PHYS - Physics

Required of all first-year students to be taken in their first semester on campus, this seminar provides an overview of academic requirements for graduation and helps establish meaningful career goals and objectives. Discussion of policies, standards, procedures, expectations, and resources will contribute to student success not only during the first semester, but throughout the student's academic career at GCSU.

This course provides both a basic introduction to the practical mathematical and problem solving techniques used in first semester introductory physics and an introduction to the philosophy and ethics of physics and astronomy.

This course provides an introduction to practical mathematical skills and basic programming techniques in Matlab, with a focus on applying these techniques to solve physics problems numerically.

Corequisite: PHYS1111L. An introductory course that will include material from mechanics, thermodynamics, and waves. Elementary algebra and trigonometry will be used. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Corequisite: PHYS 1111. Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 1111. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Prerequisite: PHYS 1111 and MATH 1113. Corequisite: PHYS 1112L. An introductory course that will include material from electromagnetism, optics, and modern physics. Elementary algebra and trigonometry will be used. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Co-requisite: PHYS 1112. Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 1112. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Corequisite: PHYS 2211L. Prerequisites: MATH 1261 or ( PHYS 1011 and MATH 1113). An introductory course that will include material from mechanics, thermodynamics, and waves. Elementary calculus will be used. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Corequisite: PHYS 2211. Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 2211. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Corequisite: PHYS 2212L. Prerequisites: PHYS 2211, and MATH 1262 or (PHYS 1012 and MATH 1261). An introductory course that will include material from electromagnetism, optics, and modern physics. Elementary calculus will be used. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

Prerequisite: PHYS 2212. Corequisite: PHYS 2212. Laboratory course to accompany PHYS 2212. This course has a laboratory fee. This is a HOPE and Zell Miller STEM course.

This course is required of all physics majors and is to be taken in the Fall semester of their second year. An overview of support services and leadership opportunities will be presented in order to facilitate development of an academic portfolio. These resources are expected to contribute to the student's successful completion of a BS in Physics at GC.

Prerequisite: Permission of department. Consideration of topics in which courses are not otherwise offered, but for which there is a current need at the freshman/sophomore level. This course is repeatable for credit.

Prerequisite: Department approval. PHYS 2999 will provide physics majors with a foundation in research methods. To this aim students will investigate areas ranging from exploring the physical literature to the understanding of physical research. This course is intended to serve as preparation for physical research (PHYS 4999). The subject of physical research is as diverse as the physics faculty and consequently the course content is expected to change at the discretion of the faculty member teaching the course. This course will count as an elective in the physics major. This course is repeatable for credit.

Prerequisite: PHYS 2211. This course covers the basic theory of engineering mechanics, using calculus to study composition and resolution of forces, moments and couples acting on structures, equilibrium in two and three dimensions, free body diagrams, friction, centroids, centers of gravity, and moments of inertia. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisite: PHYS 3001. This course covers the basic theory of engineering mechanics, using calculus to study kinematics and kinetics of particles rigid bodies in one, two, and three dimensions. Include work-energy and impulse-momentum concepts. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisites: MATH 1262 and PHYS 2211. An intermediate level course on the subject of the dynamics of an individual particle and a system of particles as determined by Newton's laws of motion and gravity. Also included are the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of dynamics.

Prerequisites: MATH 2263 and PHYS 2212 (These prerequisites may be taken concurrent with the course). A basic introduction to non-relativistic quantum physics and its applications to atomic and molecular systems and to Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity.

Prerequisites: MATH 2263 and PHYS 2212. An intermediate level course on the topics of electrostatics, magnetostatics, Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic waves.

Prerequisite: PHYS 2212. Laboratory course designed for junior level physics majors to explore experimental techniques and electronics. Required of physics majors. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount. Offered only in the spring.

Prerequisite: PHYS 3010. This course provides an introduction to thermodynamics and to link thermodynamics to the micro description used in classical statistical mechanics. Offered only in the Fall.

Prerequisites: PHYS 3010. This course covers concepts of temperature, entropy, and other characteristic thermodynamic functions, with application to macroscopic properties of matter, the laws of thermodynamics, an introduction to statistical mechanics, and quantum statistics.

Prerequisite: MATH 2263, PHYS 1012, PHYS 2212, and PHYS 2212L. Mathematical and numerical techniques taught in Matlab, used in advanced physics and engineering courses. Topics may include numerical integration, interpolation, FFT, linear algebra, initial and boundary value problems. Offered only in the fall of even years. (Physics capstone).

Prerequisites: PHYS 3010, MATH 2263, and MATH 2150. An introduction to nonrelativistic quantum physics with an emphasis on Dirac matrix mechanics.

This course provides an introduction to practical laboratory skills to fabricate scientific instruments. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: At least 8 hours of physics. Presentation and discussion of issues in modern physics. Required of all junior physics majors.

Prerequisite: PHYS 3100. A course on the following advanced topics of electromagnetism: electromagnetic radiation; the Lorentz Transformation; four vectors, tensors, and the invariance of Maxwell's equations; the Coulomb and Lorentz Gauges; and gauge invariance.

Prerequisites: PHYS 3140. This course covers the principles of statistical mechanics and their applications to various physical systems. Topics may cover fundamental principles of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, including probability theory, kinetic theory, entropy, classical statistical mechanics, ensembles, quantum statistical mechanics, and ideal Bose and Fermi systems. Offered only in the Spring.

Prerequisite: PHYS 3005 and PHYS 3010. An introduction to the theories of special and general relativity and their applications to cosmology and space-time. Offered only in the fall of even years. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisites: PHYS 3010 and PHYS 3321. This course will include a survey of solid state physics, including an introduction to crystal structures and the physics of electrons, lattice vibrations and phonons, and applications to semiconductors. Offered only in the Spring of even years. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisite: PHYS 3321, which may be taken concurrently. An introduction to the physics of the atomic nucleus with an emphasis on experimental methods. Offered only in the spring of odd years. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisite: PHYS 3321. An introduction to non-relativistic quantum physics of systems of particles in multiple dimensions.

Prerequisites: PHYS 3010. Laboratory course designed for senior level physics majors to explore experimental techniques and topics of modern physics. Required of physics majors. Additional laboratory fee required; see semester course schedule for amount.

Prerequisite: Department approval. Offered in spring semesters. This course highlights recent developments in physics not covered in other courses. The course will focus on one field of physics according to available faculty expertise and student interest. Communication on student interests and topics will occur during 2nd year seminar courses. (Physics Capstone)

Prerequisite: PHYS 3920 and PHYS 4999. Presentation and discussion of issues in modern physics. Required of all senior physics majors. Additional laboratory fees required; see semester course schedule for amount. Offered only in the spring.

Prerequisite: Department approval. This course is repeatable for credit.

Prerequisites: minimum 15 semester hours of physics and department chairperson approval. Acourse designed to give physics majors an internship opportunity in their field of study.

Prerequisite: Approval of department chairperson. Selected advanced topics in physics taught in a study abroad program.

Prerequisites: 8 Credits of Physics, an additional 8 credits of mathematics, astronomy or chemistry, approval of department chairman. Course designed to offer the student a meaningful experience in scientific research. This course is repeatable for credit.