General Physics II (Electromagnetism and Light)

Catalog description

Prerequisite: General Physics I (PHYS 2040) or equivalent; Calculus II (MATH 3010) or equivalent or concurrent enrollment in Calculus II (MATH 3010) recommended General physics is a standard course at most institutions; as such, this course will prepare students for more advanced work in physical science, engineering, or the health fields. Lectures will be accessible at all levels; and through group conference, students will have the option of either taking an algebra-based or calculus-based course. This course will cover waves, geometric and wave optics, electrostatics, magnetostatics, and electrodynamics. We will use the exploration of the particle and wave properties of light to bookend discussions and ultimately finish our exploration of classical physics with hints of its incompleteness. Emphasis will be placed on scientific skills, including problem solving, development of physical intuition, scientific communication, use of technology, and development and execution of experiments. The best way to develop scientific skills is to practice the scientific process. We will focus on learning physics through discovering, testing, analyzing, and applying fundamental physics concepts in an interactive classroom through problem solving, as well as in weekly lab meetings. Thermal Physics