College of Science 615 PHYS 2890 - Cooperative Work Experience Credits: (1-6) Open to all students in the Physics Department who meet the minimum Cooperative Work Experience requirements of the department. Provides academic credit for on-the-job experience. Grade and amount of credit will be determined by the department. PHYS 2920 - Short Courses, Workshops, Institutes and Special Programs Credits: (1-4) Consult the class schedule for the current offering under this number. The specific title and credit authorized will appear on the student transcript. PHYS 3160 - Stellar and Planetary Astrophysics Credits: (3) Selected topics in astrophysics, with a focus on stellar and planetary systems. Topics may include celestial mechanics, interaction of light and matter, stellar and planetary spectroscopy, stellar atmospheres and interiors, binary star systems, planets and planet formation, and extrasolar planets. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 . Cross-listed with ASTR 3160. PHYS 3170 - Galaxies and Cosmology Credits: (3) Selected topics in astrophysics, with a focus on galactic astronomy and cosmology. Topics may include gravitational dynamics, interaction of light and matter, galaxy classification, galaxy formation and evolution, the structure of the universe, cosmology, and the origin and fate of the universe. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 . Cross-listed with ASTR 3170. PHYS 3180 - Thermal Physics Credits: (3) Typically taught: Spring [Full Sem] An introduction to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Topics include heat and work; ideal gases; equipartition of energy; entropy; the Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac, and Bose-Einstein distributions; applications to heat engines, refrigeration, chemical equilibrium, phase transitions, blackbody radiation, and properties of solids. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 , MATH 1200 and MATH 1220 . PHYS 3190 - Applied Optics Credits: (3) Typically taught: Fall [Full Sem] odd years Geometrical and physical optics, lasers, lenses, optical instruments, interference, thin films, interferometry, holography, diffraction, gratings, crystal diffraction, polarization. Two lectures and one 3-hour lab a week. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 and MATH 1220 . PHYS 3300 - Advanced Computational Physics Credits: (3) Typically taught: Spring [Full Sem] even years This course extends the computational skills developed in PHYS 2300 to address a wider range of problems in modern physics. Students will explore the limits of computational methods and develop techniques suited to high-performance computing. Applications may be chosen from nonlinear dynamics, astrophysics, condensed matter physics, and quantum mechanics. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 and PHYS 2300. PHYS 3410 - Electronics for Scientists Credits: (4) Typically taught: Fall [Full Sem] An introductory course in electronics for students in physics and other sciences. The course includes D.C. and a.c. circuit analysis using complex impedances and covers basic principles of semiconductor operation, transistors, analog and digital integrated circuits, analog-to-digital conversion techniques used in computer interfacing, and noise. Three lectures and one 3-hour lab a week. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220. PHYS 3420 - Data Acquisition and Analysis Credits: (3) Typically taught: Spring [Full Sem] odd years Intermediate-level course in computer interfacing (data acquisition and analysis) for students in physics and all other sciences. Topics may include: data acquisition with industry-standard software packages, computerized test and measurement, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion, data acquisition electronics, electronic sensors (thermal sensors, light sensors, etc.), least squares curve fitting, fast Fourier transforms (FFT), Nyquist's theorem, noisy and weak signals. Two lectures and one 3-hour lab a week. Prerequisite: PHYS 2020 or PHYS 2220 . PHYS 3500 - Analytical Mechanics Credits: (3) Typically taught: Fall [Full Sem] Particle motion, oscillating systems; planetary motion, stability of orbits; collisions; Euler's equations, gyroscopic motion; Lagrange's equations, Hamilton's equations, theory of vibrations. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 , MATH 1200 and MATH 2280 . PHYS 3510 - Electromagnetic Theory Credits: (3) Typically taught: Fall [Full Sem] Vector analysis; electrostatics; calculating electric potentials; solving Laplace's equation; multipole expansions; electrostatic fields in matter; magnetostatics; charges in motion; electrodynamics; Faraday's law; Maxwell's equations. Prerequisite: PHYS 2220 , MATH 1200 , MATH 2210 and MATH 2280 . Weber State University 2014-2015 Catalog