UNCA Catalog: Courses of Instruction
UNCA Catalog: Table of Contents

Physics (PHYS)

Professor Ruiz (Chair); Professors Bennett, Whatley; Associate Professors Booker, Davenport

The Department of Physics offers a range of concentrations well suited to students intending to pursue advanced work in graduate school, careers in industry or government, or the teaching of science within the public school system. Students may elect one of three concentrations: Preparation for Graduate School, Applied Physics, and Physics with Teacher Licensure.

The department is dedicated to excellence in undergraduate instruction. The professional interests of the faculty cover a wide range of current research in physics and physical science, and the size of the department affords ample opportunity for the close student-faculty contact we consider a major asset of our program at UNCA.

Concentration in Preparation for Graduate School

This concentration is designed to prepare students for advanced studies in physics, providing them with opportunities to do research in areas of experimental or theoretical physics.

1. Required courses in the major--32 hours: PHYS 221, 222, 323, 324, 325, 331, 332, 400, 401, 402, 411. PHYS 495 is highly recommended.
2. Required courses outside the major--20-23 hours: CHEM 111, 132 or a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination, 144; MATH 191, 192, 291, 394; MATH 391 and 395 are recommended.
3. Special departmental requirements--A departmental competency examination and the Physics Graduate Record Examination. Oral competency is demonstrated by successful completion of the oral presentation requirements in PHYS 331 and 332.

Concentration in Applied Physics

This concentration provides a solid background in basic physics while maintaining enough flexibility to allow students to prepare for immediate entry into industry or a government research laboratory.

1. Required courses in the major--33 hours: PHYS 221, 222, 310, 323, 324, 325, 331, 332, 400, 401, 402.
2. Required courses outside the major--32-35 hours: CHEM 111, 132 or a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination, 144; CSCI 142; MATH 191, 192, 291; the selection of 12 or more additional semester hours of coordinated work in Computer Science, Engineering or another area of science. The selected program of courses must be approved by the department prior to initiation in the sequence. For an engineering emphasis, the sequence ENGR 206, 208, PHYS 411 may replace PHYS 401.
3. Other departmental requirements--A departmental competency examination and the Physics Graduate Record Examination. Oral competency is demonstrated by successful completion of the oral presentation requirements in PHYS 331 and 332.

Physics with Teacher Licensure

This concentration is coordinated with the Department of Education to provide a student with the opportunity of obtaining teaching licensure with a major in Physics.

1. Required courses in the major--30 hours: PHYS 221, 222, 323, 324, 325, 331, 332, 400, 401, 402, 495.
2. Required courses outside the major--35-38 hours: ASTR 105; BIOL 105; CHEM 111, 132 or a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination, 144; ENVR 105; MATH 191, 192, 291; SOC 240. (For specifics, see Education section and the appropriate advisor in the Department of Education.)
3. Special departmental requirements--A departmental competency examination and the Physics Graduate Record Examination. Oral competency is demonstrated by successful completion of the oral presentation requirements in PHYS 331 and 332.

Students desiring licensure in secondary comprehensive science must add ATMS 103 and CHEM 231 to their programs. Those desiring middle school licensure must add ATMS 103 and ENVR 241. It is required that those seeking middle school licensure have a second area of concentration, preferably mathematics.

Declaration of Major in Physics

Declaring a major in Physics requires the student to complete a Declaration of Major form that must be signed by the department chair. Before declaring a major, students must satisfy the LANG 102 and Library Research requirements.

Minor in Physics

21 hours: PHYS 221, 222, 324, 331; nine additional hours in Physics including one course from PHYS 323, 325 or 400. PHYS 105, 131, and 231 may not be included in these nine hours. Notice that these minor courses have prerequisites of MATH 191, 192, 291; and CHEM 132 or a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination.

101 Light and Visual Phenomena (3)
A course for the general student covering basic optics with applications in the areas of photography, vision, color and art. Satisfies the three-semester-hour interdisciplinary natural science General Education requirement. Spring.

102 The Physics of Sound and Music (3)
A course for the general student covering the principles of sound, with applications in the areas of music, perception, audiology and electronic sound production. Satisfies the three-semester-hour interdisciplinary natural science General Education requirement. Fall.

105 Contemporary Physics (5)
A survey course with laboratory covering the fundamentals of mechanics, heat, light, sound, electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and their application in today's society. Satisfies the lab science General Education requirement. Prerequisite: MATH 155. Fall.

131 Introductory Physics I (4)
An introduction to mechanics and thermodynamics with laboratory, for students not interested in studies leading to a degree in Physics, Chemistry or Engineering. Prerequisite: MATH 164 or equivalent. Fall.

221 Physics I (4)
Introductory calculus-based physics for science and engineering students with laboratory covering Newtonian statics and dynamics, fluids, heat and sound. Prerequisite: MATH 191; corequisite: MATH 192. Fall and Spring.

222 Physics II (4)
Continuation of PHYS 221 covering electrostatics, circuits, magnetism and light. Prerequisite: PHYS 221; corequisite: MATH 291. Fall and Spring.

231 Introductory Physics II (4)
An introduction to electricity, magnetism, optics and elementary concepts of modern physics with laboratory. Prerequisite: PHYS 131. Spring.

310 Electronics (4)
A study of analog and digital electronics, devices and test equipment with laboratory. Applications focus on audio recording. Prerequisite: PHYS 222 or 231. Spring.

323 Modern Optics (3)
A study of geometrical and physical optics. Prerequisite: PHYS 222. Odd years fall.

324, 400 Modern Physics I, II (3, 3)
Special relativity, quantization, introductory quantum mechanics with applications to molecules, solids, nuclei and elementary particles. Prerequisites: CHEM 132 or a satisfactory score on the Chemistry Placement Examination; PHYS 222. Corequisite: PHYS 331. PHYS 324: Spring. PHYS 400: Fall.

325 Thermal Physics (3)
The basic principles of heat, thermodynamics and introductory statistical mechanics. Prerequisite: PHYS 222. Even years Spring.

331, 332 Experimental Physics I, II (1, 2)
Selected experiments with emphasis in modern physics introducing the student to experimental design and analysis of data. Students give oral presentations of their experimental work in each course in a seminar setting where other faculty, students and guests may attend. Corequisite: PHYS 324. PHYS 331: Spring. PHYS 332: Fall.

401 Classical Mechanics (3)
Intermediate theoretical mechanics of particles and systems with an introduction to Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations. Prerequisite: PHYS 324. Fall.

402 Electromagnetic Theory (3)
An intermediate study of electromagnetic fields, Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic waves. Prerequisite: PHYS 323 or 325. Odd years spring.

411 Quantum Mechanics (3)
An intermediate study of quantum mechanics, including applications to simple systems, angular momentum and scattering. Prerequisite: PHYS 401. Spring.

420 Nuclear Physics (2)
The atomic nucleus and nuclear radiation, including the interaction of radiation with matter, conservation laws, nuclear models and instrumentation. Prerequisite: CHEM 334 or PHYS 324. On demand.

485 Elementary Particles (2)
An introduction to fundamental particles, the quark model, and confinement. Prerequisite: PHYS 324. On demand.

495 Physics Research (1-3)
Experimental or theoretical work in an area of physics approved by the department. May be repeated for a total of three hours credit. Prerequisite: PHYS 324. See department chair.

171-4, 271-4, 371-4, 471-4 Special Topics in Physics (1-4)
Courses not otherwise included in the catalog listing but for which there may be special needs. May be repeated for credit as often as permitted and as subject matter changes. On demand.

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