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| Physics ↓ |
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| Department of Physics Univ. of Rhode Island 2 Lippitt Road Kingston, RI 02881-0817 USA tel.: (401)874-2633/4 fax: (401)874-2380 |
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| 03/08/12 |
[2] Students are encouraged
to take OCG451: Oceanographic Science (3) as an elective. [3] Students are encouraged
to explore possibilities of conducting research at the GSO during the summer
before their senior year.
Course Code
Course Title
Credits
Course Description
Remarks
Fall of Year
1
MTH141
Introductory Calculus
with Analytic Geometry
4
Topics in analytic
geometry, functions and their graphs, limits, the derivative, applications
to finding rates of change and extrema and to graphing, the integral, and
applications.
OCG110
The Ocean Planet
3
Introduces the
origin and structure of the solar system; interaction of earth's solid interior,
oceans' atmosphere and biosphere with emphasis on earth science; energy
resources and present environment on Earth.
This course satisfies
a general education requirement from the category (N).
PHY203/273
Elementary Physics
I
4
Introduction to
Newtonian mechanics. Kinematics and dynamics of particles and systems of
particles. Motion of rigid bodies and oscillatory motion. Conservation principles.
Separate registration for Laboratory [Secs. (01) etc] and Recitation [Secs.
(R01) etc].
Consider HPR122A
(honors section of PHY203/273) offered every fall semester.
URI101
Freshman
Seminar
1
Special section
for physics majors offered every fall semester.
General Education
Requirements or Electives
5
17
Spring of Year 1
CHM101
General Chemistry I
3
Fundamental chemical concepts and
principles. Topics include states of matter, stoichiometry, reactivity,
atomic structure, thermochemistry, bonding, molecular structure and solutions.
This course satisfies a general
education requirement from the category (N).
CHM102
Laboratory for Chemistry 101
1
Experimental applications of chemical
concepts and reactivity emphasizing safety and technique. Experiments follow
the content of 101.
MTH142
Intermediate Calculus with Analytic
Geometry
4
Continues the study of calculus
for the elementary algebraic and transcendental functions of one variable.
Topics include the technique of integration, improper integrals, indeterminate
forms, and calculus using polar coordinates.
OCG123
Oceans, Atmospheres, and Global
Change
4
The impact of human activities on
the oceans, atmospheric composition, and climate set against a background
of natural processes in and history of global changes in climate and ecosystems.
This course satisfies a general
education requirement from the category (N).
PHY204/274
Elementary Physics II
4
16
Introduction to electricity and
magnetism, leading to Maxwell's equations. Electric fields and Gauss' law;
magnetic fields and Ampere's law. Capacitance and inductance, DC and AC
circuits. Electromagnetic waves. Separate registration for Laboratory [Secs.
(01) etc] and Recitation [Secs. (R01) etc].
Consider HPR122B (honors section
of PHY204/274) offered every spring semester.
Fall of Year
2
CSC211
Introductory Programming
and Design
4
Problem specification,
solution design, and algorithm development. Object oriented programming
and program structure. Fucntions, selection, iteration, recursion, classes,
arrays, and files. Required programs will solve numerical and nonnumerical
problems.
MTH243
Calculus for Functions
of Several Variables
3
Topics include
coordinates for space, vector geometry, partial derivatives, directional
derivatives, extrema, Lagrange multipliers, and multiple integrals.
PHY205/275
Elementary Physics
III
4
Introduction to
topics of thermodynamics, kinetic theory, wave motion, acoustics, and optics.
Separate registration for Laboratory [Secs. (01) etc] and Recitation [Secs.
(R01) etc].
Consider HPR319Z
(honors section of PHY205) offered every fall semester.
General Education
Requirements or Electives
6
17
Spring of Year 2
MTH244
Differential Equations
3
Classification and solution of differential
equations involving one independent variable. Applications to the physical
sciences. Basic for further study in applied mathematics and for advanced
work in physics and engineering.
PHY306
Elementary Modern Physics
3
Introduction to relativistic and
quantum physics. Special relativity theory, structure of atoms, molecules,
and solids including semiconductor devices; wave and particle properties
of matter, Schrodinger equation in one dimension.
PHY410
Computational Physics
3
Development and application of computer
techniques to classical and quantum physics problems. Emphasis will be on
approximation techniques and numerical methods for solving matrix, integral,
and differential equations arising in physics.
General Education Requirements or
Electives
8
17
Fall of Year
3
MTH215
Introduction to
Linear Algebra
3
Detailed study
of finite dimensional vector spaces, linear transformations, matrices, determinants
and systems of linear equations.
PHY322
Mechanics
3
Introduction to
Newtonian statics and dynamics using vector analysis; particle motion, Lagrange's
equations; rigid body motion. Application to various topics in physical
mechanics.
PHY381
Advanced Laboratory
Physics I
3
Key experiments
covering a wide range of disciplines including nuclear physics, properties
of the electron, magnetism thermodynamics, and optics. Quantitative analysis
is stressed, including statistics and curve fitting. Technical skills are
developed.
General Education
Requirements or Electives
8
17
Spring of Year 3
MCE354
Fluid Mechanics
3
Physical properties of fluids, development
of continuity, energy, and momentum concepts using vector methods; application
to problems involving viscous and nonviscous fluids including boundary layer
flows, flows in closed conduits and around immersed bodies.
PHY331
Electricity and Magnetism
3
Electrostatic fields and dielectric
materials; magnetic fields, magnetic induction and magnetic materials; introduction
to Maxwell's equations.
PHY382
Advanced Laboratory Physics II
3
Key experiments covering a wide
range of disciplines including nuclear physics, properties of the electron,
magnetism thermodynamics, and optics. Quantitative analysis is stressed,
including statistics and curve fitting. Technical skills are developed.
General Education Requirements or
Electives
8
17
Fall of Year
4
OCG501
Physical Oceanography
3
Basic course covering
physical properties of seawater, heat budget, distribution of variables,
dynamics, water masses and general circulation, waves and tides.
PHY401
Seminar in Physics
1
Preparation and
presentation of papers on selected topics in physics.
Consider PHY402
in spring as an alternative.
PHY420
Introduction to
Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
3
Emphasis on laws
of thermodynamics and properties of thermodynamic systems, kinetic theory
of gases, molecular velocity distributions, transport phenomena, Maxwell-Boltzmann
statistics.
PHY451
Introduction to
Quantum Mechanics
3
Particle-wave
duality, uncertainty principle; Schrodinger equation: eigenvalues, wavefunctions,
time dependence; Dirac notation; Heisenberg representation: operators, matrices,
eigenvectors; angular momentum: spin and polarization, Pauli matrices, hydrogen
atom, application to quantum computation; symmetries: conservation laws,
fermions and bosons.
PHY483
Laboratory and
Research Problems in Physics
3
Research in current
areas of physics. Students perform research projects with individual faculty
members. Students may coordinate their research project with a faculty member
of the Graduate School of Oceanography.
Senior project
at the Graduate School of Oceanography
General Education
Requirements or Electives
3
16
Spring of Year 4
OCG510
Descriptive Physical Oceanography
3
Observed distributions of temperature,
salinity, currents; methods of deducing deep flow; physical properties of
seawater; flow in estuaries; practical work in the analysis of oceanographic
data; study of recent literature.
This course can be substituted by
OCG594: Principles of Ocean Circulation
PHY425
Acoustics
3
Mathematical theory of vibrating
systems; harmonic wave motion. Topics include: transmission and absorption
of sound waves, microphones, psychoacoustics, underwater acoustics, and
ultrasonics.
This course can be substituted by
OCE471: Underwater Acoustics
PHY484
Laboratory and Research Problems
in Physics
3
Research in current areas of physics.
Students perform research projects with individual faculty members. Students
may coordinate their research project with a faculty member of the Graduate
School of Oceanography.
Senior project at the Graduate School
of Oceanography
PHY510
Mathematical Methods of Physics
I
3
12
Topics designed to include applications
in physics. Vector and tensor analysis; linear algebra; coordinate systems.
Determinants, matrices; introductory group theory. Infinite series, complex
analysis, analytic properties, conformal mapping, calculus of residues.
Fourier analysis and Laplace transforms.
This course will substitute the
required course MTH461, which is not currently offered.
Total
129
Comments
[1] The six general education credits in the category (N)
are satisfied by any two of the courses OCG110, OCG123, CHM101.