Note: Please be advised, information below has been altered from the official print version of the CSULB 2009-2010 Catalog.
Prerequisite: MATH 109 or 113 or 117 or 119A or 120 or 122. PHYS 100A is a prerequisite for PHYS 100B.
Year course in introductory physics. First semester considers properties of matter, mechanics, wave motion, and heat. Second semester considers electricity, light, and atomic and nuclear physics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs, laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: MATH 117 (which may be taken concurrently) or three-and-one-half years of high school mathematics including two years of algebra, one year of geometry and one-half year of trigonometry.
Assists students needing additional preparation before enrolling in PHYS 100A or 151. Basic problems and concepts in physics, particularly in mechanics.
Credit/No Credit grading only. Begins in the fourth week of the semester. (Lectures, problem sessions 4 hrs.)
Prerequisite: MATH 122.
Kinematics, Newton’s Laws, rotational motion, fluid statics, laws of thermodynamics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 151; MATH 123.
Mechanical waves, Coulomb’s law, electrostatics, electric circuits, introductory electronics, magnetic fields, induction and Maxwell’s equations.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Broad overview of the key areas, applications, and emerging importance of nano-scale science and engineering in today’s society. For lower-division students thinking of entering majors like physics, biology, and electrical engineering.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 152 or EE 210; MATH 224.
Geometrical and physical optics, models of atomic and condensed matter systems.
Not open for credit to students with a “C” or better in PHYS 153 or PHYS 154. Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 254, which may be taken concurrently.
Experimental work in optics and modern physics.
Not open for credit to students with a “C” or better in PHYS 153 or PHYS 155. PHYS 255 is equivalent to PHYS 155. Letter grade only (A-F). (Laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 151. Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 364A or 370A.
Kinematics and dynamics of mass points and systems of particles. Conservation laws. Harmonic motion. Central force problem. Noninertial frames of reference. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulation of laws of mechanics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 152. Prerequisite/Corequisite, PHYS 254.
Laws of thermodynamics, thermodynamic potentials, kinetic theory methods, phase transitions, equilibrium ensembles and related formalism with applications to classical and quantum systems.
(Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 254, 255.
Interference, diffraction, polarization and elementary spectroscopy.
(Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 152, 310. Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 370A or 364A.
Vector calculus, electrostatics, and magnetostatics. Formulation of Maxwell’s equations in vector analytic form.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. Special relativity.
Applications of Maxwell’s equations: Plane electromagnetic waves, guided waves, radiation, interaction of electromagnetic waves and matter.
(Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310; MATH 370A or 364A.
Physical phenomena and models leading to development of quantum mechanics. Schroedinger equation, one-dimensional quantum mechanical problems, uncertainty principle, one-electron atoms, elementary applications of quantum mechanics.
(Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 152. Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 370A or 364A.
Learning symbolic algebra programming (e.g. Mathematica) to enhance the problem-solving abilities of students in physics, engineering and mathematics. Interpolation and fitting of experimental data. Sophisticated graphics, animations, analytic calculations, and numerical solutions for a variety of physics problems.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 152.
Network analysis and complex impedance, transistor circuits, operational amplifiers, active filters and oscillators, digital electronics, analog-digital interfacing, microprocessors.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 370A or 364A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 410; graduates enroll in PHYS 515.)
Lorentz transformation, relativistic kinematics and dynamics, 4-vectors and tensors, transformation of electric and magnetic fields, covariant form of Maxwell’s equations, introduction to general relativity.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 320, 350. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 422; graduates enroll in PHYS 522.)
Entropy and temperature, Boltzmann distribution and Helmholtz free energy, thermal radiation, chemical potential, Gibbs distribution, ideal gas, Fermi and Bose gases, heat and work, Gibbs free energy and chemical reactions, phase transformations and kinetic theory.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lec-discussion 3 hrs)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 320, and 340A or consent of the instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 434; graduates enroll in PHYS 534.)
Topics in astrophysics. A particular semester schedule might include one or two topics from: Stellar interiors and evolution, radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres, relativistic cosmology, galaxy formation, accretion disk physics and quasars.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs)
Prerequisites: PHYS 254; PHYS 450 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 445; graduates enroll in PHYS 545.)
Modern physical measurement techniques including scanning probe microscopy and pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Noise and fluctuations in physical measurements. Low noise measurement techniques including lock-in amplifier, gated integrator and boxcar averager, bridge circuits, convolution, auto-and cross-correlation and FFT.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 254; PHYS 450 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 446; graduates enroll in PHYS 546.)
Modern physical measurement techniques in condensed matter physics in high magnetic fields and low temperatures. Examples are temperature and magnetic field effects in magnetic materials, Meissner effect and superconducting transition temperature in superconductors, and mobility and Hall effect in semiconductors.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 340A, 350.
Schroedinger equation, atomic physics, harmonic oscillator, scattering, perturbation theory, Heisenberg and Dirac representations, spin, symmetries (angular momentum, time reversal, and parity), applications.
(Lec-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 450.
Measurement processes, atomic physics, identical particles, quantum statistics, numerical methods, many-body systems, density matrix, applications.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310 and PHYS 450. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 462, graduate students enroll in PHYS 562).
Symbolic (e.g. Maple/Mathematica) and numerical (e.g. Fortran 95/C++) programming, and their applications: e.g. classical mechanical Hamilton equations, quantum mechanical bound and scattering-state problems, Schrodinger equation, Lippmann-Schwinger equation, Dirac equation.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs)
Prerequisite: PHYS 450. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 470; graduates enroll in PHYS 569.)
Study of properties of solids from quantum theoretical viewpoint. Includes lattice vibratons, elastic constants, and thermal, electric, and magnetic properties.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 475; graduates enroll in PHYS 575.)
Propagation of electromagnetic waves, optical resonators, laser spectroscopy and operation, optical phase conjugation, nonlinear optics and selected application.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 476; graduates enroll in PHYS 576.)
Propagation of electromagnetic waves, optical resonators, laser spectroscopy and operation, optical phase conjugation, nonlinear optics and selected application. Experiments illustrating principles and techniques of electro-optics and laser physics. Applications include optical methods in communications, atomic spectroscopy, and nonlinear optics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 380 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 480; graduates enroll in PHYS 580.)
Modern data acquisition and analysis methods using computer-based equipment and high level software. Physics experiments performed with standard personal computers, research-quality data acquisition hardware, and programmable instruments. Computer use as tool in execution and interpretation of experiments.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 490; graduates enroll in PHYS 590.)
Physics topics selected from such areas as atomic and nuclear physics, astrophysics, physics of materials, low temperature physics, acoustics, and theoretical physics.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units. (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: Consent of instructor and senior standing.
Physics problems selected by instructor for considered and mature analysis. Written and 10-minute oral reports required.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Study of literature about research methods in physics.
May be repeated to a maximum of 2 units; only 1 unit may be applied to the Master of Science in Physics. Letter grade only (A-F).
Prerequisite: PHYS 310.
Variational principles, Lagrange’s equations, Hamilton’s equations, canonical transformations, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, relativistic mechanics and small oscillation theory.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 4 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. Prerequisite/Corequisite: MATH 370A or MATH 364A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 410; graduates enroll in PHYS 515.)
Lorentz transformation, relativistic kinematics and dynamics, 4-vectors and tensors, transformation of electric and magnetic fields, covariant form of Maxwell’s equations, introduction to general relativity.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 320, 350. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 422; graduates enroll in PHYS 522.)
Entropy and temperature, Boltzmann distribution and Helmholtz free energy, thermal radiation, chemical potential, Gibbs distribution, ideal gas, Fermi and Bose gases, heat and work, Gibbs free energy and chemical reactions, phase transformations and kinetic theory.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture-discussion 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 320, and 340A or consent of the instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 434; graduates enroll in PHYS 534.)
Topics in astrophysics. A particular semester schedule might include one or two topics from: Stellar interiors and evolution, radiative transfer and stellar atmospheres, relativistic cosmology, galaxy formation, accretion disk physics and quasars.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340B.
Boundary-value problems, applications of special functions to electro/magnetostatics, Green’s function techniques, multipole expansion of electrostatic field, dielectric media, Maxwell’s equations, electromagnetic waves.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 540A.
Covariant formalism, simple radiating systems, radiation by moving charges, and topics in electrodynamics chosen from the following: wave guides, magnetohydrodynamics, thermodynamics and electrodynamics of continuous media, and radiation reaction.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 254; PHYS 450 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 445; graduates enroll in PHYS 545.)
Modern physical measurement techniques including scanning probe microscopy and pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Noise and fluctuations in physical measurements. Low noise measurement techniques including lock-in amplifier, gated integrator and boxcar averager, bridge circuits, convolution, auto-and cross-correlation and FFT.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs, laboratory 3 hrs)
Prerequisites: PHYS 254; PHYS 450 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 446; graduates enroll in PHYS 546.)
Modern physical measurement techniques in condensed matter physics in high magnetic fields and low temperatures. Examples are temperature and magnetic field effects in magnetic materials, Meissner effect and superconducting transition temperature in superconductors, and mobility and Hall effect in semiconductors.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 450.
Mathematical and postulational basis of quantum mechanics, one-dimensional problems, two-level systems, angular momentum, central potentials, time independent and time dependent perturbation theory.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 550A.
Scattering, rotation group and irreducible tensor operations, identical particles, semi-classical radiation theory, atoms, path integral formalism, and other selected topics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 550A.
Deuteron problem, nucleon-nucleon potential, shell model, nuclear models, nuclear reactions, elementary particles, weak interactions, strong interactions.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310, 340B, 450.
Feynman diagram language of scattering and decay, space-time symmetries, relativistic kinematics, hadron quantum numbers and quark models, QED, QCD and gluons, weak interactions.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: MATH 370A,B or equivalent.
Linear vector spaces, eigenvalue problem, functions of complex variable, special functions, properties and methods of solving partial differential equations of physics, integral equations, tensor analysis, and group theory.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 4,3 hrs.)
Prerequisites: PHYS 310 and PHYS 450. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 462, graduate students enroll in PHYS 562).
Symbolic (e.g. Maple/Mathematica) and numerical (e.g. Fortran 95/C++) programming, and their applications: e.g. classical mechanical Hamilton equations, quantum mechanical bound and scattering-state problems, Schrodinger equation, Lippmann-Schwinger equation, Dirac equation.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 450. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 470; graduates enroll in PHYS 569.)
Study of the properties of solids from a quantum theoretical viewpoint. Topics include lattice vibrations, elastic constants, and thermal, electric and magnetic properties.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 475; graduates enroll in PHYS 575.)
Propagation of electromagnetic waves, optical resonators, laser spectroscopy and operation, optical phase conjugation, nonlinear optics and selected applications.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: PHYS 340A. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 476; graduates enroll in PHYS 576.)
Propagation of electromagnetic waves, optical resonators, laser spectroscopy and operation, optical phase conjugation, nonlinear optics and selected application. Experiments illustrating principles and techniques of electro-optics and laser physics. Applications include optical methods in communications, atomic spectroscopy, and nonlinear optics.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs laboratory 3 hrs)
Prerequisite: PHYS 380 or consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 480; graduates enroll in PHYS 580.)
Modern data acquisition and analysis methods using computer-based equipment and high level software. Physics experiments performed with standard personal computers, research-quality data acquisition hardware, and programmable instruments. Computer use as tool in execution and interpretation of experiments.
Letter grade only (A-F). (Lecture 2 hrs., laboratory 3 hrs.)
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor. (Undergraduates enroll in PHYS 490; graduates enroll in PHYS 590.)
Physics topics selected from such areas as atomic and nuclear physics, astrophysics, physics of materials, low temperature physics, acoustics, and theoretical physics.
May be repeated to a maximum of 6 units. (Lecture 3 hrs.)
Intensive study of advanced topics in physics.
May be repeated to a maximum of 2 units. Letter grade only (A-F).
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Study of research papers and research methods in selected topics. If demand for more than one subject exists, multiple sections may be given in any one semester.
May be repeated to a maximum of 2 units; only 1 unit may be applied to the master’s degree. Letter grade only (A-F). (Seminar 1 hr.)
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.
Weekly meetings for presentation and discussion of current research in physics even though only 1 unit is for M.S. degree. Graduate students are expected to attend each semester they are enrolled in University.
Credit/No Credit grading only. (Seminar 1 hr.)
Theoretical and experimental problems in physics requiring intensive analysis.
Letter grade only (A-F).
Prerequisite: Advancement to candidacy for the M.S. in Physics.
Planning, preparation, and completion of acceptable thesis in partial fulfillment of requirements for master’s degree. A half-hour seminar presenting and defending results of the thesis required. Credit obtained upon formal acceptance of thesis.
