2009-2010 Undergraduate Academic Catalog

Course Descriptions Course Descriptions 2009–10 Cedarville University 255 PHYS-1010 – PHYS-3800 Physics: General Education (PHYS) Except where noted, general education courses are designed to meet the general education requirements for graduation. These courses will not count toward graduation requirements for majors found in the department of science and mathematics unless they are specifically listed in the curriculum requirements for a major. A student majoring in science or mathematics may take these courses only as electives. However, any course listed for a science or mathematics major or minor may also count toward fulfilling general education requirements. PHYS-1010 College Physics I –Fa 5 hours Basic concepts of mechanics and thermodynamics using algebra and trigonometry. This is the first of a two-course sequence intended for students in the life sciences and pre- professional programs. Topics include kinematics, motion in two dimensions, forces and motion, work and energy, momentum, circular motion, gravitation, waves, phases of matter, heat, and the laws of thermodynamics. Four lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: high school trigonometry; or GMTH-1030 Precalculus or equivalent. (Fee: $100) PHYS-1020 College Physics II –Sp 5 hours Basic concepts of electricity and modern physics using algebra and trigonometry. This is the second of a two-course sequence intended for students in the life sciences and preprofessional programs. Topics include electricity, magnetism, AC circuits, geometrical and physical optics, relativity theory, quantum theory and other modern physics topics. Four lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: PHYS-1010 College Physics I or equivalent. (Fee: $100) Physics: Major (PHYS) PHYS-2110 General Physics I –Fa, Sp 4 hours Basic concepts of mechanics using calculus. This is the first of a three-course sequence intended for students in the physical sciences and engineering programs. Topics include linear and rotational motion in three dimensions, oscillatory motion, gravitation, fluid mechanics, and basic concepts of wave motion. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisites: MATH-1710 Calculus I; MATH-1720 Calculus II; MATH-1720 may be co-enrolled with permission of instructor. (Fee: $100) PHYS-2120 General Physics II –Fa, Sp 4 hours Basic concepts of electricity and magnetism, light, and optics using calculus. This is the second of a three-course sequence intended for students in the physical sciences and engineering programs. Topics include electricity, magnetism, Maxwell’s equations, DC and AC circuits, geometrical and physical optics. Three lectures and one two-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisites: MATH-1720 Calculus II; PHYS-2110 General Physics I. (Fee: $100) PHYS- 2130 General Physics III –Fa 2 hours Basic concepts of thermodynamics and modern physics using calculus. This is the third of a three-course sequence intended for students in the physical sciences programs. Topics include heat and thermodynamics, relativity theory, quantum theory, atomic and nuclear physics. Prerequisites: MATH-1720 Calculus II; PHYS-2120 General Physics II; PHYS-2120 may be co-enrolled with permission of instructor. PHYS-3110 Intermediate Physics Laboratory –Fa 2 hours Designed to reinforce concepts of the advanced physics courses and develop critical research and analysis skills. This course provides laboratory experience in such topics as oscillatory motion and waves, mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, and quantum mechanics. During this semester the student will develop his or her prospectus for his or her advanced laboratory project. Laboratory skills for planning, setup, documentation, and analysis using the scientific method will be emphasized. Prerequisite: 3 hours of a 3000- or 4000-level physics course. (Fee: $100) PHYS-3310 Theoretical Mechanics I –Sp 3 hours Derivation of the motion of a point object through 3-dimensional space. Topics include an advanced treatment of Newtonian mechanics in three dimensions, oscillatory motion, accelerated frames of reference, central forces, and an introduction to Lagrangian mechanics. Prerequisites: PHYS-2120 General Physics II; MATH-2740 Differential Equations; MATH-2740 may be co-enrolled with permission of instructor. (even years) PHYS- 3330 Acoustics –Fa 3 hours This course will study the generation, transmission and reception of sound. Topics include wave propagation through the air, resonance conditions for strings, bars, membranes and air cavities, acoustic filters, measurement and human perception of sound. Applications will be made to musical instruments, room acoustics, microphones, and speakers. Prerequisites: MATH-2710 Differential Equations; PHYS-2110 General Physics I. (even years) PHYS-3350 Thermal Physics –Fa 3 hours Study of the relationship between energy and matter through the use of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Topics include the laws of thermodynamics, heat, work, entropy, phase transformations, statistical distributions, and kinetic theory. Prerequisite: PHYS-2130 General Physics III. (odd years) PHYS-3410 Electromagnetic Theory I –Fa 3 hours Electricity and magnetism from an advanced viewpoint using the methods of vector calculus. Includes electrostatics, Gauss’ Law, Poisson’s equation, Laplace’s equation, dielectric media, electric currents, and magnetostatics. Prerequisites: PHYS-2120 General Physics II; MATH-2710 Calculus III. (odd years) PHYS-3510 Modern Physics –Sp 3 hours Introduction to relativity theory, quantum theory, including Schrodinger’s Equation, and its basic applications, and atomic structure. Prerequisite: PHYS-2130 General Physics III. PHYS-3800 Research Methods in Physics –Sp 1 hour Reinforces concepts of the advanced physics courses and develops critical research and analysis skills. This course will focus on basic library, research, and laboratory skills for planning, setup, documentation, and analysis using the scientific method. Selected software will be introduced and used to collect data, analyze results, and document findings. There will be several laboratory sessions with experiments selected from oscillatory motion and waves, intermediate mechanics, intermediate electricity, intermediate magnetism, thermodynamics, or quantum mechanics. Prerequisite: PHYS-2130 General Physics III. (Fee: $50)