PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY

171.101 (E,N)

GENERAL PHYSICS FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCE  MAJORS I (4) Henry Ford   Limit 23 per sectionCoreq:173.111-112; 110.108-109One-year course in general physics covering mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, optics, and atomic physics.

Lec.

Sec. 01-14

ThF 10:30-12

T 8

171.102 (E,N)

GENERAL PHYSICS FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCE MAJORS II (4) Barnett  Limit 26 24 per section  Prereq: C- or better in 171.101  Coreq:173.112; 110.109   One-year course in general physics covering mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, optics, and atomic physics.

Lec.

Sec. 01

02

03

04

MTW 11

Th 8

Th 8

Th 8

Th 8

171.103 (E,N)

GENERAL PHYSICS I FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE MAJORS (4) Reich   Limit 24 per section Coreq: 173.111-112; 110.108-109 or 110.106-107 Standard calculus based physics tailored to students majoring in one of the biological sciences. Topics in modern physics and in fluid dynamics will be covered in this course.

Lec.

Sec. 01-09

MTW 9

F 8

171.105 (E,N)

CLASSICAL MECHANICS I (4) Maksimovic  Limit 40 30  Coreq: 173.115-116 and 110.108-109   Recommended for students who plan to major or minor in Physics.  Students enrolled in this course should enroll in the Classical Mechanics Lab only.  Classical electricity and magnetism with fewer topics than 171.101-102 and 171.103-104 but in greater depth, and is for students who intend to take 171.201-202.

Sec. 02 added 9/04/07

Lec.

Sec. 01

02

MTW 11

Th 11

Th 11

173.111 (N)

GENERAL PHYSICS LAB I (1) Swartz   Limit 24 per section /Limit 18 Sec.15 Experiments are chosen from both physical and biological sciences and are designed to give students background in experimental techniques as well as to reinforce physical principles.

Sec. 23 canceled 9/28/07

Sec. 01
02
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05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
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24

M 1-4
M 1-4
M 1-4
T 1-4
T 1-4
T 1-4
W 1-4
W 1-4
W 1-4
Th 1-4
Th 1-4
Th 1-4
Th 9-12
M 6-9pm
M 6-9pm
T 6-9pm
T 6-9pm
W 6-9pm
W 6-9pm
W 6-9pm
Th 6-9pm
Th 6-9pm
Th 6-9pm
T 6-9pm

173.112 (N)

GENERAL PHYSICS LAB II (1) Swartz   Limit 24 per section Prereq: 173.111 Coreq: 171.102; 171.104; or 171.106  Experiments are chosen from both physical and biological sciences and are designed to give students background in experimental techniques as well as to reinforce physical principles. Sec. 05 added 5/11/07

Sec. 01

02

03

04

05

W 1-4

W 6-9pm

Th 1-4

Th 6-9pm

T 6-9pm

171.113 (N)

SUBATOMIC WORLD (3) Blumenfeld
Limit 44   Introduction to concepts of physics of the subatomic world: Symmetries, relativity, quanta, neutrinos, particles, and fields. Emphasis on ideas of modern physics, not on the mathematics. Intended for nonscience majors

Sec. 01

MTW 11

172.113 (N)              (W)

INTRODUCTION TO FRONTIER PHYSICS (1) Feldman Henry   Limit 45   Explores modern experimental methods and theoretical ideas in physics.

Sec. 01

M 2

173.115 (N)

CLASSICAL MECHANICS LABORATORY (1) (3) Swartz  Limit 30 24    Coreq: 171.105   Experiments chosen to complement the lecture course Classical Mechanics I, II 171.105-106 and introduce students to experimental techniques and statistical analysis.

Sec. 01

M 6-9pm

171.201 (E,N)

SPECIAL RELATIVITY AND WAVES (4) Neufeld Limit 30 per section  Prereq: 171.105-106 (preferred) or 171.101-102 or 171.103-104; 110.108-109; Coreq: Calculus 110.202 or 110.211-212  Course continues introductory physics sequence (begins with 171.105-106). Special theory of relativity, mathematics of waves, harmonic oscillation, forced and damped oscillators, electromagnetic waves, diffraction, interference.

Lec.

Sec.01

02

MTW 11

Th 12

F 2

172.203 (N)

CONTEMPORARY PHYSICS SEMINAR (1)Feldman Henry    Prereq: 171.101-102, 171.103-104, or 171.105-106   This seminar exposes physics majors to a broad variety of contemporary experimental and theoretical issues in the field. Students read and discuss reviews from the current literature, and are expected to make an oral or written presentation.

Sec. 01

T 2

171.207 (N)

SPECIAL REALTIVITY (1) Neufeld Limit 30 per section   Three-week introduction to special relativity for students who elect to take 171.209 in place of 171.201.  Prereq: 171.105-106 (preferred) or 171.101-102 or 171.103-104; Calculus 110.108-109.  Coreq: Calculus 110.202 or 110.211-212

Lec.

Sec.01

02

MTW 11

Th 12

F 2

171.209 (N)

WAVE PHENOMENA WITH BIOPHYSICAL APPLICATIONS (4) Robbins Limit 30  Prereqs: 171.101-102 or 171.103-104 or 171.105-106  Introduction to wave phenomena, primarily through study of biophysical probes that depend on the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter. Topics include Fourier Analysis; standing waves; sound and hearing; diffraction and crystallography; geometrical and physical optics – the physics of modern light microscopy; quantum mechanics – how living things absorb light; NMR and MRI. Occasional laboratory exercises are included.

Lec.

Sec.01

MTW 9

Th 12

171.301 (N)

ELECTROMAGNETICTHEORY II (4) Kaplan Limit 30 Prereq: 171.101-102 or 171.105-106; 110.201-202; Coreq: 110.302 or 110.416 Static electric and magnetic fields in free space and matter; boundary value problems; electromagnetic induction; Maxwell's equations; and an introduction to electrodynamics.  

Lec.

Sec. 01

MTW 10 11

Th 12

171.303 (N)

QUANTUM MECHANICS I (4) Broholm
Limit 30  Prereq: 171.202, 171.204, 110.113 Fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics. Uncertainty relations, Schrodinger equation in one and three dimensions, tunneling, harmonic oscillator, angular momentum, hydrogen atom, spin, Pauli principle, perturbation theory (time-independent and time-dependent), transition probabilities and selection rules, atomic structure, scattering theory.

Lec.

Sec. 01

MTW 9

Th 1

171.312 (N)

STATISTICAL PHYSICS AND THERMODYNAMICS (4) Markovic Limit 25  Undergraduate course that develops the laws and general theorems of thermodynamics from a statistical framework.

Lec.

Sec. 01

MTW 1

Th 2

171.313 (N)

INTRODUCTION TO STELLAR PHYSICS (3) Feldman  Limit 25 10   Prereq: 110.108-109, 171.202   Survey of stellar astrophysics. Topics include stellar atmospheres, stellar interiors, nucleosynthesis, stellar evolution, supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, pulsars, black holes, binary stars, accretion disks, protostars, and extrasolar planetary systems.

Sec. 01

ThF 9-10:30

171.405 (N)

CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS (3) Armitage Leheny   Limit 10  Prereq: 171.304, 110.201-202  Undergraduate course covering basic concepts of condensed matter physics: crystal structure, diffraction and reciprocal lattices, electronic and optical properties, band structure, phonons, superconductivity and magnetism.

Sec. 01

M 4-5:30, W 3-4:30

171.415 (N)

MATHEMATICAL METHODS FOR PHYSICISTS (4) Krolik  Limit 25   Prereq: 110.201-202 Selection of topics in applied mathematics most frequently used by physicists. First term focuses on analytic methods: functions of complex variables, series and perturbation methods for solving differential equations, Sturm-Liouville theory and special functions, Fourier series and transforms.

Lec.

Sec. 01

ThF 9-10:20

T 12

171.501

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH: UNDERGRADUATES   Staff    Students may register for independent research with a faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. A research plan should be sent to the Director of Undergraduate Study before the add/drop date that includes project details, the number of hours of effort each week and the number of credits. This course may not be used for one of the two electives required for a BA, but one semester of research may be used as one of four focused electives in a BS program.

171.503 (W)

SENIOR THESIS Staff Open to Senior Dept. majors only  Preparation of a substantial thesis based upon independent student research, supervised by at least one faculty member in Physics and Astronomy. This course may only be taken for credit during one semester. However, students are expected to have engaged in their research project during previous semesters through 171.501-502, summer research, etc. This course may not be used as one of the two electives required for a BA, but can be used as one of the four focused electives in a BS program.

171.601

THEORETICAL MECHANICS Chien, C.Y. Limit 15  The Lagrangian, Hamiltonian, and Hamilton-Jacobi methods of mechanics, with applications to some vibrational and rotational problems.  A discussion of classical perturbation theory is included

Sec. 01

MT 4-5:30pm

171.603 

ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY Norman  Limit 20   Theory of the Maxwell equations, with static and dynamic applications, boundary-value problems, guided and free waves, diffraction, scattering, special relativity, electron theory.

Sec. 01

MTW 9 11

171.605

QUANTUM MECHANICS Tesanovic Limit 30 20  Review of wave mechanics and the Schrodinger equation, Hilbert space, harmonic oscillator, the WKB approximation, central forces and angular momentum, scattering,  electron spin, density matrix, perturbation theory (time-independent  and time-dependent), quantized radiation field, absorption and emission of radiation, identical particles, second quantization, Dirac equation.

Lec.

Sec. 01

ThF 10:30-12

F 1

171.611

STELLAR STRUCTURE AND EVOLUTION Wyse   Limit 25    Basic physics of stellar structure and evolution will be discussed with emphasis on current research.

Sec. 01

ThF 10:30-12

171.613

RADIATIVE ASTROPHYSICS / QUANTUM PHYSICS Bennett     Limit 20   A two-term sequence including equation of transfer, connection to thermodynamics, diffusion; linear EM waves: dispersion relations, polarization; special relativity; classical EM radiation; bremsstrahlung; synchrotron radiation; Compton scattering; properties of plasmas; charged particles in matter; atomic and molecular spectroscopy; time-dependent perturbation theory; calculation of quantum transition rates for both radiative and collisional processes; techniques for solution of the transfer equation, applications to stellar atmospheres and interstellar nebulae.

Sec. 01

MW 2-3:20

171.621

CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS Armitage Leheny Limit 20  This sequence is intended for graduate students in physics and related fields. Topics include: metals and insulators, diffraction and crystallography, phonons, electrons in a periodic potential, transport.

Sec. 01

M 4-5:30

W 3-4:30

172.631

PHYSICS SEMINAR Neufeld Broholm Limit 25 20 First year graduate students only Intended for beginning graduate students. Study of the methods and results of modern physics and other topics of interest. Each student will discuss some phase of the subject.

Sec. 01

M 12

172.633

LANGUAGE OF ASTROPHYSICS Krolik   Limit 20  Survey of the basic concepts, ideas, and areas of research in astrophysics, discussing general astrophysical topics while highlighting specialized terms often used compared to physics.

Sec. 01

W 12

550.693

TURBULANCE THEORY Eyink   Limit 50  Prereq: Previous familiarity with fluid mechanics is helpful, but not required. An advanced introduction to turbulence theory for graduate students in the physical sciences, engineering and mathematics. Both intuitive understanding and exact analysis of the fluid equations will be stressedCross-listed with Applied Mathematics & Statistics Course added 7/26/07

Sec. 01

TBA

171.701

QUANTUM FIELD THEORY Sundrum  Limit 15  Introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.  Canonical quantization; scalar, spinor, and vector fields; scattering theory; renormalization; functional integration; spontaneous symmetry breaking; Standard Model of particle physics.

Sec. 01

TF 2-3:30 M 3:30-5:10, T 9

172.711

INTERMEDIATE SEMINAR Blumenfeld Henr=Limit 25 20  Nonspecialized seminar in which second-year graduate students discuss subjects of general interest, supplementing the material of the standard courses and including recent advances in physics.

Sec. 01

T 12

172.722 

HOT TOPICS IN ASTROPHYSICS Norman Limit 20

Sec. 01

M 4-6pm

172.731 

CAS RESEARCH SEMINAR MeurerLimit 20

Sec. 01

T 3:30-5

172.735

STARBURST JOURNAL CLUB SEMINAR Heckman Limit 20

Sec. 01

F 12

172.751  

ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS SEMINAR Staff Limit 20

Sec. 01

W 12-1:30

171.755  

FOURIER OPTICS AND INTERFEROMETRY IN ASTRONOMY Allen Limit 20 A course for advanced undergrads and beginning graduate students covering the principles of optics and image formation using Fourier Transforms, and a discussion of interferometry and other applications both in radio and optical astronomy. Course added 9/10/07

Sec. 01

W 10-12

172.753 

ADVANCED PARTICLE THEORY SEMINAR Kaplan Limit 20

Sec. 01

F 2

172.763  

CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS SEMINAR MarkovicLimit 20

Sec. 01

W 2-3:30

171.764

EXPERIMENTAL CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS Armitage    Survey of modern techniques in experimental condensed matter physics.  Course canceled 5/31/07

Sec. 01

TBA

171.801

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH - GRADUATES
Sec. 01  Staff
Sec. 02 Sundrum
Sec. 03 Feldman
Sec. 04 Chien, Chia-ling
Sec. 06 Reich
Sec. 07 Chien, Chih-yung
Sec. 08 Krolik
Sec. 09 Barnett
Sec. 10 Norman
Sec. 11 Blumenfeld
Sec. 12 Heckman
Sec. 13 Moos
Sec. 14 Szalay
Sec. 15 Ford
Sec. 16 Bagger
Sec. 17 Wyse
Sec. 18 Henry
Sec. 19 Neufeld
Sec. 20 Tesanovic
Sec. 21 Blair
Sec. 22 Robbins
Sec. 24 Broholm
Sec. 25 Bianchi
Sec. 26 Falk
Sec. 27 Kaplan
Sec. 28 Finkenthal
Sec. 29 Leheny
Sec. 30 Markovic
Sec. 31 Tchernyshyov
Sec. 32 Bennett
Sec. 33 Vishniac
Sec. 34 Gritsan

SEMINARS