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Physics
P155 Foundations of Physics 3 credits
This course is intended for elementary education majors as well as other non-science majors. It
examines the conceptual frameworks that underlie physics, including mechanics, heat, electricity and
magnetism, and light. Two hours of lecture and one two-hour lab per week. Offered every spring and in
alternate fall semesters. Prerequisite: mathematics competency.
P180 College Physics 3 credits
This course is a survey of fundamental topics in physics, using the mathematical tools of algebra,
geometry, and trigonometry. This survey includes kinematics, vectors, Newton's laws, momentum,
energy, oscillations and waves, and thermodynamics. Credit will not be granted for this course and P201.
Prerequisites: high school algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Co-requisite: P181.
P181 College Physics Laboratory 1 credit
This one three-hour laboratory is held each week to address topics covered in P180 lecture. Credit will
not be granted for this course and P202. Co-requisite: P180.
P201 Introductory Physics I 3 credits
This course is the first half of a two-semester introductory, calculus-based, physics course for all students
planning to enter one of the scientific professions. It covers the fundamental principles of mechanics,
oscillations, and fluid mechanics. Offered fall semester. Prerequisites: M149 or M151 (M151 may be
concurrent) and concurrent with P202.
P202 Introductory Physics I Laboratory 1 credit
One three-hour laboratory is held each week covering topics studied in the lectures. Offered fall
semester. Concurrent with P201.
P211 Introductory Physics II 3 credits
This course is the second half of a two-semester introductory, calculus-based, physics course for all
students planning to enter one of the scientific professions. It covers the fundamental principles of
waves, physical and geometrical optics, and electricity and magnetism. Offered spring semester.
Prerequisites: P201/202; concurrent with P212.
P212 Introductory Physics II Laboratory 1 credit
One three-hour laboratory is held each week covering topics studied in the lectures. Offered spring
semester. Concurrent with P211.
P250 Introduction to Radiation Physics 3 credits
The course includes the study of radioactive decay (the interactions of ionizing radiation with matter),
characteristics of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation, nuclear instrumentation, dose calculations and
dosimetry, production and use of x-rays, nuclear statistics, and radiation safety. Offered in alternate
spring semesters. Prerequisites: P211/212 (may be concurrent).
P304 Introduction to Modern Physics with Laboratory 4 credits
This course considers atomic and nuclear physics and studies the experimental evidence that led to
the development of the theories of quantum mechanics. The special theory of relativity, wave particle
duality, and atomic structure are also examined. Students meet for three lectures and one three-hour
lab per week. Offered in alternate fall semesters. Prerequisites: M152 and P211/212.
P314 Digital Systems with Laboratory 4 credits
This is a course on digital electronics and its applications in modern electronic instrumentation.
Emphasis is placed on gaining experience with the use of individual digital integrated circuits and
programmable arrays. The course covers Boolean algebra, simple gates, combinational and sequential
logic circuits, counters, shift registers, state machines, astable multivibrators, encoding, decoding,
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