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Physics

 

Course Requirements (20 hours):

PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I (1 semester hour) Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 2325. Personal computer-based data presentation and curve fitting. Basic measurement concepts such as experimental uncertainty, mean, standard deviation, standard error, and error propagation will be covered. Co-requisite: PHYS 2325. (0-3) Y

PHYS 2126 Physics Laboratory II (1 semester hour) Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 2326. Builds on concepts of Physics Lab I. Will emphasize the use of an oscilloscope and measurements using simple circuits constructed in class. Co-requisite: PHYS 2326. (0-3) Y

PHYS 2325 Mechanics and Heat (3 semester hours) Calculus based. Basic physics including a study of space and time, kinematics, forces, energy and momentum, conservation laws, rotational motion, torques, harmonic oscillation, temperature and heat. Two lectures and one recitation session per week. Prerequisite: MATH 2417. Co-requisite: PHYS 2125. (3-0) Y

PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves (3 semester hours) Continuation of PHYS 2325. Topics include electrostatics and electromagnetics, electric field and potential, electric currents, magnetic fields, laws of Coulomb, Ampere, and Faraday, Maxwell's theory of propagation and optics. Two lectures and one recitation session per week. Prerequisites: PHYS 2325 and MATH 2419. Co-requisite: PHYS 2126. (3-0) Y

PHYS 3311 Theoretical Physics I (3 semester hours) Vector spaces, linear operators, and eigenvectors; ordinary differential equations and eigenfunctions; complex functions and contour integration; Fourier series; integral transforms. Prerequisites: Ordinary Differential Equations (MATH 2420 or equivalent), Multivariable Calculus With Applications (MATH 2421 or equivalent) and PHYS 2326. (3-0) Y

PHYS 3352 Modern Physics I (3 semester hours) Wave-particle duality, atomic structure, one- and three- dimensional elementary quantum mechanics, energy levels of single- and multi-electron atoms. Fine structure splitting and momenta coupling. Prerequisite PHYS 2303; co-requisite: PHYS 3311. (3-0) Y

PLUS two upper-division courses:

PHYS 3312 Theoretical Physics II (3 semester hours) Newton's laws and conservation of momentum; collisions; two body problems and trajectories; rotating coordinate systems; Lagrangian formulation; rotational dynamics and the inertia tensor; gravitation. Prerequisite: PHYS 3311 or equivalent. (3-0) Y

PHYS 3325 Electronics (3 semester hours) Direct and alternating current circuits; characteristics of semiconductor devices, typical electronic circuits, power supplies, amplifiers, oscillators; feedback transients and pulse circuits. Prerequisite: PHYS 2326. Co-requisite: PHYS 3125(3-0) Y

PHYS 3330 Numerical Methods in Physics and Computational Techniques (3 semester hours) The course covers concepts and computational techniques in numerical methods for solving physics problems. Topics typically include probability, statistics, data analysis, fits, numerical solutions, and interpretation of the experimental data. Prerequisite: CS 1315 or equivalent experience with a computer programming language. (3-0) Y

PHYS 3341 Physics for Bio Science I (3 semester hours) Calculus based. Basic physics for pre-health science students. Topics include space and time, kinematics, forces, energy and momentum, conservation laws, rotation, thermodynamics, and kinetic theory. Focus is on biological applications. Prerequisite: MATH 2417. Must register for Physics Lab I. (PHYS 2125). (3-0) Y

PHYS 3342 Physics for Bio Science II (3 semester hours) Continuation of PHYS 3341. Topics include electrostatics and electromagnetics, electric field and potential, electric currents, magnetic fields, laws of Coulomb, Ampere, and Faraday; Maxwell's theory of propagation, and optics. Focus is on biological applications. Prerequisites: PHYS 3341 and MATH 2419. Must register for Physics Lab II (PHYS 2126). (3-0) Y

PHYS 3380 Astronomy (3 semester hours) An essentially descriptive course outlining the current views of the universe and the sources of data supporting those views. The solar system and its origin, stars, galaxies, pulsars, quasars, black holes, nebulae and the evolution of the universe. Opportunity to use a UT Dallas telescope is provided. Prerequisite: PHYS 2326 (3-0) Y

PHYS 3416 Electricity and Magnetism (4 semester hours) Coulomb's and Gauss's laws; two-dimensional representations of the electric field on a computer; graphing the electric field; electrostatics; potential theory; field energy; fields of moving charges and electric currents; the magnetic field; electromagnetic induction; Kirchhoff's laws and computer analysis of RLC circuits including resonance; Maxwell's equations; plane waves; guided waves; dielectrics, magnetic media. Prerequisite: PHYS 3311 or equivalent. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4301 Quantum Mechanics I (3 semester hours) Fundamental concepts: the Stern Gerlach experiment; the Dirac formalism; kets; bras and operators; base kets and matrix representations. Measurements, observables and the uncertainty relations. Position, momentum, and translation. Wave functions in position and momentum space. Time evolution and Schrödinger's equation, Heisenberg picture. Applications include simple harmonic oscillator and the H-atom. Prerequisites: PHYS 3311, PHYS 3312, and PHYS 3352 or equivalent. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4302 Quantum Mechanics II (3 semester hours) An extension of Quantum Mechanics I including relativistic topics. Prerequisite: PHYS 4301. (3-0) T

PHYS 4311 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (3 semester hours) Study of the elements of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and statistical mechanics; the concepts of temperature, entropy, phase transitions, transport phenomena, partial functions, statistical ensembles; the Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein distributions; and the equipartition theorem. Applications considered will include the thermodynamic description of chemical and phase equilibria, magnetism, superconductivity, and superfluidity. Prerequisites: PHYS 2325, PHYS 2326 and PHYS 3311. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4318 Particle Physics (3 semester hours) Introduction to the physics of elementary particles, covering the strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions, and the leptons, quarks and bosons upon which they interact. Topics will include the elementary zoo: mesons and baryons, sometimes broken symmetries and conservation laws, and the accelerators, detectors, and experimental techniques that are used by elementary particle physicists. Prerequisites: PHYS 3416 and PHYS 4301. (3-0) T

PHYS 4324 Computer Interfacing and Data Acquisition (3 semester hours) Hardware and software techniques to utilize computers in data acquisition and control of physics experiments. Operation of digital input and output devices, analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, and intercomputer communication. Hands-on operation of several devices. (3-0) T

PHYS 4328 Optics (3 semester hours) Topics include electromagnetic waves and radiation, the interaction of light and matter, geometric optics, polarization, interference, and diffraction. Prerequisite: PHYS 3416. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4352 Modern Physics II (3 semester hours) Topics in this advanced continuation of PHYS 3352 include the application of quantum mechanics and statistical physics concepts to an understanding of the operation of laser and solid state devices; to elucidating molecular and solid state structure; to an appreciation of nuclear structure, models and forces; and to explaining low temperature phenomena. Introductory discussion of subnuclear particles, their properties and interactions. Prerequisite: PHYS 3352. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4371 Solid State Physics (3 semester hours) The course covers topics in the theory of perfect crystals including crystallography, lattice energy of ionic crystals, elasticity, lattice vibrations, electric and magnetic properties, and the band theory of solids. Prerequisites: PHYS 3352 and 3416. (3-0) Y

PHYS 4372 Solid State Devices (3 semester hours) This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of solid state devices. Topics covered include semiconductor homojunctions and heterojunctions, low dimensional physics, hot electron systems, semiconductor lasers, field effect and heterojunction transistors, microwave diodes, and infrared and solar devices. Prerequisite: PHYS 4371 (3-0) T

PHYS 4373 Physical Measurements Laboratory (3 semester hours) Thermodynamics and physical properties of matter, vacuum technology, gas phase kinetics, spectroscopy, basic operations in electronics, literature skills, and use of computers. Prerequisites: PHYS 3352 and 3316. (0-6) Y

PHYS 4381 Space Science (3 semester hours) A survey of the structure and dynamics of the atmospheres of planets, including ionospheres and magnetospheres, as influenced by the sun's radiation and the solar wind. Topics include aurora and airglow, photochemistry and atmospheric electricity. Prerequisite: PHYS 2322, or PHYS 2326, or equivalent. (3-0) T

PHYS 4383 Plasma Physics (3 semester hours) Plasmas are the 4th state of matter, in which some or all of the neutral particles in a gas are ionized. A working knowledge of plasma physics is important in nuclear physics, semiconductor processing, space science, astronomy, and many other areas. This course will examine the fundamental treatment of plasmas as embodied in the fluid equations, magneto-hydrodynamics, and simple kinetic theory. Specific topics include plasma waves and instabilities, diffusion, guiding center motion and drifts, currents in plasmas, and particle collisions. Prerequisites: PHYS 3311; prerequisite or co-requisite: PHYS 3416 (3-0) R

PHYS 4385 The Sun, the Atmosphere, and Global Change (3 semester hours) A survey of how the varying sun and human activities affect the atmosphere. Topics include the sun and solar wind and their effects on ozone production, cosmic ray variations and in producing changes in weather and climate; the human activities that cause destruction of the ozone layer and cause global and regional changes in climate. May be used to satisfy part of the General Education science requirement. (3-0) R

PHYS 4399 Senior Honors in Physics (3 semester hours) For students conducting independent research for honors theses or projects. Must be done under faculty supervision. (3-0) S

PHYS 4V07 Senior Projects Laboratory (1 to 3 semester hours) Intended as an introduction to research, this course involves independent reading and/or laboratory work on advanced topics or experiments. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. ([1-3]-0) R

PHYS 4V10 Special Topics in Physics (1-9 semester hours) Subject matter will vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit (9 hours maximum). Prerequisite: consent of instructor. ([1-9]-0) S

For additional information, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Studies