Physics II - Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics

Catalog description

This course is the calculus-based continuation of Physics I (PHY1110). The purpose of this course is to acquaint the students with the fundamental laws of electricity and magnetism, optics, introduction to modern physics, and nuclear physics. The course begins with electrostatic vector fields, scalar potential, capacitance and dielectrics, energy and force in electrostatic systems, electric circuits, magnetic fields and forces, and electromagnetic waves. The basic properties of light including reflection, refraction, interference, and diffraction is also discussed. The photon theory of light is then explored, and the quantum nature of light is used to explain the photoelectric effect. The sources, uses, and hazards of ionizing radiation are explored in the laboratory portion of this course. With Physics I, this course provides one year of comprehensive university level physics.