• PHYS 3040

    Physics of the Human Body
     Rating

    3.33

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.34

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Application of basic physics principles to functions of the human body: biomechanics, metabolism, cardiovascular, cognitive & respiratory systems, and the senses. Medical diagnosis and therapy technologies (e.g., PET, MRI, CT) are discussed. Prerequisite: one semester of calculus and PHYS 2010 or PHYS 1420 or PHYS 1425 or PHYS 1710. Corequisite: PHYS 1710 or PHYS 2020 or PHYS 2410 or PHYS 2415 or instructor permission.

  • PHYS 3110

    Widely Applied Physics
     Rating

    2.83

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.43

    Last Taught

    Fall 2025

    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 & acoustics and fluid dynamics. Not all topics will be covered in every course. Three lecture hours. (Y) Prerequisite: PHYS 2620 or instructor permission.

  • PHYS 3120

    Applied Physics: Energy
     Rating

    1.11

     Difficulty

    4.33

     GPA

    3.34

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Basic physics principles of energy sources and energy production, conversion, distribution, and storage. This course will focus on the basic physics principles and applications of engines, nuclear energy, solar power and photovoltaic, geothermal, wind and hydropower, fuel cells, batteries, bioenergy and fossil energy, as well as energy harvesting in the internet age. We will also learn a closely related topic of physics of climate and "drawdown". The course will conclude with the outlook of renewable energies. Three lecture hours. Prerequisite: PHYS 2620 or instructor permission.

  • PHYS 3140

    Intermediate Laboratory
     Rating

     Difficulty

     GPA

    3.50

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Selected experiments in mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. One lecture hour and four laboratory hours per week. Prerequisites: PHYS 1429, PHYS 2419; co-requisite: PHYS 2620.

  • PHYS 3150

    Electronics Laboratory
     Rating

    4.44

     Difficulty

    3.50

     GPA

    3.34

    Last Taught

    Fall 2025

    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 with modern microcontroller boards (Arduino and Raspberry Pi) using the concepts and the experience gained from the prior fundamentals. Six laboratory hours. Prerequisite: PHYS 2040 or PHYS 2419.

  • PHYS 3170

    Advanced Laboratory A
     Rating

    4.07

     Difficulty

    3.00

     GPA

    3.53

    Last Taught

    Fall 2025

    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: PHYS 2640 or PHYS 3140

  • PHYS 3180

    Advanced Laboratory B
     Rating

    4.00

     Difficulty

    2.00

     GPA

    3.41

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    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: PHYS 2640 or PHYS 3140

  • PHYS 3210

    Classical Mechanics
     Rating

    3.94

     Difficulty

    3.55

     GPA

    3.05

    Last Taught

    Fall 2025

    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, and PHYS 2720 or instructor permission.

  • PHYS 3250

    Applied Nuclear Physics
     Rating

    4.33

     Difficulty

    2.00

     GPA

    3.32

    Last Taught

    Spring 2025

    Applications of nuclear physics and nuclear energy: Introduction to nuclear physics, radioactivity, radiation standards and units, interaction of radiation with matter, accelerators, x-ray generators, detectors, biological effects, nuclear medicine, nuclear fission and reactors, nuclear fusion. Three lecture hours. (Y) Prerequisite: PHYS 2620 or instructor permission.

  • PHYS 3310

    Statistical Physics
     Rating

    1.44

     Difficulty

    4.33

     GPA

    3.26

    Last Taught

    Fall 2025

    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. Prerequisite: MATH 3255 (preferred) or MATH 3250, and PHYS 2620, or instructor permission.