollutants travel through the ecosystem, the deleterious effects of pollution, and approaches to pollution prevention and remediation. The lectures present a review of the relevant physical and chemical processes whereby pollutants enter and effect the ecosystem. The lab component gives students hands-on experience in environmental sample collection, analysis and data interpretation and features the use of sophisticated analyti-cal instrumentation. (Prerequisites: CH 11-12.)
4 credits
PS 222 Modern Optics and Wave Phenomena
An introduction to wave phenomena and particular application to light and optics. Periodic motion, superposition, forced and damped vibrations, boundaries, dispersion, Fourier analysis and examples of wave motion in mechanics, electricity, sound and fluids. The nature and properties of light; geometrical optics; prisms, mirrors, lenses, optical instruments, optical fibers and waveguides; physical optics: interference, diffraction, polarization and spectra; coherence, lasers and quantum optics.
3 credits
PS 226 Theoretical Mechanics
Fundamental ideas of classical mechanics; elementary dynamics; gravitational forces and potentials; free and forced harmonic oscillations; central fields and the motions of planets and satellites. Lagrange's equations, small oscillations, and normal modes.
3 credits
PS 241 Thermodynamics
Temperature scales and thermodynamic systems; Carnot cycle; absolute temperature; entropy. The laws of thermodynamics; chemical, electric, and magnetic systems; kinetic theory of ideal gases; distribution of molecular velocities; the Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics; applications of the Boltzmann statistics; quantum statistics.
3 credits
PS 271 Electricity and Magnetism I
Electrostatics and the concepts of field, flux and potential, Gauss' Law and its applications, vector and scalar fields and vector operators, energy of charge systems, dipole fields, Laplace's equation, magnetic fields, and potentials.
3 credits
PS 285 Modern Physics
Fundamentals of atomic and molecular structure; photoelectric effect; special relativity; black body radiation, Bohr Theory; optical spectra; Compton Effect and x-rays; introduction to quantum mechanics.
3 credits
PS 288 Biomedical Physics and as Technology
This course is designed to introduce the student to the physical principles that operate in normal and abnormal states of the human body and to the study of the instrumentation used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The principles of operation of a large array of biomedical instrumentation and the utilization of data collected by these devices is studied in detail.
3 credits
PS 371 Electricity and Magnetism II
Electric and magnetic fields in matter, solutions to Laplace's equation and the boundary value problem; multiple expansion of fields and potentials; Maxwell's equation and electromagnetic radiation; polarization; relativistic transformation of fields; electrical conduction in gases and plasmas.
3 credits
PS 386 Quantum Mechanics
This course is to introduce the student to the physical concepts and mathematical formulations of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Topics to be discussed will include: the Schrodinger wave equation, Fourier techniques and expectation values, operator formalism, angular momentum, central forces, matrix representations, and approximation methods. Prerequisites: classical mechanics, atomic physics, advanced calculus and differential equations.
4 credits
PS 388 Elementary Particles and Nuclear Physics
This course begins with a review of elementary particles, their properties and classification and their nuclear and electromagnetic interactions. It proceeds with the study of bound nuclear systems, conditions for nuclear stability, and radioactive decay modes. Finally, particle accelerators and other nuclear experimental facilities are examined. Prerequisite: PS 386.
3 credits
PS 390 Special Topics
The content of this course is selected among the following areas: condensed matter physics, numerical analysis and computational physics, wave phenomena and quantum phenomena. Condensed matter topics include mechanical, thermal and electric properties of matter; magnetism, superconductivity, and magnetic resonance. Topics in numerical analysis and computational physics include solutions of differential equations, boundary value and Eigenvalue problems, special functions and Gaussian quadrature, and matrix operations. Finally wave phenomena include electric and mechanical oscillators, coupled oscillators, transverse and longitudinal waves, waves on transmission lines and electromagnetic waves. The quantum phenomena part includes advanced topics in quantum mechanics with applications in the structure of nuclei, atoms, molecules, metals, crystal lattices, semiconductors and superconductors.
3 credits
PS 391-392 Theoretical/Experimental Independent Study
This course provides an opportunity for intensive investigation, experimental or theoretical, of selected topics at an advanced level under the guidance of a faculty member. Participation in this course is required of all seniors.
Hours by arrangement
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