Undergraduate Studies Catalog

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS (PHYS)

Lake Shore Campus:
Cudahy Science 300
Phone: 773-508-3533
FAX: 773-508-3534
www.luc.edu/depts/physics

Professors: C. Brodbeck, A. Gangopadhyaya, J. Mallow (chairperson), G. Ramsey

Associate Professors: R. Bukrey, J. Dykla

Assistant Professors: D. Tribble, M. Udo

Adjunct Professor: R. Bernstein

Laboratory Instructor: T. Ruubel

OBJECTIVES

The Physics Department aims to provide students with a knowledge and appreciation of the principles of physics and their applications as an integral part of a liberal arts education. By means of lecture, laboratory, and tutorial courses, the department develops in its students the intellectual habits of inquiry, observation and analysis.

An individualized program of study is offered for the physics major, accomplished through a faculty-student counseling program in which the student may choose from a variety of options and electives. The student may prepare for further study in physics, engineering, computer science or biophysics, or for entrance into the professional schools of medicine, dentistry or law, or for teaching physics in the secondary schools, or for service in industry or government.

Courses are also offered for students not specializing in physics. Such courses are designed to supplement other science curricula, to satisfy the pre-professional requirements of medicine and dentistry, and to fulfill the science requirement of the core curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences.

DEPARTMENTAL REGULATIONS

Requirements for the Major in Physics: Fourteen courses totaling 37 credit hours as follows: 125, 126, 135, 136, 235, 236, 237, 238, 303, 305, 310, 314, 328 and 351. (College Physics or University Physics will be accepted in lieu of General Physics with departmental approval.) Majors in physics must also take the following related courses: CHEM 101, 102, 111, 112; MATH 161, 162, 263, 264. Students must meet with their advisor and obtain permission before registering for all physics majors’ courses.

Requirements for the Major in Theoretical Physics/Applied Mathematics: Eleven courses totaling 29 credit hours as follows: PHYS 125, 126, 135, 136, 235, 237, 314, 351, 315 or 352, 328, 361. (College Physics or University Physics will be accepted in lieu of General Physics with departmental approval). Students are also required to take the following courses in mathematics: MATH 161, 162, 212, 263, 264, 313, 351, 353, one other 300-level course, and one course in computer science: COMP 170. Students must meet with their advisor and obtain permission before registering for all physics majors’ courses.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS FOR MAJOR IN PHYSICS (B.S.)

Physics Courses (offered only on the Lake Shore Campus)
 

	Courses	Credit Hrs.
Physics 125, 126, 135, 136, 235, 236, 237, 238, 303, 305, 310, 314, 328, and 351	14	37
Chemistry 101, 102, 111, 112	4	8
Mathematics 161, 162, 263, 264	4	16
History core	2	6
English 105 and 106	2	6
Foreign language	2	6
Literature core	3	9
Philosophy core	3	9
Theology core	3	9
Social sciences core	2	6
Communicative/expressive arts core	1	3
Electives to complete minimum total of 128 credit hours	variable	13
TOTAL	128

Requirements for the Minor in Physics: Eight courses totaling 18 credit hours as follows: 125, 126, 135, 136, 235, 236, 237 and 238. (College Physics or University Physics will be accepted in lieu of General Physics with departmental approval.) To complete the minor in physics, the following must also be taken: MATH 161, 162, 263 and 264. These should be taken concurrently with the physics courses.

Mathematics Readiness: Entering students with American College Test (ACT) mathematics scores of 25 or higher, or Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) mathematics scores of 570 or higher, qualify to start the sequence of physics courses for the major in physics. Students who do not so qualify should consult the physics chairperson to determine the appropriate sequence of courses.

Grade Requirements: A grade of "C" or better must be earned in all physics courses required for the major or minor in physics.

Prerequisite Courses: PHYS 125 and 126 are basic prerequisites for all physics courses higher than 136. PHYS 111, 112 (or 113, 114) will be accepted in lieu of these courses with the permission of the department chairperson. Mathematics courses listed as prerequisites to a physics course may, with the permission of the chairperson, be taken concurrently with the physics course or may be excluded in special instances. Part II of a given course may not be taken before Part I.

Advanced Placement in Physics: Entering non-majors who have received scores of 4 or higher on the Physics B or Physics C Advanced Placement examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board are eligible to receive college credit for the corresponding lecture courses. A score of 4 or higher in the Physics C examination, plus departmental approval, are necessary for receipt of credit by majors. No credit is available for laboratory courses.

Requirements for Departmental Honors in Physics: In addition to the general requirements for the major, a student seeking departmental honors must complete three additional 300-level courses, earning an "A" or a "B," including two of the following: 315, 352 or 361. In addition, the student must present a physics-related seminar or talk during the senior year. The final requirement for graduation with departmental honors is departmental approval.

Notes on the Curriculum: The degree requirements show only the minimum requirements for the bachelor of science degree. The student should choose additional elective courses in consultation with his/her academic advisor. As an aid to planning, the Physics Department offers several tracks of study, each of which makes use of an appropriate choice and arrangement of electives to prepare a student for a particular career. A brief description of the tracks is given below. Detailed information concerning Physics tracks can be obtained at the Physics Department website at www.luc.edu/depts/physics.

Graduate Physics or Astronomy: Students who plan to undertake graduate study in physics or astronomy should take at least the following electives: PHYS 271, 315, 352 and 361. Additional math and computer science courses may also be recommended. These students should also take the advanced physics portion of the Graduate Record Examination, usually during the first semester of the senior year.

Dual Degree, Physics/Engineering: A student is able to earn two degrees: a bachelor of science, major in physics, from Loyola University Chicago and a bachelor of science in engineering from an affiliated engineering school such as University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Seattle University, and Washington University, St. Louis. Students spend three years at Loyola, followed by two years at the school of engineering. Successful dual degree recipients have many career options because of their broad training in the liberal arts, physics and engineering.

Pre-Health Professions: In this track, Physics majors who are preparing for medicine, dentistry, or other health-related fields take physics, calculus, and chemistry courses in their first year and then arrange their schedules to take biology and organic chemistry courses in preparation for the professional school admissions tests in their junior year.

Biophysics: This track is designed for Physics majors planning careers in medical research, medical physics, biophysics, biomedical engineering, or biotechnology. Students take biology, physics, and mathematics courses in their first year, and follow up with special topics in biophysics and biochemistry in later years. This track also satisfies pre-health requirements.

Applied Physics: For Physics majors who plan to enter industry directly or to undertake graduate study in electrical engineering, computer engineering, engineering physics, or optoelectronics. In this track a sequence of electives, which includes four electronics courses with laboratories, is recommended.

Theoretical Physics/Applied Mathematics: The Physics Department in conjunction with the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences offers an interdepartmental Bachelor of Science program for students who have strong interests in both physics and mathematics and their interrelationships.

Teacher Education: In cooperation with the School of Education, the Physics Department offers a program that leads to certification for teaching secondary-school physics in Illinois. Generally six years are required to complete this program. Other certification options are also available.

Business Minor: A student may earn a minor in a selected area of business administration such as marketing by taking a sequence of six business courses recommended by the selected department in the School of Business Administration. This track confers eligibility to apply to M.B.A. programs.

Pre-Engineering Program: In this option, a student completes the first two years of the Physics major at Loyola and then transfers to an engineering school to complete a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

COURSES OF INSTRUCTION

(Course credit hours are indicated in parenthesis following the course title.)

101. Liberal Arts Physics. (3)
Prerequisites: high school algebra, geometry. Lecture and demonstration. A course for non-science majors that emphasizes the beauty, symmetry, and simplicity of physics through actual practice. Topics selected from classical and modern physics; contemporary issues of physics and technology are discussed.

103. Planetary and Solar System Astronomy. (3) (NTSC 117)
Prerequisites: high school algebra, geometry.
Study of the sun, planets, satellites, asteroids, comets and other members of the solar system; investigation of the properties of individual solar system members and theories of formation of planets, satellites and the sun. Historical studies and results obtained from space probes.

104. Astronomy of Stars & Galaxies. (3)
Prerequisites: high school algebra, geometry.
Basic concepts about the birth, evolution and death of stars, the clustering of stars and galaxies, the expanding universe and cosmology. Topics include: the Big Bang model, red giants, white dwarfs, neutron stars, pulsars, quasars, black holes, and possible endings of the universe.

105. Observational Astronomy. (3)
Prerequisites: 103 or 104.
The observational basis of astronomy with special emphasis on student projects which include both outdoor observations and indoor experiments. Projects may include the use of the college’s midsize reflecting telescopes, as well as various spectroscopic and optics equipment.

111. College Physics I. (3)
Prerequisites: college algebra or equivalent, trigonometry and geometry. Lecture and discussion. Together with 112, this provides a comprehensive, non-calculus introduction to physics. Vectors, forces, Newtonian mechanics of translational, rotational, and oscillatory motion; heat.

112. College Physics II. (3)
Prerequisite: 111.
Continuation of 111. Lecture and discussion. Electricity and magnetism, sound, optics, and selected topics from modern physics.

113. University Physics I. (4)
Prerequisite: MATH 162.
Lecture and discussion. Together with 114, this provides a comprehensive, calculus-based introduction to physics. Vectors, forces, Newtonian mechanics of translational, rotational, and oscillatory motion; heat.

114. University Physics II. (4)
Prerequisite: 113.
Continuation of 113. Lecture and discussion. Electricity and magnetism, sound, optics, and selected topics from modern physics.

125. General Physics I. (4)
Prerequisite or corequisite: MATH 161.
Lecture and discussion. Together with 126, this provides a comprehensive, calculus-based introduction to physics, designed for physics majors or minors or pre-engineers. Vectors, forces, Newtonian mechanics of translational, rotational, and oscillatory motion; heat.

126. General Physics II. (4)
Prerequisite: 125. Continuation of 125.
Lecture and discussion. Electricity and magnetism, sound, optics.

131. College Physics Laboratory I. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 111.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 111.

132. College Physics Laboratory II. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 112.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 112.

133. University Physics Laboratory I. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 113.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 113.

134. University Physics Laboratory II. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 114.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 114.

135. General Physics Laboratory I. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 125.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 125.

136. General Physics Laboratory II. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 126.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 126.

213. College Physics III. (3)
Prerequisites: 111, 112 or equivalent.
Continuation of 111, 112, or 113, 114. Lecture and discussion. Special relativity, quantum theory and nuclear physics.

235. Modern Physics I. (3)
Prerequisites: 126 or 114; MATH 263 (may be taken concurrently).
Lecture only. Special relativity, blackbody spectrum, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Bohr atom, DeBroglie waves, Schroedinger equation and applications.

236. Modern Physics II. (3)
Prerequisite or corequisite: MATH 264; PHYS 235.
Continuation of 235. Lecture only. Atoms, molecules, solids, superconductivity, the atomic nucleus, nuclear interactions, elementary particles, cosmology.

237. Modern Physics Laboratory I. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 235.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 235.

238. Modern Physics Laboratory II. (1)
Prerequisite or corequisite: 236.
One two-hour laboratory period per week. Complements 236.

266. Digital Electronics Laboratory. (COMP 266) (3)
Prerequisite: 112 or equivalent.
Lecture and laboratory. Combinatorial logic devices, sequential logic components, including oscillators and timers, programmable logic devices and microprocessor architecture. Special emphasis on individual components of microprocessor systems. Individual projects constitute a significant part of the course.

271. Mathematical Methods in Physics. (3)
Prerequisite or corequisite: MATH 263.
Lecture and computer laboratory. Mathematical and computer methods in physics and engineering. Topics include vector calculus, functions of a complex variable, phasors, Fourier analysis, linear transformations, matrices, first and second order differential equations, special functions, numerical and symbolic computer applications.

303. Electronics I. (4)
Prerequisites: MATH 162, PHYS 114, 126.
Lecture and laboratory. Direct and alternating current circuit analysis, resonant circuits, junction diode circuits, transistor amplifiers, operational amplifiers, oscillators and multivibrators.

304. Electronics II. (4)
Lecture and laboratory. Regulator and controlled rectifier circuits, modulation and detection, power amplifiers, active-filters, phase-locked loop, lock-in amplifier, opto-electronic circuits.

305. Nuclear Physics Laboratory. (2)
Prerequisite: PHYS 236.
Experiments are performed which investigate the properties of nuclear radiation, teach methods of detecting and measuring radiation, and emphasize radiation safety procedures.

310. Optics. (4)
Prerequisites: MATH 263; PHYS 235.
Lecture and laboratory. Electromagnetic nature of light, polarization, Fresnel relations, imaging, interference, Fraunhofer and Fresnel diffraction, selected topics from Fourier optics, lasers, and holography.

314. Theoretical Mechanics I. (3)
Prerequisites: MATH 264; PHYS 126.
Newtonian particle dynamics, oscillations, variational principle. Lagrange’s and Hamilton’s formalisms.

315. Theoretical Mechanics II. (3)
Prerequisite: 314.
Moving coordinates, rigid body dynamics, systems of oscillators, motion in a central force field, relativity.

328. Thermal Physics and Statistical Mechanics. (3)
Prerequisites: MATH 263; PHYS 235.
Concepts of temperature and heat, equations of state, laws of thermodynamics and applications, fundamental principles and simple applications of statistical mechanics.

351. Electricity and Magnetism I. (3)
Prerequisites: MATH 264; PHYS 126.
Applications of vector calculus to electric fields and potentials. Solutions of Laplace’s Equation. Electrostatics, magnetostatics, electromagnetic field energy. Maxwell’s equations.

352. Electricity and Magnetism II. (3)
Prerequisite: 351.
Electrodynamics, relativity, electromagnetic radiation.

361. Quantum Mechanics. (3)
Prerequisites: 314, 351; linear algebra.
Principles and mathematics of quantum mechanics, operators and representations, solutions to Schroedinger equation.

366. Microcomputer Design and Interfacing. (COMP 366) (3)
Prerequisite: 266 or MATH 362.
Lecture and laboratory. Microprocessor design; memory devices; interface languages; basic I/O; data acquisition, manipulation and transfer circuitry; support devices and computer interfaces. Individual projects constitute a significant part of the course.

380-381. Special Topics. (3)
Advanced studies of special interest for students of demonstrated ability. Prior arrangements to be made with department.

391. Research. (1-3)
Prerequisite: permission of chairperson.
Research under the direction of a physics faculty member, usually related to the faculty members research interests or courses. May be repeated.

Argonne Lab Research. (3)
Prerequisites: chairperson permission; acceptance into program.
Study and research at the Argonne National Laboratory. Only those students who are accepted into the Argonne National Laboratory’s summer student program (or similar program) in a course of study recommended for academic credit may apply. No tuition is charged.

398H-399H. Honors Tutorial. (3)
Restricted to honors program students.

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