Course Descriptions

Physics: Lower Division

PHYS 1500 Energy and Matter (3 units)
Survey of the basic concepts and principles of physics. Topics will range from classical Newtonian mechanics to modern theories of the atom and the nu­cleus. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Prerequisite: MATH 0105 or a passing score on the ELM test or equivalent. (Lecture, 3 hours) (Fall, Spring)

PHYS 1502 Energy and Matter Laboratory (1 unit)
Optional laboratory to accompany PHYS 1500. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Prerequisite: PHYS 1500 or concurrent enrollment in PHYS 1500. (Fall, Spring)

PHYS 2100 Basic Physics I (5 units)
(Formerly PHYS 1100) General physics without using calculus, Newtonian mechanics, wave motion, heat, and thermodynamics. Designed for general students and for students preparing for biology or medicine. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Corequisites: PHYS 2102 and 2104. Prerequisites: Algebra and trigonometry, or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour; labora­tory, 3 hours) (CAN PHYS 2) (Fall, Spring)

PHYS 2110 Basic Physics II (5 units)
(Formerly PHYS 1110) Continuation of PHYS 2100. Electricity and magnetism, light, optics, atoms, and nuclei. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Corequisite(s): PHYS 2112 and/or PHYS 2114. Prerequisite: PHYS 2100. (Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour; laboratory, 3 hours) (CAN PHYS 4) (Fall, Spring)

PHYS 2250 General Physics I (4 units)
Calculus-based general physics course for science and mathematics majors. It covers basic mechanics, including motion in a plane, conservation of energy and momentum, rotational motion and angular momentum, harmonic motion and gravitation. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Corequisite: PHYS 2254. Prerequisite: MATH 1410 or consent of instructor. (CAN PHYS 8) (Fall)

PHYS 2252 General Physics Laboratory I (1 unit)
(Formerly PHYS 2350) Laboratory to accompany PHYS 2250. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Prerequisite: PHYS 2250 or concur­rent enrollment in PHYS 2250. (Fall)

PHYS 2260 General Physics II (4 units)
Continuation of PHYS 2250. Covers electricity and magnetism, including electrostatics, basic circuits, magnetostatics, Faraday’s Law and Induction, and electromagnetic oscillations. Corequisite: PHYS 2264. Prerequisites: PHYS 2250 and MATH 1420 or concurrent enrollment in MATH 1420. (Lecture, 3 hours; discussion, 1 hour) (CAN PHYS 12) (Spring)

PHYS 2262 General Physics Laboratory II (1 unit)
(Formerly PHYS 2360) Laboratory to accompany PHYS 2260. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260 or concur­rent enrollment in PHYS 2260. (Spring)

PHYS 2270 General Physics III (3 units)
Continuation of PHYS 2260, covering thermodynamics, waves, optics, and in­troductory quantum mechanics. Prerequisites: PHYS 2250 and MATH 1420. (Lecture, 3 hours) (CAN PHYS 14)

PHYS 2272 General Physics Laboratory III (1 unit)
(Formerly PHYS 2370) Continuation of PHYS 2262, covering thermodynamics, waves and optics, and modern physics. Prerequisites: PHYS 2260 and MATH 1420.

Physics: Upper Division

PHYS 3010 Introduction to Mathematical Physics I (3 units)
Matrix algebra, tensors, formulations of the partial differential equations of classical and quantum physics, and the mathematical methods required for their solutions; integral transformations, theory of residues and conformed mapping, special functions. Examples are given from all fields of physics. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3020 Introduction to Mathematics Physics II (3 units)
Continuation of PHYS 3010. Prerequisite: PHYS 3010. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3080 How Things Work (3 units)
An introduction to physics and the ways in which different aspects of the subject are combined in designing many of the machines and appliances which are in common everyday usage. Satisfies G.E. area F1. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3100 Classical Mechanics (4 units)
Dynamics of particles and rigid bodies, gravitation. Lagrangian and Hamilto­nian dynamics, theory of oscillations, and the wave equation. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260. (Lecture, 4 hours)

PHYS 3200 Heat, Light, and Sound (3 units)
An examination of several forms of energy and how we experience them in our everyday lives. It includes discussions of heat, light, and sound. Designed specifically for future teachers. (LIBS Integrative: Scientific/Mathematical Inquiry) Corequisite: PHYS 3203. Prerequisite: Completion of all G.E. requirements in areas B1 and F1, all with a grade C– or higher. (Lecture, 2 hours; activity, 2 hours)

PHYS 3320 Electricity and Magnetism I (3 units)
Electrostatics, magnetostatics, electric current, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves, radiative reaction, electric and magnetic properties of materials, properties of wave guides. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3330 Electricity and Magnetism II (3 units)
Continuation of PHYS 3320. Prerequisite: PHYS 3320. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3520 Modern Physics and Quantum Mechanics (3 units)
Special relativity, origin of quantum theory, the nuclear atom and Bohr theory, elements of quantum mechanics and applications, atomic and nuclear physics, some properties of solids, and elementary particles. Satisfies G.E. area F1. Prerequi­site: PHYS 2260 or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 3550 Physics for War, Physics for Peace (3 units)
Discusses the scientific background behind some of the technologies which have found applications in both the civilian and military spheres. Satisfies G.E. area F1. One of two paired courses in the G.E. Summit Program (War and Peace). Prerequisites: Completion of lower-division area C2 requirements and consent of Summit Program Coordinator. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 4102 Advanced Physics Laboratory (1 unit)
Project type experiments in mechanics, heat, electricity, and magnetism, op­tics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, etc. Prerequi­site: PHYS 3520 or consent of instructor. May be re­peated for a maximum of 6 units. (Laboratory, 3 hours)

PHYS 4250 Analog and Digital Electronics (4 units)
(Formerly PHYS 4210 and PHYS 4220) An introduction to analog and digital electronics. Topics will be chosen from the following: AC and DC circuit analysis, diodes, transistors and operational amplifiers, feedback, active filters, transducers, Boolean logic, basic gates, sequential logic, flip-flops, counters, and an introduction to microproces­sors. Corequisite: PHYS 4252. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260. (Lecture, 3 hours; laboratory, 3 hours)

PHYS 4450 Nuclear and Particle Physics (3 units)
Elements of nuclear structure; nuclear transformation; nuclear models; elec-tromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions; properties of Leptons and Hadrons; symmetries and conservation laws; resonance particles, quarks and subhadronic particles; tools of nuclear and particle physics research. Pre-requisite: PHYS 2260 or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 4510 Quantum Mechanics I (3 units)
Development of Schrodinger’s equation and its interpretations. Mathematical techniques for solution of problems in one and three dimensions. Perturbation and scattering theory. Solution of the hydrogen atom problem. Application to atomic phenomena. Prerequisite: PHYS 3520 or consent of instructor.

PHYS 4520 Quantum Mechanics II (3 units)
Continuation of PHYS 4510. Prerequisite: PHYS 4510. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 4530 Thermal and Statistical Physics (4 units)
Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. A unified approach following Gibbs, based on a microscopic description using quantum states. Fermi, Bose, and “Classical” systems are discussed with applications to standard and current topics. Prerequisite: PHYS 3520 or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 4 hours)

PHYS 4560 Solid State Physics (3 units)
Crystal structure, metal crystals, molecular crystals. Thermal, electrical, magnetic properties of crystals. Free electron model of metals, band theory of solids. Prerequisite: PHYS 3520 or consent of in-structor. (Lecture,
3 hours)

PHYS 4900 Modern Optics and Lasers (3 units)
Principles of geometrical optics, reflection, refraction, polarization, coher­ence and interference, Kirchhoff’s diffraction theory, Fourier methods in optics, optics of solids, lasers and holography. Prerequisite: PHYS 2260 or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHYS 4950 Selected Topics in Physics (1-5 units)
(Topics to be specified in Class Schedule) Development of a selected branch of physics. Topics may vary each term. Different topics may be taken for credit. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of instructor.

PHYS 4980 Individual Study (1-4 units)
For students capable of independent work and in need of advanced and spe­cialized study. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Prerequisites: Upper-divi­sion standing and consent of instructor.

PHYS 4990 Undergraduate Thesis (1-2 units)
Undergraduate thesis research. May be repeated for a total of 3 units. Pre­requisites: Senior status with a major in physics, and GPA of 3.25 in all Physics major courses completed at CSU Stanislaus.

Physical Sciences: Lower Division

PHSC 1300 Environmental Pollution (3 units)
Survey of the pollution of the air, water, and land environment. The physical and chemical aspects of pollution by chemicals, pesticides, wastes, radioactivity, heat, and noise. Nuclear energy and radioactive pollution, solar energy, and other alternative energies and their environmental effects. Satisfies G.E. area B1. (Lecture, 3 hours)

PHSC 2100 Atmosphere, Weather, and Climate (3 units)
An introduction to weather and climate phenomena, with emphasis on the weather events that occur in California. Basic principles concerning behavior of the atmosphere and the physical processes underlying weather phenomena. Topics include cloud forms, precipitation, pollution, storms, weather maps, and el­ementary weather forecasting. Satisfies G.E. area B1. (Lecture, 3 hours)

Physical Sciences: Upper Division

PHSC 4950 Selected Topics in Physical Sciences (1-5 units)
(Topics to be specified in Class Schedule) Development of a selected branch of physical science. Topics may vary each term. Different topics may be taken for credit. Prerequisite: Consent of in­structor.

PHSC 4980 Individual Study (1-4 units)
For students capable of independent work in need of advanced and special­ized study. The Physical Sciences department encourages students to submit proposals in areas of their interest. Proposals should outline their projects and exhibit concrete plans for their successful completion. May be repeated for a total of 6 units. Prerequisites: Upper-division standing and consent of instructor.

Astronomy: Lower Division

ASTR 2100 Descriptive Astronomy (3 units)
Development of astronomical thought from Ptolemy to Einstein; the Earth and the moon; atoms; light and the tools of astronomers; planets, comets, and meteors; the sun, stars, stellar evolution; galaxies and cosmology. Satisfies G.E. area B1. (Lecture, 3 hours) (Fall, Spring)

ASTR 2112 Astronomy Laboratory (1 unit)
Telescope observations of the moon, planets, their satellites, and sunspots. Laboratory experiments related to astronomy. Satisfies G.E. area B1. Prerequisite: ASTR 2100 or con­current enrollment in ASTR 2100.

Astronomy: Upper Division

ASTR 3000 Contemporary Astronomy (3 units)
A survey of recent developments in astronomy; gamma ray, x-ray, ultraviolet, infrared, and gravitational astronomy; stars, interstellar molecules, stellar evolu­tions, neutron stars, pulsars, and black holes; galaxies, radio galaxies, quasars; new trends in cosmological thinking, new findings of space programs about the planets and the sun. Satisfies G.E. area F1. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of instructor. (Lecture, 3 hours)