This is a descriptive survey course of elementary astronomy with laboratory intended for both non-science and science majors. Topics covered include a description of the celestial sphere, a tour of the Solar System, techniques for measuring and classifying stars, stellar evolution, white dwarfs, black holes, neutron stars, galaxies, and Big Bang cosmology. A descriptive overview of the entire field of physics with laboratory, including the concepts of scalars and vectors, Newton's laws, momentum and energy conservation, rotational motion, fluids, heat and thermodynamics, sound, electricity and magnetism, optics, atomic and nuclear physics, relativity, and elementary particle physics. This course is intended to provide the non-scientist with substantial insight into the physical behavior of matter and energy.
Extensive demonstrations accompany the presentation of material to illustrate key concepts.
PH 107 Freshman Physics Seminar 1 cr Intended for physics majors in their first year or others interested in physics as a possible major. This course covers electrostatics, DC circuits, RC circuits, magnetic fields and forces, Faraday's Law, AC circuits, geometrical optics, interference and diffraction of light, the special theory of relativity, quantum physics, and atomic and nuclear physics. This course covers electrostatic fields and Gauss' law, electric potential, electric circuits, magnetic fields, Ampere's law, Faraday's law, inductance, Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves and optics. 1 cr A directed studies course to substitute for a laboratory credit for students who have successfully completed a calculus or algebra-based physics lecture course at another university without the laboratory. Students taking this course must get the approval of the Physics Department Chair.