Apr 30, 2024  
2019-2020 Academic Catalog 
    
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2019-2020 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Course Descriptions

Course Numbering System

The following lists include all courses normally offered at Albion College. However, not all courses are offered every year. When possible, courses offered in alternate years are designated. For details, students should consult the Class Schedule for each semester, available online at: www.albion.edu/registrar. The College reserves the right to add or withdraw courses without prior announcement, as conditions may require.

Unless otherwise stated, 100 level courses are intended for freshmen, 200 level for sophomores, 300 and 400 level for juniors and seniors.

A list of courses which meet the core and category requirements, organized by departments, is available online at www.albion.edu/registrar.

Further information may be obtained at the Registrar’s Office in the Ferguson Student, Technology, and Administrative Services Building.
 

Physics
  

  • PHYS 101: Basic Concepts of Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: High school algebra.
    The basic ideas of physics in a historical and philosophical framework to give the student insight and appreciation of physics of this century and how physics relates to our contemporary society. Not intended for science majors. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Staff
  

  • PHYS 102: The Physics of Urban and Environmental Problems

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: High school algebra.
    The physics of modern urban and environmental problems with respect to their causes, effects and possible cures. Topics include transportation, energy generation and transmission, pollution and resources. Not intended for science majors. Offered in alternate years. Seely, Zellner.
  

  • PHYS 105: Introductory Astronomy

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: High school algebra.
    A study of the night sky, planets, stars, galaxies, cosmology, and our place in the universe, along with discussion of observational techniques and space missions. Not intended for science and mathematics majors or minors or students who have taken physics or calculus in high school. Lecture and laboratory, with additional multiple observing sessions required. Zellner.
  

  • PHYS 115: General Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: High school algebra. First-year students need permission of instructor.
    First semester of an algebra-based survey of general physics. Topics include kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, wave motion, and sound. Includes analytical, historical and philosophical aspects. Studio format. Course is equivalent to a traditional lecture and laboratory course. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 116: General Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 115 .
    Second semester of an algebra-based survey of general physics. Topics include electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Includes analytical, historical and philosophical aspects. Studio format. Course is equivalent to a traditional lecture and laboratory course. Staff
  

  • PHYS 167: Analytical Physics I

    (1 Unit)
    Corequisite: MATH 141 , or permission of instructor.
    First semester of a calculus-based survey of general physics. Topics include kinematics, dynamics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, wave motion, and sound. Studio format. Course is equivalent to a traditional lecture and laboratory course. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 168: Analytical Physics II

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 167 . Corequisite: MATH 143  or permission of instructor.
    Second semester of a calculus-based survey of general physics. Topics include electricity and magnetism, light and optics, and select topics in modern physics. Studio format. Course is equivalent to a traditional lecture and laboratory course. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 187: Selected Topics

    (1/4 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 188: Selected Topics

    (1/2 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 189: Selected Topics

    (1 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 191: Colloquium in Physics and Astronomy I

    (.25 Unit)
    Discussion of selected topics in physics and astronomy as determined by student and staff interest. Led by departmental faculty, visiting speakers and students. Students are required to read selected scientific papers, attend presentations and actively participate in discussions. Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 205: Planetary Astronomy

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: High school algebra or permission of instructor.
    Covers our solar system’s origin and evolution, including Newton’s and Kepler’s Laws, planetary motion, planet characteristics, and detection of extrasolar planets. Investigates planetary and other images and data returned by solar system spacecraft. Considers recent developments in biochemistry and whether or not life could exist on other worlds. Zellner.
  

  • PHYS 206: Astrophysics I: Stars, Galaxies and Cosmology

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: MATH 141  and/or a previous physics course, or permission of instructor.
    Provides an understanding of stars and how they work, and examines our galaxy. Covers topics related to cosmology, including our expanding universe. Intended for mathematics and science majors and minors and for students pursuing teacher certification in science. Zellner.
  

  • PHYS 243: Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Physics I

    (.5 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 168 , or permission of instructor.
    An introduction to the mathematical methods in Physics. Topics include statistical interpretation of data and distribution functions, functions of a complex variable, and Fourier analysis. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 244: Introduction to Mathematical Methods in Physics II

    (.5 Unit)
    Prerequisites: PHYS 168  and PHYS 243 , or permission of instructor.
    A continuation of PHYS 243 . Topics include Coordinate transformations and curvilinear coordinates, partial differential equations, matrices and linear algebra. Seely.
  

  • PHYS 245: Electronics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 168 , or PHYS 116  with MATH 143 , or permission of instructor.
    The use of linear and integrated circuits, discrete devices, amplifiers, power supplies, oscillators and digital logic in experimental design and data acquisition. Applications of measurement instrumentation. Lecture and laboratory. Miller.
  

  • PHYS 250: Introductory Modern Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: MATH 245  and PHYS 243 , or permission of instructor. Corequisites: PHYS 244  and MATH 247 , or permission of instructor (may also be taken as prerequisites).
    A survey of modern physics. Topics include special relativity, the quantum theory of light and quantum mechanics of matter with applications in atomic, nuclear and elementary particle physics. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 287: Selected Topics

    (1/4 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 288: Selected Topics

    (1/2 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 289: Selected Topics

    (1 Unit)
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 291: Colloquium in Physics and Astronomy II

    (1/4 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 191 , junior or senior standing.
    Discussion of selected topics in physics and astronomy as determined by student and staff interest. Led by departmental faculty, visiting speakers and students. Students are required to read selected scientific papers, attend presentations, actively participate in discussions, and give a presentation on a scientific paper of their choice. Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 308: Optics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
    An introduction to geometrical and physical optics which includes paraxial theory, polarization, interference and diffraction phenomena, and optical instruments. Topics in contemporary optics, including lasers, holography and Fourier optics will also be discussed. Lecture and laboratory. Offered in alternate years. Seely.
  

  • PHYS 322: Solid State and Nuclear Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 250 .
    An introduction to the modern quantum mechanical description of solids and the atomic nucleus. Lecture. Offered in alternate years. Moreau.
  

  • PHYS 325: Theoretical Mechanics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: PHYS 244 , MATH 247 .
    Review of elementary mechanics, one-dimensional motion, harmonic oscillator, motion in two and three dimensions, central force motion and orbital mechanics, many-particle systems, rotational motion, gravitation, moving coordinate systems and Lagrangian mechanics. Zellner.
  

  • PHYS 336: Electricity and Magnetism

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: PHYS 244 , MATH 247 .
    A thorough discussion of Maxwell’s electromagnetic field equations in differential form. Major topics are electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic induction and electromagnetic waves. Moreau.
  

  • PHYS 350: Advanced Laboratory

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: PHYS 245  and PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
    A junior-level laboratory designed to give students experience in independent research in experimental physics. Experiments include topics in optics, electricity and magnetism, atomic physics, and quantum physics. Strong emphasis is given to statistical analysis of data, error analysis, interpretation of measurements, techniques of measurement, and experimental design. Computer control of apparatus and computational analysis is also emphasized. Seely.
  

  • PHYS 380: Mathematical Physics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: MATH 247 , or permission of instructor.
    Mathematical methods in physics including vector calculus, transform calculus, tensor analysis and special functions (viz. Fourier series, Gamma functions, Hermite polynomials, Bessel functions, spherical harmonics and Laguerre polynomials). Same as MATH 380 . Miller.
  

  • PHYS 384: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisites: PHYS 250 , MATH 247 .
    Classical thermodynamics, including kinetic theory and an introduction to statistical mechanics. Moreau.
  

  • PHYS 387: Quantum Mechanics

    (1 Unit)
    Prerequisite: PHYS 250 , or permission of instructor.
    Non-relativistic quantum interpretation of matter and energy, employing both the wave mechanics of Schroedinger and the matrix mechanics of Heisenberg. Miller.
  

  • PHYS 388: Selected Topics

    (1/4 Unit), (1/2 Unit), 1)
    Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 389: Selected Topics

    (1/4 Unit), (1/2 Unit), 1)
    Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
    An examination of subjects or areas not included in other courses. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 391: Internship

    (1/2 Unit)
    Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 392: Internship

    (1 Unit)
    Offered on a credit/no credit basis. Staff.
  

  • PHYS 401: Seminar

    (1/2 Unit)
    Staff.
  

  • PHYS 402: Seminar

    (1 Unit)
    Staff.
  

  • PHYS 411: Directed Study

    (1/2 Unit)
    Staff.
  

  • PHYS 412: Directed Study

    (1 Unit)
    Staff.