Explores some of the great topics in classical and modern physics, including 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. No previous knowledge of physics is necessary.
General Education Code
SI
Explores some of the great topics in classical and modern physics, including thermal physics, quantum mechanics, and the constituents of matter, and their connections to a broad range of inquiry, from daily life to particle physics and cosmology. Probabilistic evidence, backgrounds, statistical fluctuations and systematic uncertainties, discovery significance, what we infer, and what can go wrong, are illustrated in some depth. Math is used in a way that is completely accessible to everyone. No previous knowledge of physics or statistics is necessary.
General Education Code
SR
Prepares students for success in subsequent classes in physics and astrophysics. Course is designed for students majoring or considering majoring in physics, applied physics, or astrophysics. Includes overview of physics and astrophysics, and their major tools: experiment, theory, observation, and computation. Provides conceptual overview of the top-level theoretical approaches including classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Also reviews problem-solving skills for work in subsequent classes, including the physicist's approach to calculus, working intuitively with graphs, solving simultaneous equations, and understanding equations conceptually. Examines the educational path to different physics careers, physics as a collaborative discipline, and effective methods for group work as well as individual study.
Elementary mechanics. Vectors, Newton's laws, inverse square force laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, and oscillations.
Instructor
Barun Dhar, Steven Ritz
General Education Code
MF
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter
A continuation of
PHYS 5A. Wave motion in matter, including sound waves. Geometrical optics, interference and polarization, statics and dynamics of fluids.
General Education Code
SI
Introduction to electricity and magnetism. Electromagnetic radiation, Maxwell's equations.
Instructor
Sriram Shastry, Sergey Syzranov
General Education Code
SI
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter
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.
Instructor
Stefano Profumo
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5B. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 5C. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter
Elementary mechanics. Vectors, Newton's laws, inverse square force laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, and oscillations.
Instructor
Amy Furniss, David Lederman, The Staff
General Education Code
MF
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
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.
Instructor
Barun Dhar, Amy Furniss, The Staff
General Education Code
SI
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Introduction to electricity and magnetism. Elementary circuits; Maxwell's equations; electromagnetic radiation; interference and polarization of light.
Instructor
Barun Dhar, Amy Furniss
Quarter offered
Fall, Spring
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter, Spring
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6B. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 6C. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
Quarter offered
Fall, Spring, Summer
Examines elementary mechanics, including vectors, kinematics, Newton's laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, fluid motion, and temperature and heat.
General Education Code
MF
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.
General Education Code
SI
Laboratory sequence illustrating topics covered in PHYS 7A. One three-hour laboratory session per week.
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.
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. (Formerly offered as
PHYS 2.)
General Education Code
PE-E
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.
Cross Listed Courses
MUSC 80U
Instructor
C Martin Gaskell
General Education Code
MF
Students submit petition to sponsoring agency.
Quarter offered
Fall, Winter, Spring
Cross-listed Courses
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.)
Cross Listed Courses
PHYS 107
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.
Cross Listed Courses
PHYS 9A
Instructor
Ruth Murray-Clay, Jonathan Fortney
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.
Cross Listed Courses
PHYS 9B
General Education Code
PR-E