CLASSES
 111.
How
Things Work
The course offers a non-conventional view of science that starts with
objects of everyday experience and looks inside them to explore what
makes them work. It is designed to help liberal arts students establish
a connection between science and their world, bringing science to
students rather than the reverse. Students work in cooperative learning
groups and present a final project focused on a device or process of
their interest. The course is a non-laboratory course that can serve in
partial fulfillment of the general distribution requirement in natural
science. This is a First Year Program course. (Credit, full course.)
201. Optics
A study of the fundamental principles of geometrical and physical optics
with lasers and holography used extensively in the laboratory. Lecture:
three hours; laboratory: three hours. (Credit, full course.)
202. Thermodynamics
Classical thermodynamics theory with applications and an introduction to
statistical mechanics. Corequisite: Mathematics 207. Lecture: three
hours; laboratory: three hours. (Credit, full course.)
203, 204. Intermediate Electricity
and Magnetism
The electric and magnetic fields produced by simple charge and current
distributions are calculated. Alternating and direct-current circuits
with passive and active components are tested. Prerequisites: Physics
102, and Mathematics 101, 102. (Credit, full course.)
307, 308. Introduction to Modern
Physics
Surveys important developments in physics during the twentieth century,
including general and special relativity, superconductivity, quantum
theory and its applications to the description of the atomic and
subatomic world. Prerequisite: Physics 101, 102. Lecture: three hours;
laboratory: three hours. (Credit, full course.)
 312.
Seminar
A series of lectures by faculty, students, and invited speakers. Every
student is expected to present at least one talk on a topic of his or
her choice in physics. Required for physics majors in their junior and
senior years. The public is invited. Offered Spring 2005 and alternate
years. (Credit, half course.)
412. Seminar
A series of lectures by faculty, students and invited speakers. Every
student is expected to present at least one talk on a topic of his or
her choice in physics. Required for physics majors in their junior and
senior years. The public is invited. Offered Spring 2004 and alternate
years. (Credit, half course.)
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