Download Physics Course Descriptions

PHYS 101 - Classical Mechanics
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Calculus-based physics. This course covers elementary mechanics including kinematics, statics,
equilibrium and dynamics of particles, kinetic work and energy, potential energy and conservation,
center of mass and linear momentum.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students should be able to:
 Apply basic Newtonian principles to particle motion
 Demonstrate an understanding of the conservation of momentum and energy
 Transform motion equations using center of mass calculations
 Calculate stresses, potential energy, and kinetic energy for a variety of structures and
conditions
 Apply conservation principles to dynamic problems
COURSE CONTENT:
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Newtonian Mechanics
Vector algebra
Work and energy
Single particle dynamics
Conservation Laws
Gravitation and Kepler’s laws
Center of mass and linear momentum
Systems with varying masses
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture & Laboratory
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday & Resnick, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
PHYS 102 – Optics, Fluids, & Waves
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Calculus-based physics. This course covers rotational motion, torque and angular momentum,
equilibrium and elasticity, gravitation, fluids, oscillations, and waves.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
 Explain the basic principles of wave motion, vibration and oscillations
 Apply Newton’s laws to formulate the physical problems for free, forced, and damped
oscillations
 Analyze waves under various conditions
 Apply the concept of interference and beats
 Be able to calculate the doppler effect in various sitautions
COURSE CONTENT:
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Rotation
Rolling, torque, and angular momentum
Equilibrium and elasticity
Gravitation
Fluids
Oscillations
Waves, their properties and analysis
Interference, beats, and doppler effects
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture & Laboratory
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday & Resnick, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
PHYS 103 – Astronomy & Astrophysics
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Celestial mechanics; gravitational forces and forces among stellar bodies; stellar motions and evolution;
radiation and matter; magnitudes and stellar spectra; binary stars and stellar masses; stellar structure
and evolution.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students should be able to:
 Apply gravitational forces to disparate celestial bodies
 Identify types of celestial bodies by their characteristics
 Demonstrate an understanding of star formation and aging
 Estimate the age of various celestial bodies and their distances from the earth
COURSE CONTENT:
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Gravitational orbits
Birth and evolution of planetary systems
Planetary giants
Gravitation beyond Kepler
Dwarfs and small solar systems
Star measurements
Star formation and interstellar medium
Stellar evolution
The expanding universe
Galaxies and modern cosmology
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture and demonstrations
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
21st Century Astronomy, Jeff Hester, W. W. Norton & Company, Third Edition, 2010.
PHYS 203 – Thermodynamics & Electric Fields
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Calculus-based physics. This course covers temperature, heat, & the first law of thermodynamics; the
kinetic theory of gases; entropy and the second law of thermodynamics; electric charge and fields;
Gauss’ law and electric potential; capacitance, current, and resistance; and basic circuits.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Students should be able to:
 Demonstrate and understanding of the first law of thermodynamics
 Calculate the entropy
 Apply the gass laws
 Calculate equivalent resistance, current flow, and heat dissipation
 Calculate field strength and electric potential
COURSE CONTENT:
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Temperature and heat
The First law of thermodynamics and special cases
The kinetic theory of gasses
Entropy, reversible and irreversible processes
The second law of thermodynamics
Electric charge and fields, dipoles and field lines
Gauss' law and flux
Electric potential
Capacitance, dielectrics, and energy storage
Current, resistance, and Ohm's law
Power and heat
Work, emf, and circuits
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture and Laboratory
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday & Resnick, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
PHYS 204 – Magnetism and Electromagnetic Waves
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Calculus based physics. This course covers magnetic fields, induction and inductance,
electromagnetism, Max well’s equations, EM waves, imaging, interference, and diffraction.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
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Estimate magnetic fields from the currents in a wire
Be able to use inductance to estimate energy storage
Understand lens and basic optical principles
Be able to apply Maxwell's equations to basic propagation problems
Understand diffraction limits and principles
COURSE CONTENT:
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Magnetic fields
Magnetic fields from currents
Induction and inductance
Electromagnetic oscillations and AC
Maxwell's equations
EM waves
Imaging and interference
Diffraction
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture and Laboratory
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday & Resnick, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.
PHYS 206 – Atmospheric Science and Geophysics
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Calculus based physics. This course covers the earth system, atmospheric dynamics, radiative transfer
and atmospheric chemistry, cloud micro physics and weather systems, the atmospheric boundary layer
and climate systems.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
 Explain the Physics of cloud formation, lightning, and precipitation
 Describe weather observation and measurement procedures
 Understand heat loss in the atmosphere
 Understand and be able to describe climate dynamics
 Discuss and understand atmospheric chemistry
COURSE CONTENT:
 The Atmosphere
 Atmospheric Thermodynamics
 Thermodynamics, adiabatic processes, and stability
 The Hydrological and carbon cycle
 Radiative heat transfer and black body radiation
 Scattering, reflection, and adsorption
 Atmospheric chemistry
 Aerosols, tropospheric cycles, and stratospheric chemistry
 Cloud micro physics and electrification
 Atmospheric dynamics and circulation
 Weather systems
 Extra-tropical cyclones, orographic effects, and tropical cyclones
 Atmospheric boundary layer and its effects
 Climate dynamics
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture and simple lab elements (thermometers, beakers,
ice, hot plate)
Laboratories:
Temperature and pressure measurements
Dew Point Measurements and Error Analysis
Cloud Classification
Surface Plotting
Geostrophic Wind Calculation and Observation
Radiative Heating of Differing Surfaces
Water Latent Heat and Heat Capacities
Forecasting
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Atmospheric Science, Second Edition: An Introductory Survey (International Geophysics), John M.
Wallace, Elsevier, 2006.
PHYS 304 - Electronics
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Topics covered include RC circuits, diodes, bipolar transistors, MOSFETS and JFETS, differential
amplifiers, operational amplifiers, feedback concepts, oscillators and filters, combination logic, flip-flops,
monostable and bistable elements, counters, multiplexers, RAM, and D/A and A/D devices.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
 Explain the concepts and terminologies of analogue and digital electronics
 Build simple electronic circuits containing analogue and digital components
 Test and trouble-shoot simple circuits by using the oscilloscope and multimeter
 Design and analyze basic RC circuits
 Understand and be able to apply feedback principles
COURSE CONTENT:
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Instrumentation basics
RC circuits
Diodes and band structure
Bipolar devices
JFETS and MOSFETS
Differential amplifiers , frequency effects, and analysis
Operational amplifiers and feedback
Comparators, oscillators, and filters
Boolean logic and combinatorial circuits
Flip flops, counters, multiplexers, and RAM
Monostable and bistable operational
D/A and A/D operations, microprocessors
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture and Laboratory
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Hands-On Electronics, D. Kaplan, Cambridge University Press, 2003
PHYS 305 – Atomic and Modern Physics
3 credits = 3 contact hours per week for 15 weeks
2 weeks for final examination
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Special Theory of Relativity. Quantum nature of waves and particles: photons and matter waves,
electronic wave functions and the Schrodinger equation, properties of atoms, magnetic resonance,
lasers and laser light, conduction processes in solids, nuclear physics, quarks, leptons, and the big bang.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
 Apply special relativity to estimate distortions in time and space
 Demonstrate and understanding of electron energy states
 Be able to describe and sketch energy band diagrams for metals, insulators, and
semiconductors
 Be able to estimate the energy from a fission process
 Understand the basics of the big bang theory and its consequences
COURSE CONTENT:
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Special and general relativity
Photons, light as particles and waves, Schrodinger's equation
Heisenberg uncertainty principle
String waves, matter waves
Wave functions of electrons in two and three dimensions
The Bohr model and the hydrogen atom
Elctronic spin, dipole moments, and magnetic resonance
Pauli exclsuion principle, electron traps, the periodic table
Eelctrical propertis of solids and energy levels
Metals, insulatros, and semiconductors
Nuclear physics, alpha and beta decay
Nuclear fission and fusion
Quarks, lepton, the big bang
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: Lecture
STUDENT ASSESSMENT:
25 % Assignments
25 % Timed Tests
50 % Final
REFERENCES:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday & Resnick, 8th edition, John Wiley & Sons, 2008.