Academics

PY 105 Concepts in Physics I
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Prerequisite: Accuplacer code 3 or above
Concepts and physical principles of motion, force, mechanical work, energy, and momentum. Torque and angular momentum. Fluids, heat, and thermodynamics. Two hours lecture and one two-hour laboratory.
Offered every year. 3 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 105, PY 221, and PY 241.

PY 106 Concepts in Physics II
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes
Prerequisite: Accuplacer code 3 or above
Electrostatics, including electric forces and electric potential. Simple circuits, electrical power, and generators. Magnetic fields and forces, light, and relativity.
Offered every year. 3 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 106, PY 222, and PY 242.

PY 112 Physics in Art
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Concepts in optics and modern physics applied to the analysis of paintings, conservation of art objects and detection of forgeries. Two hours lecture and one two-hour laboratory.
Offered every year. 3 credits.

PY 114 Physics of Waves
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes; Quantitative Reasoning Across the Curriculum
Prerequisite: Accuplacer code 3 or above
Wave phenomena, including water waves, sound, acoustics, musical instruments, optics and quantum mechanics. Analysis of propagation, power, scattering and interference.
Offered every year. 3 credits.

PY 193 Special Topics in Physics for First-year Students
All "193" classes are approved for LASC but may vary by section. See current course listing for specific LASC area approval.
Introductory level course covering topics of special interest to first-year students. Offered only as a First-year Seminar.
Offered every year. 3 credits.

PY 215 Biological Physics I
Prerequisite: Six hours of biological science or consent of instructor
Traditional areas of introductory physics, such as mechanics, heat, sound, with emphasis on bioinstrumentation; two lectures and one two-hour laboratory.
Offered every 3 years. 3 credits.

PY 216 Biological Physics II
Prerequisite: PY 215
Continuation of PY 215; research project required; two lectures and one two-hour laboratory.
Offered every 3 years. 3 credits.

PY 221 General Physics I
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Prerequisite: MA 110 or MA 190 (preferred)
Physics with algebra and trigonometry, including kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, gravity, oscillators, waves and heat. Three hours lecture and two hours lab.
Offered every year. 4 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 105, PY 221, and PY 241.

PY 222 General Physics II
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Prerequisite: PY 221
Physics with algebra and trigonometry including electric and magnetic fields, resistance, capacitance, inductance, reflection, refraction, interference, relativity and quantum physics. Three hours lecture and two hours lab.
Offered every year. 4 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 106, PY 222, and PY 242.

PY 240 Optics
Prerequisite: One semester of college-level physics and MA 190, or consent of the instructor.
Image formation with mirrors and lenses. Interference, diffraction, dispersion, and polarization. Lasers. Microscopes and spectrometers. Cameras and image processing.
Offered every 2 years. 3 credits.

PY 241 Physics I (Mechanics)
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Prerequisite: One semester of calculus (may be taken concurrently).
Physics with calculus, including kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, gravity, oscillators, waves, and heat. Three hours lecture and two hours lab.
Offered every year. 4 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 105, PY 221, and PY 241.

PY 242 Physics II (Electricity, Magnetism and Optics)
LASC—Natural Systems and Processes (Laboratory Course)
Prerequisite: One semester of calculus, PY 241.
Physics with calculus including electric and magnetic fields, resistance, capacitance, inductance, reflection, refraction, interference, relativity and quantum physics. Three hours lecture and two hours lab.
Offered every year. 4 credits. Credit will not be awarded for more than one of PY 106, PY 222, and PY 242.

PY 297 Selected Topics in Physics
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
Lecture or laboratory course in a selected area in physics. Topic announed in advance.
Offered every 1 or 2 years. 3-4 credits.

PY 310 Modern Physics
Prerequisite: PY 222 or PY 242, and one semester of calculus.
Special relativity. The wave nature of matter, introductory quantum mechanics, and atomic physics. Condensed matter. Radioactivity. Nuclear and particle physics.
Offered every 2 years. 3 credits.

PY/CH 360 Introduction to Materials Science
Prerequisites: CH 120, CH 121, and either PY 221, PY 222 or PY 241, PY 242
Physical structure of solids. Electrical, magnetic, thermal and optical properties of solids, liquids and soft matter. Structure-property relationships in materials.
Offered every 2 years. 3 credits.

PY 410 Independent Study In Physics
Prerequisite: Consent of department
Opportunity for advanced students to pursue topics of special interest involving extensive reading, experimentation, and research.
Offered every year. 1-6 credits.

PY/BI 451 Nuclear Instrumentation I
Prerequisite: Consent of NMT coordinator
The structure, functions, and interactions of particulate and non-particulate radiations with matter, detection, calibration, dosage, and statistical methods.
Offered every year. 4 credits.

PY/BI 452 Nuclear Instrumentation II
Prerequisite: Consent of NMT coordinator
Designed to further the skills of operating, calibrating, and performing routine maintenance on scanners, gamma cameras, well counters, and liquid scintillation counters.
Offered every year. 4 credits.