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College Catalog 2019-2020 ARCHIVED CATALOG
Physics Courses
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Department of Physics and Astronomy
COSC 340 - Robotics with Arduino
This course is an introduction to robotics with Arduino. Arduino is an open-source microcontroller which enables users to create interactive electronic objects including simple robots. The course consists of two parts. Part I is learning the ropes with Arduino. Part II involves working with SainSmart’s Arduino-compatible and fully-customizable 2-wheel self-balancing robot. The students taking this class will have laid down a good foundation in robotics, which is a fast-emerging field, with many companies such as Amazon already deploying thousands of robots in their warehouses and factories, including the recently much-touted and a-bit-controversial autonomous (weapons) robots.
Pre-req: COSC 120 and PHYS 180/
Cross-listed with PHYS 305
3 credits
PHYS 100 - Astronomy of the Solar System
This is a general astronomy course suitable for non-science students. Topics covered include historical astronomy, orbits and gravity, light and telescopes, and the planets and other minor bodies in the Solar System. Short labs/activities will be part of the class. Some nighttime observing will be involved.
Pre-req: Any MATH class or a score of 1 or higher on the Math Placement Exam
3 credits
PHYS 101 - Astronomy of Stars, Galaxies and the Universe
Topics covered include the structure and physics of the sun and stars (including star formation, stellar energy sources, stellar death, and black holes), galaxies, and the universe as a whole (including the big bang theory, and the structure, history, and future of the universe). Short labs/activities will be part of the class. This is a general astronomy course suitable for non-science students. PHYS 100 is not a prerequisite for this course, and students may take either or both of PHYS 100 and PHYS 101, in any order.
Pre-req: Any MATH class or a score of 1 or higher on the Math Placement Exam
3 credits
PHYS 103 - The Nature of Light
This is a one-semester algebra-based course. Topics covered include both geometrical optics (reflection, refractions, lenses, mirrors, telescopes) and physical optics (interference, polarization). This course is taught in an activity-based workshop format.
Pre-req: Any MATH class or a score of 1 or higher on the Math Placement Exam
3 credits
PHYS 106 - The Nature of Sound
This course will examine what sound waves are, how they are produced and how we perceive them. Topics that will be covered include: measurement of the speed of sound; the natural vibrations of strings and air columns and their relationship to musical scales and intervals; the perception of loudness and pitch and its relation to the structure of the human ear; (Fourier) analysis of the frequency spectrum of sound waves.
Pre-req: MATH 76 or a score of 1 or higher on the Math Placement Exam
3 credits
PHYS 107 - Quantum Physics for Poets
Since the time of Galileo, nature was thought to be deterministic. The universe was orderly, exact, and predictive. At the start of the 20th century, all of that changed. The photon was discovered: the dual wave and particle nature of light. Developed by Einstein and Planck, the photon led to the idea that energy comes in discrete chunks. This led to Heisenberg developing the Uncertainty Principle and Schrödinger developing the Schrödinger Equation. Nature was no longer deterministic but now considered probabilistic. This new paradigm led to discoveries that seemed to defy reality. Class meetings will consist of discussions regarding the readings, in-class activities, and videos that will present the material in a conceptual manner. Prior knowledge of higher level math or physics will not be required. Topics covered will include the nature of light, the Schrödinger Equation, Quantum Tunneling, Entanglement, Teleportation, Special and General Relativity, and String Theory.
3 credits
PHYS 135A - Algebra-based Physics I (Mechanics)
First course in a two-semester sequence of algebra-based physics. Topics covered are kinematics and mechanics. This course is taught in an activity-based workshop format. First course in a two-semester sequence of algebra-based physics.
4 credits
PHYS 135B - Algebra-based Physics II (Electricity, Magnetism and Modern Physics)
Second course in a two-semester sequence of algebra-based physics. Topics covered are electricity, magnetism and modern physics. This course is taught in an activity-based workshop format. Second course in a two-semester sequence of algebra-based physics.
Pre-req: PHYS 135A
4 credits
PHYS 150 - Calculus-Based Physics I (Mechanics)
Topics covered include vectors, projectile motion, Newton’s laws, gravitation, momentum, and energy. This course is taught in an activity-based workshop format. This is a one-semester, calculus based introductory physics course that can serve as an entry to the major, or that can be taken to satisfy the science division breadth requirement.
Pre-req: MATH 139A or MATH 141 (may be concurrent)
4 credits
PHYS 180 - Calculus-Based Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism)
This is a one-semester, calculus-based introductory physics course that is normally taken after PHYS 150. Topics covered include electrostatics, circuits, magnetostatics, and electromagnetic induction. This course is taught in an activity-based workshop format. This is a one-semester, calculus-based introductory physics course that is normally taken after PHYS 150.
Pre-req: or and (may be concurrent)
4 credits
PHYS 185 - Calculus-Based Physics III (Optics, Waves, and Thermodynamics)
This course covers three areas of introductory physics not included in Calculus-based Physics I and II. These are: (a) basic oscillatory and wave motion, including the block/spring and simple pendulum systems, waves on a string and sound waves; (b) geometrical and physical optics, including reflection, refraction, spherical mirrors and lenses, interference and diffraction; (c) thermodynamics, including temperature, heat, engines, refrigerators and entropy.
3 credits
PHYS 190 - Selected Topics
May be repeated for credit.
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 250 - Computational Oscillations & Waves
Analysis of damped and driven oscillators and resonance phenomena in various physical contexts; coupled oscillators and modes. Solutions of the wave equation, superposition, traveling waves, standing waves. Introduction to non-linearity. Heavy use of computers and computational techniques are stressed throughout the course.
Pre-req: PHYS 150 and MATH 141B
3 credits
PHYS 260 - Search for Extraterrestrial Life
Does life exist elsewhere in the universe? This course examines this question in detail, from the possibility of fossil bacteria existing on Mars to the possibility of advanced races colonizing the galaxy. Topics studied include: the detection of planets around other stars, the evolution of life and intelligence on Earth, the search for life in our Solar System, radio astronomical searches for extraterrestrial intelligence, and UFO and alien abduction phenomena. Content will be the same as INTD 217 with the addition of an appropriate technical assignment for those completing the course under the physics cross-listing. Intended for Physics majors completing the astronomy emphasis.
Pre-req: PHYS 250
Cross-listed with INTD 217
4 credits
PHYS 275 - Modern Physics
Topics covered include wave-particle duality, quanta, atomic and nuclear physics, and elementary particles.
Pre-req: PHYS 180 and MATH 241 (may be concurrent)
3 credits
PHYS 290 - Selected Topics
May be repeated for credit
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 295 - Independent Study
Credit and time arranged. May be repeated for credit.
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 305 - Robotics with Arduino
Continuation of PHYS205. Topics include: Advanced programming in LabVIEW including state machines, GUI design, debugging techniques, references, calling, dll’s, making executables, and performance issues. Design of simple analog and digital circuits as needed. Students will each complete a portion of a sbustantial class interfacing project and will participate in the integration of the individual components to produce a testing station.
Pre-req: PHYS 180 and COSC 120.
Cross-listed with COSC 340
3 credits
PHYS 306 - Computer Logic and Circuit Design
This course serves as an introduction to the electrical engineering and computer science topic of digital circuits, and digital logic. The course presents theoretical concepts like binary representation of information, Boolean algebra, truth tables, combinatorial logic, and Karnaugh maps. These concepts prove useful in a wide range of engineering, business, and scientific situations. The course also provides hands-on experience with the physical implementation of digital logic in the form of logic gates. Once logic gates are understood, the course then demonstrates how more complex elements are built from simple gates: flip-flops, latches, memory elements, and memory registers all follow. Finally, elements useful for computing are covered, including binary adders (ALUs) and analog-to-digital converters (ADCs).
Pre-req: PHYS 180, COSC 120
Cross-listed with COSC 330
PHYS 310 - Mechanics
Systematic exposition of Newtonian mechanics; conservation laws, systems of particles, rigid body motion, central forces and orbital mechanics, non-inertial reference frames. Lagrange’s and Hamilton’s equations of motion. Special relativity.
Pre-req: PHYS 185 or PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 315 - Statistical Physics
Physics of large scale systems consisting of many particles. Statistical mechanics, kinetic theory, thermodynamics and heat. Introduction to quantum statistics. This course has an emphasis on computation.
Pre-req: PHYS 185 or PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 320 - Optics
The nature of light. Geometrical, physical, and quantum optics. Light rays, lenses, and optical instruments. Light waves, superposition, interference, and diffraction. Photons, spectra, lasers, interferometry, fiber optics, and nonlinear optics.
Pre-req: PHYS 185 or PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 325 - Computational Physics
This course deals with the use of computational techniques to solve physics problems. It uses Python as the programming language. Topics include root finding, numerical integration and differentiation, numerical solutions of differential equations, Monte Carlo simulations. These computational techniques are applied in the context of physics problems in the areas of classical and quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, oscillations and waves, chaos, electricity and magnetism. A basic knowledge of Python is assumed.
One semester, 3 credits.
Pre-req: PHYS 185, PHYS 275, & COSC 120.
3 credits
PHYS 330 - Electromagnetic Theory
Electro- and magneto- statics in vacuum and in matter, scalar and vector potentials, and electrodynamics. Maxwell’s equations and electromagnetic waves.
Pre-req: PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 350 - Quantum Mechanics
General formalism; operators, eigenfunctions and eigenvalues. The Schrodinger equation. One dimensional quantum systems. Angular momentum.
Pre-req: PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 360 - Astrophysics
Stellar structure, stellar spectra, nuclear energy generation, and stellar evolution. The interstellar medium, galaxy structure and dynamics, and cosmology.
Pre-req: PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 375 - Solid State Physics
Crystals and electrons in crystals. Crystal structures and binding. The reciprocal lattice and phonons. Free electron gas, energy bands, and Fermi surfaces. Metals, semiconductors, insulators, and superconductors. Electronic and magnetic properties of solids.
Pre-req: PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 380 - Experimental Physics
Laboratory experiments taken from a wide variety of topics in physics including experiments of historical importance, atomic and nuclear physics, x-ray physics, condensed matter physics, and signal processing. Error analysis and statistical treatment of data.
Pre-req: PHYS 250 and PHYS 275
3 credits
PHYS 390 - Selected Topics
May be repeated for credit
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 395 - Independent Study
Credit and time arranged. May be repeated for credit.
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 396 - Physics Research
Independent research under the direction of a faculty member. Credit and time arranged. May be repeated for credit.
1 to 3 credits
PHYS 490 - Selected Topics
May be repeated for credit
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 495 - Independent Study
Credit and time arranged. May be repeated for credit.
1 to 4 credits
PHYS 499 - Senior Seminar
Readings will be assigned from both text books and major journals, and students will be expected to engage in independent library research. Each student will give several presentations based on these readings. Students will complete a significant independent study project, leading to a major term paper that satisfies Whittier College’s Paper-in-the-Major requirement (COM4), and a presentation open to the entire college community. Instructor Permission
2 credits
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