Physics - Courses
See the current class schedule for current classes and course descriptions
ASTR 107 Survey of Astronomy...3-4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C' or better or pass placement test. This course provides a one-term survey the science of astronomy. The course introduces the science of the origin, characteristics and evolution of solar systems, stars, galaxies and the universe. It is offered in classroom and telecourse formats. Lab activities and lab credit are a fixed part of the 4-credit classroom format, and optional in the 3-4 credit telecourse format. May be offered as a telecourse.
ASTR 121 Astronomy of the Solar System...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of "C" or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the ASTR 121,122,123 can be taken in any order. The ASTR 121,2,3 sequence provides an in-depth and comprehensive introduction to the science of astronomy. The classes are designed to serve non-science majors, but also offer a good introduction for prospective science majors interested in astrophysics. The classes do not have a significant lab component. ASTR 121 focuses on the search for understanding through naked-eye astronomy and the science of astronomy focused on the solar system, particularly our solar system and comparative planetology, the Earth and its Moon, detailed consideration of the individual planets, solar system debris including comets and asteroids, and modeling the origin of our solar system.
ASTR 122 Stellar Astronomy...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the ASTR 121,122,123 can be taken in any order. ASTR 122 provides an introduction to astronomy as science and the fundamental physics concepts underlying our understanding of stars. Our Sun and its place in our Milky Way galaxy begins a comprehensive exploration of the nature of stars, from their birth to multiple paths to maturity and death, including super novae and stellar black holes. See information about the ASTR 121,2,3 sequence in the ASTR 121 course description.
ASTR 123 Cosmology and the Large-Scale
Structure of the Universe...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of ASTR 121, 122, 123 can be taken in any order. ASTR 123 focuses on the search for understanding of the nature of the Milky Way galaxy, Normal Galaxies, Active Galaxies and Quasars, Life in the Universe, and Cosmology including the Big Band, the geometry of space-time, the cosmic background radiation, dark matter and dark energy. See information about the ASTR 121, 122, 123 sequence in the ASTR 121 course description.
GS 104 Physical Science...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the GS 104,5,6 sequence can be taken in any order. The GS 104,5,6 sequence is designed for non-science majors, providing a broad exploration and overview of basic principles that tie the physical sciences together. The focus of each term of GS 104,5,6 focuses on topics and lab experience from physics, chemistry, and geology plus astronomy, respectively. GS104 concerns selected topics in Newtonian mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, waves, light, and modern physics. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.
PH 190 Physics Investigation Laboratory...*2 credits or *3 credits
*2 credit option has 3 hours of lab and 1 hour of lecture
*3 credit option has 3 hours of lab and 2 hours of lecture activity (this mets the AAOT requirement as a lab course.)
Prerequisites: ASTR 107 or ASTR 121 or ASTR 122 or ASTR 123 or GS 104 or PH 101 or PH 102 or PH 103 or PH 201 or PH 202 or PH 203 or PH 211 or PH 212 or PH 213 with a grade of C or better and MTH 095 or higher or instructor consent. A rich undergraduate research experience in which students learn to think as scientists, gather and manage data, and individually and collectively develop useful questions and conclusions. Goals include design, exploration and testing appropriate to science and engineering.
PH 101 Fundamentals of Physics...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the PH 101,2,3 sequence can be taken in any order. The 'Fundamentals of Physics' courses provide an introduction to a broad range of fundamental physics concepts. PH 101,2,3 are recommended for anyone seeking a good basic level of physics literacy. The sequence is designed for non-science majors, but also serves prospective science majors who want to gain a better conceptual grounding before taking General Physics. The sequence also meets physics elective requirements for career-technical students, and provides physics transfer credit if needed. Emphasis is on everyday phenomena and conceptual understanding more than calculations. PH 101 focuses on the nature of science, data analysis, Newton's explanation of motion, momentum, energy, gravity, the atomic nature of matter, and properties of solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion,
and individual and group activities.
PH 102 Fundamentals of Physics...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the PH 101,2,3 sequence can be taken in any order. PH 102 focuses on the science of heat and thermodynamics, waves and sound, and electricity and magnetism. See information about the Fundamentals of Physics sequence in the PH 101 course description. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.
PH 103 Fundamentals of Physics...4 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 052 or above with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Some or all of the PH 101,2,3 sequence can be taken in any order. PH 103 focuses on the science of light and color and many aspects of modern physics, including atomic physics, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, special and general relativity, and astrophysics. See information about the Fundamentals of Physics sequence in the PH 101 course description. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.
General Physics -- General Physics is the "bread and butter" introduction to physics primarily designed for all science majors. This introduction is well accomplished in an algebra-based framework, which is used in PH 201/202/203. However, because calculus more completely and precisely expresses physical phenomena, physics and engineering majors are generally required to take the calculus-based General Physics, which is PH 211/212/213. Mathematics majors are encouraged to take this course because of the mathematics it makes use of. As use of mathematics has increased in biology and chemistry, more majors in those fields are electing to take the calculus-based General Physics when it fits with their schedules.
PH 201 General Physics...5 credits
Prerequisite: MTH 112 with grade of 'C-' or better or pass placement test. Algebra/trig-based General Physics sequence for science majors. Concepts include force, acceleration, work, energy and momentum of objects with mass in various kinds of motion. Emphasizes conceptual understanding, mathematical representations, problem solving, applications and science skills.
PH 202 General Physics...5 credits
Prerequisite: PH 201 with grade of 'C-' or better. Algebra/trig-based General Physics sequence for science majors. Concepts include rotational motion, sound, wave phenomena and optics. Emphasizes conceptual understanding, mathematical representations, problem solving, applications and science skills.
PH 203 General Physics...5 credits
Prerequisite: PH 202 with grade of 'C-' or better. Algebra/trig-based General Physics sequence for science majors. Concepts include electricity, magnetism, and selected topics from modern physics. Emphasizes conceptual understanding, mathematical representations, problem solving, applications and science skills.
PH 211 General Physics with Calculus...5 credits
Corequisite: MTH 251. PH 211,2,3 is a calculus-based, three-term sequence providing an introduction to fundamental physics concepts, analysis, exploration, calculation and problem-solving that are required for engineering and physics majors, and also readily meets any General Physics requirements for other health, mathematics and science majors. PH 211,2,3 require a concurrent study of calculus in Math 251,2,3, if calculus hasn't been studied previously. Concurrent study of calculus can be expected to be supported by the experience of these physics courses. These three courses all focus on conceptual understanding and exploration, visual and mathematical representation, calculation, and problem solving. PH 211 introduces the nature of science, Classical Newtonian Mechanics, energy, and momentum. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.
PH 212 General Physics with Calculus...5 credits
Prerequisite: PH 211 and MTH 251 with grades of 'C-' or better; Corequisite: MTH 252. PH 212 introduces rotational motion, elementary fluid motion, Special Relativity, oscillatory motion, and fundamentals of waves and optics. See information about the General Physics with Calculus sequence in the PH 211 course description. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.
PH 213 General Physics with Calculus...5 credits
Prerequisite: PH 212 and MTH 252 with grade of 'C-' or better; Corequisite: MTH 253. PH 213 is the last term of the calculus-based General Physics sequence and focuses primarily on electricity and magnetism. See information about the General Physics with Calculus sequence in the PH 211 course description. The class environment includes labs, demonstrations, discussion, and individual and group activities.