Lower-Division

PHYS 1 Physics for Everyone

Explores some of the great topics in classical and modern physics, including quantum mechanics and relativity, and the connections to a broad range of inquiry, from daily life to cosmology.  Math, mainly algebra, is used in a way that is completely accessible to everyone. (Formerly Conceptual Physics).

Credits

5

Instructor

Steven Ritz

General Education Code

SI

Quarter offered

Winter

PHYS 2 Elementary Physics of Energy

The physics of energy developed in a course accessible to non-science majors as well as science majors. Fundamental principles and elementary calculations, at the level of basic algebra, developed and applied to the understanding of the physics of energy. Topics include fossil fuels, renewable energy, solar cells and waste energy, waste-energy recovery, nuclear power, and global greenhouse effects.

Credits

5

General Education Code

PE-E

PHYS 5A Introduction to Physics I

Elementary mechanics. Vectors, Newton's laws, inverse square force laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, and oscillations.

Credits

5

Instructor

Robert Johnson, Sergey Syzranov

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): MATH 19A or MATH 20A; concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5L is required.

General Education Code

MF

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter

PHYS 5B Introduction to Physics II

A continuation of PHYS 5A. Wave motion in matter, including sound waves. Geometrical optics, interference and polarization, statics and dynamics of fluids.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L and MATH 19A or MATH 20A; concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5M is required. Corequisite: MATH 19B or MATH 20B.

General Education Code

SI

Quarter offered

Spring

PHYS 5C Introduction to Physics III

Introduction to electricity and magnetism. Electromagnetic radiation, Maxwell's equations.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, Anthony Aguirre

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L and MATH 19B or MATH 20B. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5N is required.

General Education Code

SI

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter

PHYS 5D Introduction to Physics IV

Introduces temperature, heat, thermal conductivity, diffusion, ideal gases, laws of thermodynamics, heat engines, and kinetic theory. Introduces the special theory of relativity and the equivalence principle. Includes the photoelectric effect, the Compton effect, matter waves, atomic spectra, and the Bohr model.

Credits

5

Instructor

Wolfgang Altmannschofer

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L, or PHYS 6A and PHYS 6L; and PHYS 5B or PHYS 6B; and MATH 19B or MATH 20B.

Quarter offered

Fall

PHYS 5L Introduction to Physics I Laboratory

 

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5A is required.

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter

PHYS 5M Introduction to Physics II Laboratory

 

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5B. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L; concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5B is required.

Quarter offered

Spring

PHYS 5N Introduction to Physics Laboratory III

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5C. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 5C is required.

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter

PHYS 6A Introductory Physics I

Elementary mechanics. Vectors, Newton's laws, inverse square force laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, and oscillations.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff, David Lederman, Aiming Yan, Art Ramirez

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): MATH 11A or MATH 19A or MATH 20A or AM 15A. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6L is required.

General Education Code

MF

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer

PHYS 6B Introductory Physics II

A continuation of PHYS 6A. Geometric optics; statics and dynamics of fluids; introduction to thermodynamics, including temperature, heat, thermal conductivity, and molecular motion; wave motion in matter, including sound waves.

Credits

5

Instructor

The Staff

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L or PHYS 6A and PHYS 6L; and MATH 11B or MATH 19B or MATH 20B or AM 15B.

General Education Code

SI

Quarter offered

Winter, Spring

PHYS 6C Introductory Physics III

Introduction to electricity and magnetism. Elementary circuits; Maxwell's equations; electromagnetic radiation; interference and polarization of light.

Credits

5

Instructor

Steve Ritz, Jairo Velasco

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L or PHYS 6A and PHYS 6L, and MATH 11B or MATH 19B or MATH 20B or AM 15B.

General Education Code

SI

Quarter offered

Fall, Spring

PHYS 6L Introductory Physics I Laboratory

 

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Previous or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6A or PHYS 7A is required.

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

PHYS 6M Introductory Physics II Laboratory

 

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6B. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 5A, PHYS 6A, or PHYS 7A; and PHYS 5L, PHYS 6L or PHYS 7L; and previous or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6B.

Quarter offered

Winter, Spring, Summer

PHYS 6N Introductory Physics III Laboratory

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6C. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 6A and PHYS 6L or PHYS 5A and PHYS 5L; previous or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6C; PHYS 6B and PHYS 6M are recommended.

Quarter offered

Fall, Spring, Summer

PHYS 7A Elementary Physics I

Examines elementary mechanics, including vectors, kinematics, Newton's laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, fluid motion, and temperature and heat.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): MATH 11A or MATH 19A or MATH 20A or AM 15A. Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 6L or PHYS 7L is required.

General Education Code

MF

PHYS 7B Elementary Physics II

Examines elementary wave motion, light polarization, reflection and refraction; elementary electricity, including electric charge, Coulomb's Law,and electric field and potential; electrostatic energy, currents, conductors, resistance, and Ohm's Law; and magnetic fields, inductors, and circuits.

Credits

5

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): PHYS 7A, and MATH 11B, or MATH 19B, or MATH 20B, or AM 15B.

General Education Code

SI

PHYS 7L Elementary Physics Laboratory

Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 7A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.

Credits

1

Instructor

George Brown

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): Concurrent enrollment in PHYS 7A is required.

PHYS 11 The Physicist in Industry

One two-hour meeting per week. Subjects include roles of the physicist in industry, the business environment in a technical company, economic considerations, job hunting, and discussions with physicists with industrial experience. Enrollment by permission of instructor. Priority given to applied physics upper-division students; other majors if space available.

Credits

2

PHYS 80U Physics and Psychophysics of Music

Fundamental theory of vibration, sound waves, sound propagation, diffraction, and interference. Free, coupled, and driven oscillations. Resonance phenomena and modes of oscillation. Fourier's theorem. Anatomy and psychophysics of the ear. Musical scales and intervals. Nature of plucked and bowed strings; guitar, violin, piano. Woodwind and brass instruments. Architectural acoustics. High school algebra and basic knowledge of musical notation recommended.

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

MUSC 80U

Instructor

C Martin Gaskell

General Education Code

MF

PHYS 99 Tutorial

Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.

Credits

5

Quarter offered

Fall, Winter, Spring

Cross-listed courses that are managed by another department are listed at the bottom.

Cross-listed Courses

AM 107 Introduction to Fluid Dynamics

Covers fundamental topics in fluid dynamics: Euler and Lagrange descriptions of continuum dynamics; conservation laws for inviscid and viscous flows; potential flows; exact solutions of the Navier-Stokes equation; boundary layer theory; gravity waves. Students cannot receive credit for this course and AM 217. (AM 107 formerly AMS 107.)

Credits

5

Cross Listed Courses

PHYS 107

Instructor

The Staff, Nicholas Brummell

Requirements

Prerequisite(s): AM 112 or MATH 107 or PHYS 116C or EART 111.

Quarter offered

Fall

ASTR 9A Introduction to Research in Physics and Astrophysics

Introduction to research for first-year students interested in physics and astrophysics. Students complete projects in small groups with scientists. Introduces techniques for collaboration; science writing; physics careers. Continuing course spanning two quarters. Enrollment is restricted to first-year proposed astrophysics and physics majors and by permission of the instructor.

Credits

2

Cross Listed Courses

PHYS 9A

Instructor

Ruth Murray-Clay, Jonathan Fortney

ASTR 9B Introduction to Research in Physics and Astrophysics

Introduction to research for first-year students interested in physics and astrophysics. Students complete projects in small groups with scientists. Introduces techniques for collaboration; science writing; physics careers. Continuing course spanning two quarters. Prerequisite(s): ASTR 9A. Enrollment is restricted to first-year proposed applied physics, physics, and physics (astrophysics) majors and by permission of the instructor.

Credits

3

Cross Listed Courses

PHYS 9B

General Education Code

PR-E