2009–2010 - Grove City College

192 / Grove City College
Physics 303, 305, 310, 431 or 442 (Electrical Engineering majors may not take
Physics 305).
Course Requirements for a minor in Astronomy (24 hours)
Physics 101 or 121 (4 hours).
Physics 102 or 122 (4 hours).
Astronomy 206, 207, 301, 310 and 311 (16 hours).
Training in both oral and written communication skills is an oft-neglected part of the
undergraduate science curriculum. At the same time, communicating one’s ideas and results
in a clear and coherent manner is an essential skill for a scientist, requiring clarity of thought
and expression. In addition, a scientist must know how to find, analyze, and use information
developed by others in their field. To address these concerns, all physics majors are
required to take Physics 288 as a Writing Intensive (WI) course and Physics 321 as a
Speaking Intensive (SI) and Information Literacy (IL) course. In tandem, these courses provide
focused, discipline specific training in the areas of oral and written communications as
well as the ability to gather, analyze and use information within the field of physics.
Students are expected to contact their advisors for a detailed schedule of courses recommended
to meet requirements for a major.
PHYSICS (PHYS)
PHYS 101. GENERAL PHYSICS I-ENGINEERING. A calculus-based study of mechanics including
kinematics, Newton’s laws of motion, work, energy, momentum, equilibrium, angular motion, fluids,
oscillations, and gravity. Three lectures and one workshop per week. Students may not receive credit
for both Physics 101 and 121. Corequisite: Mathematics 161. Fall semester only, four hours.
PHYS 102. GENERAL PHYSICS II – ENGINEERING. A survey of the fundamental principles
of electricity, magnetism, Maxwell’s equations, and circuit theory. Three lectures and one workshop
per week. Prerequisite: Physics 101. Corequisite: Mathematics 162.
Spring semester only, four hours.
PHYS 121. COLLEGE PHYSICS I. A study of mechanics at the pre-calculus level with applications
to the life sciences. Topics include kinematics, Newton’s laws, work, energy, momentum, angular
motion, fluids, oscillations, and gravity. Three lectures and one workshop per week. Students may
not receive credit for both Physics 101 and 121. Fall semester only, four hours.
PHYS 122. COLLEGE PHYSICS II. A study of electricity, magnetism, and modern physics at the
pre-calculus level with applications to the life sciences. Topics include electric field and potential, DC
circuits, magnetism, induction, geometric and physical optics, relativity, and nuclear physics. Three
lectures and one workshop per week. Prerequisite: Physics 121. Spring semester only, four hours.
PHYS 135. HORIZONS IN PHYSICS. Discussion of current topics in physics. Since scientific
journals will provide much of the content for this course, students will learn how to acquire and interpret
articles from scholarly publications. In addition, students will be required to attend presentations
by physicists actively engaged in research, as well as field trips to academic and industrial laboratories
in the area. This course is open to all students but, in the event that the class becomes full, preference
is given to physics majors. Fall semester only, one hour.
PHYS 210. ELECTRONICS. An introduction to electronics emphasizing those topics most useful to
the experimental physicist. As such, the physics of active and passive devices (resistors, capacitors,
inductors, diodes, transistors, sensors, etc.) will be discussed along with practical circuit applications
(filters, operational amplifiers, voltage regulators, oscillators, timers, etc.). The bulk of this course is
devoted to analog electronics but digital electronics is discussed briefly at the end of the semester.
Three hours of lecture and three hours of lab per week. Prerequisite: Physics 102.
Fall semester only, four hours.