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2018-2019 Catalog [ARCHIVED PUBLICATION] Use the dropdown above to select the current catalog.
Physics Courses
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Department of Physics
Astronomy
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ASTR021 HM - Stars, Planets, and Life: Introduction to Astrobiology
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Esin, Lyzenga
Description: This course aims to acquaint the students with the basic concepts of astrobiology, which is the study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe. We will focus on two questions: How does life begin and evolve? Is there life outside of Earth and, if so, how can it be detected? The topics covered during this semester-long course will include basic orbital mechanics, thermal equilibrium of planets and criteria for habitability, the search for habitable planets outside our Solar System and planetary exploration inside our Solar System, appearance and evolution of organic compounds throughout our Universe leading to the appearance of self-organizing molecules, impact of planetary properties on the possibility of life forming and evolving, and, finally, a review of the common theories concerning the origin of life on Earth.
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ASTR062 HM - Introduction to Astrophysics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Lyzenga
Offered: Spring
Description: A general survey of modern astrophysics. Topics covered include electromagnetic radiation, gravitation, stellar structure and evolution, the interstellar medium and the birth of stars, supernovae and the death of stars (including the physics of neutron stars and black holes), synthesis of the elements, and the formation, structure and evolution of galaxies and of the universe. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS051 HM
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ASTR101 HM - Observational Astronomy
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: Complete survey of the techniques of observational astronomy, including optical, infrared, radio and X-ray astronomy. Four to six observational projects, including observations using The Claremont Colleges Table Mountain Observatory, plus computer projects analyzing radio and infrared data. Observational techniques used include CCD photometry, stellar spectroscopy, radio interferometry and analysis of infrared satellite data. In addition to observational techniques, the course will also cover the physics of basic emission mechanisms at the various wavelengths. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM
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ASTR120 HM - Star Formation and the Interstellar Medium
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: A survey of formation of stars and planets in the universe, the galactic interstellar medium, and the theoretical and observational aspects of understanding the physical state of matter in the galaxy. Topics include formation and detection of extrasolar planets and protostars, radio and infrared diagnostics of star forming regions and interstellar clouds, optical emission and absorption-line studies of the interstellar medium, and the role of supernovae in evolution of the interstellar medium and star formation. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM and PHYS052 HM
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ASTR121 HM - Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: Examines the large-scale structures of the universe and the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present epoch. Topics include alternate cosmologies, dark matter, cosmic background radiation, and formation and evolution of galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM and PHYS052 HM
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ASTR122 HM - High Energy Astrophysics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Esin
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: A survey of the physical processes and astrophysical systems that produce high-energy photons and presents a survey of the new ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray observations. Topics include active galactic nuclei, black holes, neutron stars, supernova remnants, and cosmic rays. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM and PHYS052 HM
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ASTR123 HM - Stellar Structure and Evolution
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: A rigorous treatment of stellar atmospheres and radiative transfer. Topics include spectral line formation, stellar energy generation, evolution on and away from the main sequence, and the internal structures of stars and other self-gravitating objects. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM and PHYS052 HM
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ASTR124 HM - Planetary Astrophysics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: The physics and chemistry of the planets, their natural satellites and the small bodies of the solar system. Topics include evolution and dynamics of planetary atmospheres; planetary interiors, alteration processes on planetary surfaces; the formation and dynamics of the solar system, evolution of small bodies and extra-solar systems. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences. Half-course.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM
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ASTR125 HM - Galactic Astronomy
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Description: A detailed phenomenological investigation of galaxy structure, formation and evolution. We will explore galaxies as both aggregate stellar populations and signposts of cosmic evolution. The course will have a special focus on recent advances in the field. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences. Half-course.
Prerequisite(s): ASTR062 HM
Physics
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PHYS018 HM - Fundamentals of Mechanics
Credit(s): 0.5
Instructor(s): Saeta, Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Problem-solving strategies and practice for students in PHYS024 HM .
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PHYS023 HM - Special Relativity
Credit(s): 1.5
Instructor(s): Saeta, Townsend, Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: Einstein’s special theory of relativity is developed from the premises that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames and that the speed of light is a constant. The relationship between mass and energy is explored and relativistic collisions analyzed. The families of elementary particles are described and the equivalence principle developed.
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PHYS024 HM - Mechanics and Wave Motion
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Saeta, Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Classical mechanics is introduced beginning with inertial frames and the Galilean transformation, followed by momentum and momentum conservation in collisions, Newton’s laws of motion, spring forces, gravitational forces and friction. Differential and integral calculus are used extensively throughout. Work, kinetic energy and potential energy are defined, and energy conservation is discussed in particle motion and collisions. Rotational motion is treated, including angular momentum, torque, cross-products and statics. Other topics include rotating frames, pseudoforces and central-force motion. Simple harmonic and some nonlinear oscillations are discussed, followed by waves on strings, sound and other types of waves, and wave phenomena such as standing waves, beats, two-slit interference, resonance and the Doppler effect.
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PHYS024A HM - Mechanics & Wave Motion
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Kinematics, dynamics, linear and angular momentum, work and energy, harmonic motion, waves and sound.
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PHYS031 HM - What’s the Matter?
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Gerbode
Description: Students in this course will examine ordinary objects and discuss what aspects of their composition determine their usefulness. The class will discuss how materials are described, classified, and tested, and look at them from the perspectives of physics, chemistry, materials science, geology, economics, and psychology.
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PHYS032 HM - Gravitation
Credit(s): 1.5
Instructor(s): Lyzenga
Description: The theory and applications of Newtonian gravitation and an introduction to the ideas of gravitation in general relativity. Topics covered include gravitational potentials, orbits and celestial mechanics, tidal forces, atmospheres, Einstein’s equivalence principle, black holes, and cosmology. The target audience is students with a strong interest in fundamental physics and the mathematical as well as conceptual underpinnings of gravity and its applications.
Corequisite(s): PHYS024 HM
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PHYS050 HM - Physics Laboratory
Credit(s): 1
Instructor(s): Staff
Description: This course emphasizes the evidence-based approach to understanding the physical world through hands-on experience, experimental design, and data analysis. Experiments are drawn from a broad range of physics subjects, with applications relevant to modern society and technology.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS024 HM
Corequisite(s): PHYS051 HM
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PHYS051 HM - Electromagnetic Theory and Optics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Lynn, Townsend, Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: An introduction to electricity and magnetism leading to Maxwell’s electromagnetic equations in differential and integral form. Selected topics in classical and quantum optics.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS023 HM and PHYS024 HM
Corequisite(s): MATH060 HM
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PHYS051A HM - Electromagnetic Theory & Optics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: An introduction to electricity and magnetism leading to Maxwell’s electromagnetic equations in differential and integral form. Selected topics in classical and quantum optics. A more in-depth version of its sister course Physics 51, targeted to students with prior exposure or strong interest in the subject. HMC students by permission only.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS023 HM and PHYS024 HM
Corequisite(s): MATH060 HM
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PHYS052 HM - Quantum Physics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Townsend, Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: The development and formulation of quantum mechanics, and the application of quantum mechanics to topics in atomic, solid state, nuclear, and particle physics.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS051 HM and MATH065 HM
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PHYS054 HM - Modern Physics Laboratory
Credit(s): 1
Instructor(s): Eckert, Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Classical experiments of modern physics, including thermal radiation and Rutherford scattering. Nuclear physics experiments, including alpha, beta and gamma absorption, and gamma spectra by pulse height analysis. Analysis of the buildup and decay of radioactive nuclei.
Corequisite(s): PHYS050 HM and PHYS052 HM
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PHYS080 HM - Topics in Physics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Lyzenga, Saeta
Description: An area of physics is studied, together with its applications and social impact. Possible areas include energy and the environment, climate change, and sustainability. Active participation and group activities are stressed.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS051 HM
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PHYS084 HM - Quantum Information
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Lynn
Offered: Spring, alternate years
Description: Quantum computation and communication. Fundamentals of discrete-state quantum mechanics as appropriate for quantum information science. Possible topics include universal logic gates for quantum computing, quantum computing algorithms, quantum error correction, quantum cryptography and communication, adiabatic quantum computing, and hardware platforms for quantum computation and communication.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS051 HM , (CSCI005 HM or CSCI005GR HM or CSCI042 HM ), MATH040 HM , and MATH065 HM
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PHYS111 HM - Theoretical Mechanics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Donnelly
Offered: Fall
Description: The application of mathematical methods to the study of particles and of systems of particles; Newton, Lagrange, and Hamilton equations of motion; conservation theorems; central force motion, collisions, damped oscillators, rigid body dynamics, systems with constraints, variational methods.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS023 HM , PHYS024 HM , and MATH065 HM
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PHYS116 HM - Quantum Mechanics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Gallicchio
Offered: Spring
Description: The elements of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Topics include the general formalism, one-dimensional and three-dimensional problems, angular momentum states, perturbation theory and identical particles. Applications to atomic and nuclear systems.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS052 HM
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PHYS117 HM - Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Saeta
Description: Classical and quantum statistical mechanics, including their connection with thermodynamics. Kinetic theory of gases. Applications of these concepts to various physical systems.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS052 HM
Corequisite(s): PHYS111 HM
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PHYS133 HM - Electronics Laboratory
Credit(s): 1
Instructor(s): Gallicchio, Lyzenga
Offered: Fall
Description: An intermediate laboratory in electronics involving the construction and analysis of rectifiers, filters, transistor and operational amplifier circuits.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS054 HM
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PHYS134 HM - Optics Laboratory
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Saeta
Offered: Spring
Description: A laboratory-lecture course on the techniques and theory of classical and modern optics. Topics of study include diffraction, interferometry, Fourier transform spectroscopy, grating spectroscopy, lasers, quantum mechanics and quantum optics, coherence of waves and least-squares fitting of data.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS051 HM and PHYS054 HM
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PHYS151 HM - Electromagnetic Fields
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Gerbode
Offered: Fall
Description: The theory of static and dynamic electromagnetic fields. Topics include multipole fields, Laplace’s equation, the propagation of electromagnetic waves, radiation phenomena and the interaction of the electromagnetic field with matter.
Prerequisite(s): (PHYS111 HM or PHYS116 HM ) and MATH115 HM
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PHYS154 HM - Fields and Waves
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Lyzenga
Offered: Spring
Description: The theory of deformable media. Field equations for elastic and fluid media and for conducting fluids in electromagnetic fields. Particular emphasis on body and surface wave solutions of the field equations.
Prerequisite(s): MATH115 HM
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PHYS156 HM - Foundations of Field Theory
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Sahakian
Offered: Spring
Description: This course explores concepts, methods, and applications of the classical theory of fields. On the physics side, we will learn about cosmological inflation, superconductivity, electroweak theory, solitons, the nuclear force, and magnetic monopoles. On the mathematics side, we will learn the basics of differential geometry and Lie algebras. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the unity of physical principles and techniques across a wide range of systems and disciplines.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS111 HM and MATH115 HM
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PHYS161 HM - Topics in Quantum Theory
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Gallicchio
Offered: Fall
Description: Scattering, including the Born approximation and partial wave expansion. Path integrals. Time-dependent perturbation theory. Quantum theory of the electromagnetic field.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS116 HM
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PHYS162 HM - Solid State Physics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Selected topics in solid-state physics, including lattice structure, lattice excitations, and the motion and excitations of electrons in metals.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS117 HM
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PHYS164 HM - Particle Physics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Townsend
Offered: Spring
Description: Topics in high-energy physics including the fundamental interactions, space-time symmetries, isospin, SU(3) and the quark model and the Standard Model.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS116 HM
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PHYS166 HM - Geophysics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Lyzenga
Offered: Spring
Description: Special topics in geophysical methods and their application to construction of earth models.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS023 HM and PHYS024 HM
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PHYS168 HM - Electrodynamics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Eckert
Offered: Spring
Description: Selected topics in electrodynamics including wave propagation in material media.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS151 HM
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PHYS170 HM - Computational Methods in Physics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Saeta
Offered: Spring
Description: Typical numerical methods for solving a wide range of problems of current interest in physics. Examples are drawn from mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, solid state and chemical physics.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS052 HM and the ability to program
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PHYS172 HM - General Relativity and Cosmology
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Sahakian
Offered: Spring
Description: The principle of equivalence, Riemannian geometry, and the Schwarzschild and cosmological solutions of the field equations.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS111 HM
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PHYS174 HM - Biophysics
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Gerbode
Offered: Spring
Description: Selected topics in biophysics focusing on active research in the field. Possible topics include: biolocomotion, membrane biophysics, imaging techniques. Seminar format. (Crosslisted as BIOL174 HM )
Prerequisite(s): BIOL052 HM and PHYS051 HM
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PHYS178 HM - Special Topics in Physics
Credit(s): 1-2
Instructor(s): Staff
Description: The study of an area in physics not covered in other courses, chosen each year at the discretion of the Department of Physics.
Prerequisite(s): Dependent on topic
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PHYS181 HM - Advanced Laboratory
Credit(s): 2
Instructor(s): Lynn
Offered: Fall
Description: Experiments are selected from the fields of nuclear and solid-state physics, biophysics, quantum mechanics and quantum optics, and atomic, molecular and optical physics. Fast-time coincidence instrumentation and photon-counting detectors are employed, as well as an X-ray machine and a UV/VIS/ NIR spectrophotometer.
Prerequisite(s): PHYS134 HM
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PHYS183 HM - Teaching Internship
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Saeta
Offered: Fall
Description: An Introduction to K–12 classroom teaching and curriculum development. Internship includes supervision by an appropriate K–12 teacher and a member of the physics department and should result in a report of a laboratory experiment, teaching module, or other education innovation or investigation. Internship includes a minimum of three hours per week of classroom participation.
Prerequisite(s): EDUC170G CG (or as corequisite by permission of instructor)
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PHYS184 HM - Teaching Internship
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Saeta
Offered: Spring
Description: An Introduction to K–12 classroom teaching and curriculum development. Internship includes supervision by an appropriate K–12 teacher and a member of the physics department and should result in a report of a laboratory experiment, teaching module, or other education innovation or investigation. Internship includes a minimum of three hours per week of classroom participation.
Prerequisite(s): EDUC170G CG (or as corequisite by permission of instructor)
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PHYS191 HM - Research in Physics
Credit(s): 1-3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: Original experimental or theoretical investigations in physics undertaken in consultation with a faculty member. Projects may be initiated by the student or by a faculty member. Present faculty research areas include astronomy, atomic and nuclear physics, optics, solid-state and low-temperature physics, general relativity, quantum mechanics, particle physics, geophysics and biophysics.
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PHYS192 HM - Research in Physics
Credit(s): 1-3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Original experimental or theoretical investigations in physics undertaken in consultation with a faculty member. Projects may be initiated by the student or by a faculty member. Present faculty research areas include astronomy, atomic and nuclear physics, optics, solid-state and low-temperature physics, general relativity, quantum mechanics, particle physics, geophysics and biophysics.
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PHYS193 HM - Physics Clinic
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: Team projects in applied physics, with corporate affiliation.
Prerequisite(s): Upper-division standing
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PHYS194 HM - Physics Clinic
Credit(s): 3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Team projects in applied physics, with corporate affiliation.
Prerequisite(s): Upper-division standing
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PHYS195 HM - Physics Colloquium
Credit(s): 0.5
Instructor(s): Gerbode
Offered: Fall
Description: Oral presentations and discussions of selected topics, including recent developments. Participants include physics majors, faculty members, and visiting speakers. Required for all junior and senior physics majors. No more than 2.0 credits can be earned for departmental seminars/colloquia.
Grading Type: Pass/No Credit grading
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PHYS196 HM - Physics Colloquium
Credit(s): 0.5
Instructor(s): Gerbode
Offered: Spring
Description: Oral presentations and discussions of selected topics, including recent developments. Participants include physics majors, faculty members, and visiting speakers. Required for all junior and senior physics majors. No more than 2.0 credits can be earned for departmental seminars/colloquia.
Grading Type: Pass/No Credit grading
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PHYS197 HM - Readings in Physics
Credit(s): 1-3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Fall
Description: Directed reading in selected topics. 1-3 credit hours per semester. Signed form required.
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PHYS198 HM - Readings in Physics
Credit(s): 1-3
Instructor(s): Staff
Offered: Spring
Description: Directed reading in selected topics. Open to seniors only.
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