It covers the basic physics of the production and detection of ultrasound, the various ways ultrasound can interact with tissue, and the basics of ultrasound instrumentation. Enrollment in the course is restricted to students in the diagnostic ultrasound program. The course it taught in Fall. This course is intended to allow physics, engineering, chemistry, and other interested students to use their math and physics background to understand the physics of the Earth. Topics covered include Earth history, Earth structure, seismology, high pressure physics, plate techtonics, geomagnetism, and volcanoes.
Lectures provide the necessary physical and historical background for the labs.
The course includes laboratory work in holography and fiber optics. It is typically taught in Spring of alternate years and is frequently taken as an elective by electrical engineering students. Topics covered include crystal structure, x-ray diffraction, vibrations in solids, electronic energy states in solids, and applications to semiconductor devices. Although designed for physics majors, this course is frequently taken by electrical engineering students as an elective. It is typically taught in Spring in alternate years.