Physics (PHYS)

PHYS115
Descriptive Physics

Description: Qualitative approach to physics for the non-science major that emphasizes concepts and how they are used to understand the everyday physical world. Newton's description of motion and forces, the atomic view of matter, kinds and transformations of energy, the nature of electricity and magnetism, sound and light waves, and subatomic particles. Some topics selected according to student interest. Recommended for all students wanting a nonmathematical look at basic discoveries of physics.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:3

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS141
Elementary General Physics I

Prerequisites: MATH 102 or higher; or qualifying score on Math Placement Exam for MATH 106 or higher.

Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of: PHYS 141, 141H and 151. Lab fee required.

Description: Mechanics, heat, waves and sound.

Course details
Credit Hours:5
Max credits per semester:5
Max credits per degree:5
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:5

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS141H
Honors: Elementary General Physics I

Prerequisites: Good standing with the University Honors Program; MATH 102 or higher; or qualifying score on Math Placement Exam for MATH 106 or higher.

Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of: PHYS 141, 141H and 151. Lab fee required.

Description: For course description, see PHYS 141.

Course details
Credit Hours:5
Max credits per semester:5
Max credits per degree:5
Grading Option:Graded
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:5

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS142
Elementary General Physics II

Prerequisites: PHYS 141 or 141H.

Description: Continuation of PHYS 141. Electricity, magnetism, optics, relativity, atomic and nuclear physics.

This course is a prerequisite for: BIOC 440; PHYS 343; PHYS 361

Course details
Credit Hours:5
Max credits per semester:5
Max credits per degree:5
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:5

ACE:

PHYS142H
Honors: Elementary General Physics II

Prerequisites: Good standing in the University Honors program or by invitation; PHYS 141 or 141H.

Lab fee required.

Description: For course description, see PHYS 142.

This course is a prerequisite for: BIOC 440; PHYS 343; PHYS 361

Course details
Credit Hours:5
Max credits per semester:5
Max credits per degree:5
Grading Option:Graded
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:5

ACE:

PHYS151
Elements of Physics

Prerequisites: MATH 102 or higher; or qualifying score on Math Placement Exam for MATH 106 or higher.

Credit toward the degree may be earned in only one of: PHYS 141, 141H and 151.

Description: Short course, without laboratory, for those who need one semester of elementary general physics. Emphasis on understanding our physical environment through application of principles of mechanics, heat, sound, electricity, and light.

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded with Option
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:4

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS153
Elements of Physics Laboratory

Prerequisites: PHYS 151 or parallel.

Optional lab to accompany PHYS 151.

Description: Laboratory experiments in mechanics, heat, and wave motion.

Course details
Credit Hours:1
Max credits per semester:1
Max credits per degree:1
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:1

ACE:

PHYS192
Special Topics in Physics

Description: Topic varies.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-6
Max credits per semester:6
Max credits per degree:6
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-6

ACE:

PHYS201
Modern Topics in Physics and Astronomy

Prerequisites: Must be a PHYS major or minor with freshman or sophomore status.

Description: Seminar/workshop that introduces students to topics in modern physics research in basic and applied areas. Students given an understanding of how their studies relate to current progress in physics and astronomy and to prepare for careers in physics-related disciplines.

Course details
Credit Hours:1
Max credits per semester:1
Max credits per degree:1
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1

ACE:

PHYS211
General Physics I

Prerequisites: MATH 106 or parallel

One year of either high school physics or algebra-based college physics is expected.

Description: Calculus-based course intended for students in engineering and the physical sciences. Mechanics, fluids, wave motion, and heat.

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded with Option
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:4

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS211H
Honors: General Physics I

Prerequisites: Physics major or good standing with the University Honors Program; MATH 106 or parallel.

Ambitious students who are not in the Honors Program are encouraged to request permission to enroll.

Description: For course description, see PHYS 211.

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:4

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS212
General Physics II

Prerequisites: PHYS 211 or 211H; MATH 107 or 107H or parallel.

Description: Continuation of PHYS 211. Electricity, magnetism, and optics.

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded with Option
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:4

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS212H
Honors: General Physics II

Prerequisites: Physics major or good standing with the University Honors Program; PHYS 211 or 211H; MATH 107 or 107H or parallel.

Ambitious students who are not in the Honors Program are encouraged to request permission to enroll.

Description: For course description, see PHYS 212.

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded
ACE Outcomes: ACE 4 Science

Credit Hours:4

ACE:ACE 4 Science

PHYS213
General Physics III

Prerequisites: PHYS 212 or 212H; MATH 208 or 208H or parallel.

Description: Continuation of PHYS 212. Relativity, quantum mechanics, atoms, and nuclei.

This course is a prerequisite for: PHYS 223

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:4

ACE:

PHYS213H
Honors: General Physics III

Prerequisites: Physics major or good standing with the University Honors program; PHYS 212 or 212H; MATH 208 or 208H, or parallel.

Ambitious students who are not in the Honors Program are encouraged to request permission to enroll.

Description: For course description, see PHYS 213.

This course is a prerequisite for: PHYS 223

Course details
Credit Hours:4
Max credits per semester:4
Max credits per degree:4
Grading Option:Graded

Credit Hours:4

ACE:

PHYS221
General Physics Laboratory I

Prerequisites: PHYS 211 or 211H or parallel.

Optional lab to accompany PHYS 211.

Description: Experiments in mechanics, heat and wave motion.

Course details
Credit Hours:1
Max credits per semester:1
Max credits per degree:1
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:1

ACE:

PHYS222
General Physics Laboratory II

Prerequisites: PHYS 212 or 212H or parallel.

Optional lab to accompany PHYS 212.

Description: Laboratory experiments in electromagnetism and optics.

This course is a prerequisite for: PHYS 231

Course details
Credit Hours:1
Max credits per semester:1
Max credits per degree:1
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:1

ACE:

PHYS223
General Physics Laboratory III

Prerequisites: PHYS 213 or 213H or parallel.

Optional lab to accompany PHYS 213.

Description: Experiments in atomic and nuclear physics.

Course details
Credit Hours:1
Max credits per semester:1
Max credits per degree:1
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:1

ACE:

PHYS231
Electrical and Electronic Circuits

Prerequisites: PHYS 212 and 222.

Description: Diode, transistor, and operational amplifier circuits and analog applications; gates, flip-flops, and elementary digital electronics.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS292
Special Topics in Physics

Description: Topic varies.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-6
Max credits per semester:6
Max credits per degree:6
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-6

ACE:

PHYS311
Mechanics

Prerequisites: PHYS 212 or 212H or parallel, MATH 221 or 221H or parallel.

Description: Review of vector operations and of the kinematics and dynamics of a particle. Dynamics of a system of particles, motion of rigid bodies, central force problems, collisions, Lagrangian techniques, oscillations, and coupled oscillators.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS343
Physics of Lasers and Modern Optics

Prerequisites: PHYS 142 or 142H or 212 or 212H.

Description: Physical principles and techniques of lasers and modern optics. Emphasis on practical experience with state-of-the-art techniques and applications.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55
ACE Outcomes: ACE 10 Integrated Product

Credit Hours:3

ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product

PHYS361
Concepts of Modern Physics

Prerequisites: PHYS 142 or 212 with a grade of C+ or better.

Description: Some of the concepts and ideas underlying modern areas of physics through readings from non-technical works by noted physicists and science writers. Includes quantum mechanics, relativity, cosmology, chaos, and examples of modern technology.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS398
Undergraduate Research

Prerequisites: Permission.

Description: Research participation.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-6
Max credits per semester:6
Max credits per degree:12
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-6

ACE:

PHYS401
Computational PhysicsCrosslisted with PHYS 801

Prerequisites: A grade of P, C or better in PHYS 311.

Description: Re-formulation of physics problems for solution on a computer, control of errors in numerical work, and programming.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS422
Introduction to Physics and Chemistry of SolidsCrosslisted with PHYS 822, ECEN 422, ECEN 822

Prerequisites: PHYS 213 or CHEM 481/881, MATH 221/821.

Description: Introduction to structural, thermal, electrical, and magnetic properties of solids, based on concepts of atomic structure, chemical bonding in molecules, and electron states in solids. Principles underlying molecular design of materials and solid-state devices.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS431
Thermal PhysicsCrosslisted with PHYS 831

Prerequisites: PHYS 213

Description: Thermal phenomena from the point of view of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and statistical mechanics.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS441
Experimental Physics ICrosslisted with PHYS 841

Prerequisites: PHYS 213, 223 and 231

Lab fee required.

Description: Methods and techniques of modern experimental physics.

This course is a prerequisite for: PHYS 442, PHYS 842

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55
ACE Outcomes: ACE 10 Integrated Product

Credit Hours:3

ACE:ACE 10 Integrated Product

PHYS442
Experimental Physics IICrosslisted with PHYS 842

Prerequisites: PHYS 441/841 or permission

Lab fee required.

Description: Continuation of PHYS 441/841.

This course is a prerequisite for: PHYS 443, PHYS 843

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS443
Experimental Physics IIICrosslisted with PHYS 843

Prerequisites: PHYS 442/842 or permission.

Description: Continuation of PHYS 442/842.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option
Course and Laboratory Fee:$55

Credit Hours:1-3

ACE:

PHYS451
Electromagnetic TheoryCrosslisted with PHYS 851

Prerequisites: PHYS 213; MATH 221/821.

Description: Theory of electric and magnetic fields and their interaction with charges and currents, Maxwell's equations, electric and magnetic properties of matter.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS452
Optics and Electromagnetic WavesCrosslisted with PHYS 852

Prerequisites: A grade of P, C or better in PHYS 451/851

Description: Production of electromagnetic waves, wave guides and cavities, properties of waves, plane waves, reflection and refraction, interference and coherence phenomena, polarization. Optical properties of matter.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS461
Quantum MechanicsCrosslisted with PHYS 861

Prerequisites: A grade of P, C or better in PHYS 213 and 311.

Description: Basic concepts and formalism of quantum mechanics with applications to simple systems.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS462
Atoms, Nuclei, and Elementary ParticlesCrosslisted with PHYS 862

Prerequisites: A grade of P, C or better in PHYS 461

Description: Basic concepts and experimental foundation for an understanding of the physics of atoms, nuclei, and elementary particles.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS480
Introduction to Lasers and Laser ApplicationsCrosslisted with ECEN 480, ECEN 880, PHYS 880

Prerequisites: PHYS 213/(UNO) PHYS 2130.

Description: Physics of electronic transition production stimulated emission of radiation. Threshold conditions for laser oscillation. Types of lasers and their applications in engineering.

Course details
Credit Hours:3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:3
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:3

ACE:

PHYS492
Special Topics in PhysicsCrosslisted with PHYS 892

Prerequisites: PHYS 213 and permission.

Description: Topics vary.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-6
Max credits per semester:6
Max credits per degree:6
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-6

ACE:

PHYS499
Undergraduate Thesis

Prerequisites: Permission.

Description: Independent research leading to a thesis.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:6
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-3

ACE:

PHYS499H
Honors Undergraduate Thesis

Prerequisites: Permission.

Description: Independent research leading to a thesis.

Course details
Credit Hours:1-3
Max credits per semester:3
Max credits per degree:6
Grading Option:Graded with Option

Credit Hours:1-3

ACE: