Explores the physics behind everyday life, considering objects from our daily environment and their principles of operation. Through these explorations, the course illustrates the deep impact of physics on our …
For non-science majors. Examines how new understandings of the natural world develop, starting with the ancient world and emphasizing two famous scientists as case studies. Galileo was the first to …
Energy has always been essential to civilization, and never more than in the modern world. But what is energy? Will affordable sources of energy disappear in our lifetimes? Will our …
First semester of introductory physics sequence recommended for engineers. Topics include particle kinematics and dynamics, energy and momentum conservation, rotational motion, fluids, oscillatory motion, waves, sound, and thermodynamics. Emphasis is …
Group problem solving, data acquisition and analysis, and application of physics to real life scenarios in the framework of classical mechanics and thermodynamics. The course is geared towards STEM majors …
New course in the subject of physics.
This course provides an introduction to the Python programming language with applications to common problems in the science and engineering fields. It emphasizes three core skills: analyzing data, simulating data, …
This course teaches how to use the computer to solve quantitative problems. This involves learning the skills to write computer programs dedicated to certain tasks, to visualize data graphically, to …
Overview of current areas of research in the broad discipline of physics, including the historical context of their development. Describes various career options in physics, including academia, government, and industry. …
Physics 2010 and 2020 constitute a terminal course sequence covering the principles of mechanics, heat, electricity and magnetism, optics, atomic, solid state, nuclear, and particle physics. A working knowledge of …
Group problem solving, data acquisition and analysis, and application of physics to real life scenarios in the framework of classical mechanics and thermodynamics. The course satisfies the requirements for pre-health …
Second semester of the introductory physics sequence recommended for prospective physics majors. Topics include electricity, magnetism, circuits and optics. Emphasis is on building foundations for future studies in physics. Three …
Group problem solving, data acquisition and analysis, and application of physics to real life scenarios in the framework of electricity and magnetism. The course is geared towards STEM majors and …
Applications of physical principles to a diverse set of phenomena: order of magnitude estimates, dimensional analysis, material science and engineering, astrophysics, aeronautics and space flight, communications technology, meteorology, sound & …
The course begins by covering the fundamentals of analog and digital electronics, including the use of transistors, FET's, operational amplifiers, TTL, and CMOS integrated circuits. Following this students conduct projects …
Approximately five experiments drawn from the major fields of physics. Introduces precision apparatus, experimental techniques, and methods of evaluating experimental results. Outside report preparation is required. Six laboratory hours. Prerequisite: …
Statics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies treated with extensive use of vector calculus; includes the Lagrangian formulation of mechanics. Prerequisites: MATH 2310 or equivalent, MATH 3250 or equivalent, …
Includes temperature and the laws of thermodynamics; introductory treatments of kinetic theory and statistical mechanics; and applications of Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distributions. Recommended Prerequisites: MATH 3250, PHYS 2620, and …
Includes Maxwell's equations; electromagnetic waves and their interaction with matter; interference, diffraction, polarization; waveguides; and antennas. Prerequisite: PHYS 3420.
Surveys computational methods for problem solving in the physical sciences. Topics include numerical precision and efficiency, solutions of differential equations, optimization problems, Monte Carlo simulation, statistical methods, and data analytics. …
Includes quantum phenomena and an introduction to wave mechanics; the hydrogen atom and atomic spectra. Prerequisite: MATH 3250, MATH 4210 or PHYS 3340, PHYS 2620, or instructor permission.
Individual study of topics in physics not normally covered in formal classes. Study is carried out under the tutelage of a faculty member with whom the requirements are agreed upon …
A research project on a topic in physics carried out under the supervision of a faculty member culminating in a written report. May be taken more than once. (S-SS) Prerequisite: …
First and second year students enrolled in the Physics PhD program are required to take Physics Colloquium in their first and second years of study.
Lectures on topics of current interest in physics research and pedagogy. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
This is an introductory cosmology course for an advanced undergraduate/beginner graduate audience. This course aims to give a window into the history of our Universe, presented here in reverse order: …
Practical electronics for scientists, from resistors to microprocessors. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
Reviews special relativity and coordinate transformations. Includes the principle of equivalence; effects of gravitation on other systems and fields; general tensor analysis in curved spaces and gravitational field equations; Mach's …
Discusses matrices, complex analysis, Fourier series and transforms, ordinary differential equations, special functions of mathematical physics, partial differential equations, general vector spaces, integral equations and operator techniques, Green's functions, group …
Includes reflection and refraction at interfaces, geometrical optics, interference phenomena, diffraction, Gaussian optics, and polarization. Prerequisite: PHYS 2320, 2415, 2610, or an equivalent college-level electromagnetism course; knowledge of vector calculus …
This course will study various phenomena in condensed matter physics, including crystallography, basic group theory, x-ray and neutron diffraction, lattice vibrations, electrons in a metal, electronic band theory, electrons under …
Surveys computational methods for problem solving in the physical sciences. Topics include numerical precision and efficiency, solutions of differential equations, optimization problems, Monte Carlo simulation, statistical methods, and data analytics. …
Studies subatomic structure; basic constituents and their mutual interactions.
An introduction to quantum computation, a modern discipline looking for ways to harness the power of quantum mechanics to gain exponential speedup of computations and simulations. We will go through …
The statics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies. Discusses the methods of generalized coordinates, the Langrangian, Hamilton-Jacobi equations, action-angle variables, and the relation to quantum theory. Prerequisite: PHYS 3210 …
A consistent mathematical account of the phenomena of electricity and magnetism; electrostatics and magnetostatics; macroscopic media; Maxwell theory; and wave propagation. Prerequisite: PHYS 7250 or instructor permission.
Introduces the physical basis of quantum mechanics, the Schroedinger equation and the quantum mechanics of one-particle systems, and stationary state problem. Prerequisite: Twelve credits of 3000-level physics courses and MATH …
Independent research or practical training supervised by a faculty member. May be repeated for credit.
Introduces the quantization of field theories, including those based on the Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations. Derives perturbation theory in terms of Feynman diagrams, and applies it to simple field theories …
Studies the quantum theory of light and other boson fields with a special emphasis on the nonclassical physics exemplified by squeezed and entangled quantum states. Applications to quantum communication, quantum …
For master's thesis, taken under the supervision of a thesis director.
Workshops given by UVA Physics faculty describing their research. Restricted to Arts and Sciences graduate students in Physics only
For students who have not passed the Qualifying exam for doctoral research, taken before a dissertation director has been selected.
For doctoral dissertation, taken under the supervision of a dissertation director.