2002-2003 Description of Courses: Physics (Undergraduate)
- PHY 101: Concepts in Physics
- PHY 102: Physics Computations I
- PHY 170: Investigations in Physics
- PHY 181B: Basic Physics I, CBI
- PHY 182B: Basic Physics II, CBI
- PHY 183: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
- PHY 183A: Physics I, CBI
- PHY 183B: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, CBI
- PHY 184: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
- PHY 184A: Physics II, CBI
- PHY 184B: Physics for Scientists and Engineers II, CBI
- PHY 191: Physics Laboratory for Scientists, I
- PHY 192: Physics Laboratory for Scientists, II
- PHY 193H: Honors Physics I-Mechanics
- PHY 201: Physics Computations II
- PHY 205: Directed Studies
- PHY 215: Thermodynamics and Modern Physics
- PHY 215B: Thermodynamics and Modern Physics, CBI
- PHY 231: Introductory Physics I
- PHY 231B: Introductory Physics I, CBI
- PHY 231C: Introductory Physics I, Virtual University
- PHY 232: Introductory Physics II
- PHY 232B: Introductory Physics II, CBI
- PHY 232C: Introductory Physics II, Virtual University
- PHY 233B: Calculus Concepts in Physics I, CBI
- PHY 234B: Calculus Concepts in Physics II, CBI
- PHY 251: Introductory Physics Laboratory I
- PHY 252: Introductory Physics Laboratory II
- PHY 294H: Honors Physics II-Electromagnetism
- PHY 305: Directed Studies
- PHY 321: Classical Mechanics I
- PHY 351B: Computational Physics, CBI
- PHY 357B: Topics in Contemporary Physics (CBI)
- PHY 390: Physics Journal Seminar
- PHY 405: Directed Studies
- PHY 410: Thermal and Statistical Physics
- PHY 411: Conceptual Physics
- PHY 422: Classical Mechanics II
- PHY 431: Optics I
- PHY 432: Optics II
- PHY 440: Electronics
- PHY 451: Advanced Laboratory
- PHY 452: Advanced Projects Laboratory
- PHY 471: Quantum Physics I
- PHY 472: Quantum Physics II
- PHY 480: Computational Physics
- PHY 481: Electricity and Magnetism I
- PHY 482: Electricity and Magnetism II
- PHY 490: Senior Thesis
- PHY 491: Atomic, Molecular, and Condensed Matter Physics
- PHY 492: Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
MSU Physics & Astronomy 2002-2003 Course Info
MSU Physics & Astronomy Home Page
Here follow the course descriptions:
- Concepts in Physics
- Fall Semester
- 1 credits ( 1 hr lecture, 0 hr lab )
Conceptual foundations of physics, emphasizing key experiments.
- Physics Computations I
- Spring Semester
- 1 credits ( 1 hr lecture/recitation/discussion, 0 hr lab )
- Prerequisites: CPS101; PHY183 or PHY183B or PHY193H or concurrently
Use of computer software to solve, analyze and graph equations and data from mechanics.
- Investigations in Physics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 0 hr lecture, 5 hr lab )
- Restrictions: Approval of the Department is required.
Experiments in optics, electronics, sound and mechanics; analysis
of data using computers, library research and oral presentations.
- Basic Physics I, CBI
- Fall, Spring & Summer Semesters
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in LBS 164, PHY 183,
PHY 183B, PHY 193H, PHY 231, or PHY 231B.
Newton's laws of motion, conservation of angular momentum, energy conservation,
thermal physics, waves, and sound. Competency based instruction.
- Basic Physics II, CBI
- Fall, Spring & Summer Semesters
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- LBS 164 or PHY183 or PHY 183B or
PHY 193H or PHY 231 or PHY 231B.
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in LBS 267, PHY 184,
PHY 184B, PHY 232, PHY 232B, or PHY 294H.
Electricity & magnetism, optical phenomena, interference and diffraction of light,
atomic and subatomic topics. Competency based Instruction.
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers I
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 4 credits ( 5 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 183, PHY 183B,
PHY 193H, PHY 231, PHY 231B, or LBS 164.
Mechanics, Newton's laws, momentum, energy conservation laws, rotational motion,
oscillation, gravity, waves.
- Physics I, CBI
- Fall, Spring & Summer Semesters
- 1 credit.
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 183 or PHY 183B.
- This course plus PHY 181B is equal to PHY 183B.
Topics from: frames of reference, special relativity, rocket equation, forced
oscillations, resonances, fluid motion, numerical solutions, moments of inertia,
gyroscopic motion. Competency based instruction.
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, CBI
- Fall, Spring & Summer Semesters
- 4 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 231, PHY 183,
PHY 231B, PHY 193H, PHY 181B, LBS 164.
Mechanics, Newton's laws, momentum, energy conservation laws, rotational motion,
oscillation, gravity, waves. Competency based instruction.
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers II
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 4 credits ( 5-0)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or LBS 164
- MTH 133 or concurrently
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in LBS 267, PHY 182B,
PHY 184B, PHY 232, PHY 232B, PHY 294H.
Electricity and magnetism, electromagnetic waves, light and optics, interference
and diffraction.
- Physics II, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 credit.
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 184 or PHY 184B or
PHY 294H, PHY232, or PHY 232B.
- This course plus PHY 182B is equivalent to PHY 184B.
Topics from: standing wave phenomena, atoms, electromagnetic fields, alternating
currents, optics, quantum mechanics, elementary particles.
Competency based instruction.
- Physics for Scientists and Engineers II, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 4 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 193A or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or LBS 164
- MTH 133 or concurrently
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in LBS 267, PHY 182B,
PHY 184, PHY 184B, PHY 232, PHY 232B, PHY 294H.
Electricity and magnetism, electromagnetic waves, light and optics,
interference and diffraction. Competency based instruction.
- Physics Laboratory for Scientists, I
- Spring Semester
- 1 credit ( 0 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 183A or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or LBS 164 or
concurrently
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 251.
Error analysis, exercises in motion, forces, conservation laws and optics.
- Physics Laboratory for Scientists, II
- Fall Semester
- 1 credit (0 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 191 or PHY 294H or LBS 267 or concurrently
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 252.
Electric and magnetic fields, circuits, wave optics, and radioactivity.
- Honors Physics I-Mechanics
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits (4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- MTH 133 or MTH 153H or concurrently
Mechanics and waves.
- Physics Computations II
- Fall Semester
- 1 credits ( 0 hr lecture, 3 hr lab )
- Prerequisites: PHY102; PHY183 or PHY183B or PHY193H or concurrently
Computer methods to analyze and visualize physics problems. Tools used will include
programming languages (Fortran) and mathematical software (Mathematica, etc.).
- Directed Studies
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 3 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 3 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Approval of department required.
Guided individualized study in an area of physics.
- Thermodynamics and Modern Physics
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184A or PHY 184B or PHY 294H or LBS 267
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 215B.
Thermodynamics, atomic physics, quantized systems, nuclear physics, solids,
elementary particles.
- Thermodynamics and Modern Physics, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184A or PHY 184B or PHY 294H or LBS 267
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 215.
Thermodynamics, atomic physics, quantized systems, nuclear physics, solids,
elementary particles. Competency based instruction.
- Introductory Physics I
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits (4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 181B, PHY 183,
PHY 183B, PHY 193H, PHY 231B, or LBS 164.
Mechanics, Newton's Laws, momentum, energy, conservation laws, thermodynamics,
waves, sound.
- Introductory Physics I, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 181B, PHY 183,
PHY 183B, PHY 193H, PHY 231, LBS 164.
Mechanics, Newton's laws, momentum, energy, conservation laws, thermodynamics,
waves, sound. Competency based instruction.
- Introductory Physics I - Virtual University
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits (4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 181B, PHY 183,
PHY 183B, PHY 193H, PHY 231, PHY 231B, or LBS 164.
Mechanics, Newton's Laws, momentum, energy, conservation laws, thermodynamics,
waves, sound.
- Introductory Physics II
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or PHY 231 or PHY 231B
or LBS 164
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 184, PHY 184B,
PHY 232B.
Electricity and magnetism; optics; atomic, nuclear, and subnuclear physics.
- Introductory Physics II, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or PHY 231 or PHY 231B or LBS
164
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 184, PHY 184B,
PHY 232.
Electricity and magnetism; optics; atomic, nuclear, and subnuclear physics.
Competency based instruction.
- Introductory Physics II - Virtual University
- Fall, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 181B or PHY 183 or PHY 183B or PHY 193H or PHY 231 or PHY 231B
or LBS 164
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 184, PHY 184B,
PHY 232, PHY 232B.
Electricity and magnetism; optics; atomic, nuclear, and subnuclear physics.
- Calculus Concepts in Physics I, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 2 credits.
- PHY 231B plus PHY 233B is equivalent to PHY 183B.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 231 or PHY 231B
- MTH 132 or concurrently
Kinematics, dynamics, applications of Newton's laws. Competency based
instruction.
- Calculus Concepts in Physics II, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 2 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 232 or PHY 232B
- MTH 133 or concurrently
- PHY 232B plus PHY 234B equals PHY 184B.
Electricity and magnetism. Competency based instruction.
- Introductory Physics Laboratory I
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 credit ( 0 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 183 or PHY 183B or PHY 231 or PHY 231B or concurrently
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 191.
Laboratory exercises involving simple mechanical systems.
- Introductory Physics Laboratory II
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 credit ( 0 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 251 or PHY 191 or LBS 164L
- Restrictions: Not open to students with credit in PHY 192.
Laboratory exercises involving simple electromagnetic and optical systems.
- Honors Physics II-Electromagnetism
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 4 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 193H
- MTH 234 or MTH 254H or concurrently
Electricity and magnetism, electromagnetic waves and optics.
- Directed Studies
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 3 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 3 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 232 or PHY 232B or PHY 294H
- Restrictions: Approval of department required.
Guided individualized study in an area of physics.
- Classical Mechanics I
- Spring, Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 215 or PHY 294H or concurrently
- MTH 235 or MTH 255H or concurrently
The mechanics of point particles as application of Newton's laws. Conservation
of energy and momentum. Central force fields.
- Computational Physics, CBI
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- CPS 130 or CPS 131 or CPS 230
- PHY 215 or PHY 215B
Computer applications in physics research: printer graphics, Schroedinger
equation solution, physics-symbol processing, physics information retrieval.
Analysis of typical research data. Competency based instruction.
- Topics in Contemporary Physics (CBI)
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 3 credits.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 232 or PHY 232B or PHY 294H
- Restrictions: Not open to students in Department of Physics and
Astronomy.
Atoms and nuclei, weak decay interaction, weak bosons,
strong interaction, conservation laws, quarks and gluons.
Competency based instruction.
- Physics Journal Seminar
- Spring Semester
- 1 credit ( 3 hr lecture or equivalent, 0 hr lab)
- Restrictions: Open only to juniors in Physics.
Written and oral reports on selected articles in the
current literature. Critique of presentations by peers.
- Directed Studies
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 3 credits.
- Reenroll provisions: A student may earn a maximum of 5 credits in all
enrollments for this course.
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 232 or PHY 232B or PHY 294H
- Restrictions: Approval of department required.
Guided independent study of special topics for seniors.
- Thermal and Statistical Physics
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Equilibrium statistical mechanics and thermodynamics,
kinetic theory, phase transformations.
- Conceptual Physics
- Spring & Spring Semesters
- 4 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Not open to Physics or Astrophysics students.
Physical phenomena evident in the world around us:
mechanics, heat, properties of matter, waves and sound, electricity and
magnetism, light, atmosphere and hydrosphere, and naked eye astronomy.
- Classical Mechanics II
- Fall, Summer Semester
- 3 credit ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 321, MTH 235 or MTH 255H
Analytic mechanics. Dynamics of systems of particles. Hamiltonian and Lagrangian
mechanics. Vibrations and normal modes.
- Optics I
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 2 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 294H
- PHY 192
- PHY 215 or PHY 215B
Lenses, aberrations, apertures, and stops. Diffraction, interferometry,
spectroscopy, fiber optics.
- Optics II
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 2 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Experimental projects involving advanced topics in optics. Holography, spatial
filtering, study of physical systems using optical devices.
- Electronics
- Spring Semester
- 4 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 3 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 184 or PHY 184B or PHY 294H
- PHY 192
- MTH 235 or MTH 255H
Concepts of electronics used in investigating physical phenomena. Circuits,
amplifiers, diodes, LEDs, transistors.
- Advanced Laboratory
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 1 hr lecture, 6 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
General research techniques, design of experiments, and the analysis of results
based on some historical experiments in modern physics.
- Advanced Projects Laboratory
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 1 hr lecture, 6 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 331 or PHY 440
- PHY 451
A projects laboratory that builds on optics and electronics courses.
- Quantum Physics I
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- PHY 215 or PHY 215B
- MTH 235 or MTH 255H
- PHY 321
Schroedinger equation, hydrogen atom, harmonic oscillator, and other
one-dimensional systems.
- Quantum Physics II
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Matrix formulation of quantum mechanics, perturbation
theory, scattering.
- Computational Physics
- Spring of even-numbered years Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- CPS 130 or CPS 131 or CPS 230
Applications of scientific computational techniques to solutions of differential
equations, matrix methods, and Monte Carlo methods used in physics.
- Electricity and Magnetism I
- Fall, Summer Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
- Restrictions: Open only to juniors or seniors.
Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetic fields of steady
state currents, Faraday's law of induction.
- Electricity and Magnetism II
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Maxwell's equations, scalar and vector potentials, electromagnetic plane waves.
- Senior Thesis
- Fall, Spring, Summer Semester
- 1 to 4 credits.
- A student may earn a maximum of 5 credits in all enrollments for this
course.
- Restrictions: Open only to seniors. Approval of department required.
Design, carry out, and analyze an original experiment or computation. A written
and oral report is required.
- Atomic, Molecular, and Condensed Matter Physics
- Fall Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Many-electron atoms. Molecules, crystal structure, lattice
dynamics. Band models of metals and semiconductors. Transport properties.
- Nuclear and Elementary Particle Physics
- Spring Semester
- 3 credits ( 3 hr lecture, 0 hr lab)
- Prerequisites:
Properties of nuclei, nuclear models, nuclear reactions. High-energy
accelerators. Weak, electromagnetic and strong interactions. Symmetries and
conservation laws. Elementary particle spectrum, quarks, gluons.
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Updated
2003.01.03 (Friday) 12:25:34 EST