Click on a name to view the faculty member's home page.
Core Requirements: Any course in physics numbered 100 or above may be counted toward the fulfillment of the core requirement in Natural Science and Mathematics. Physics 120, 220, 130, or 230 satisfies the core requirement in laboratory science. AP credit for Physics 120 or 220 does not satisfy the core requierement in laboratory science.
Major Requirements: 200, 201, 310, 320, 330, 335, 350, 360 and any two other courses in Physics. Two courses in Chemistry are recommended. A student planning a career in physics should take as many as possible of Physics 340, 430, 435, 450, and 460. Independent research (Physics 495 and/or 496) and additional mathematics courses are strongly recommended. Regular attendance at departmental seminars is required of all junior and senior majors.
Honors Requirements: A candidate for Honors in Physics should take at least two courses chosen from Physics 340, 430, 450, and 460 and should submit a written thesis covering an independent study or research project. Such projects may be completed in Physics 495, 496 or away from campus in various undergraduate research programs approved by the college. Applications for Honors in Physics should be made in writing to the chair of the department of physics no later than the end of the fall semester of the junior year. Such applications should include a proposed course of study.
The awarding of Honors in Physics is based on:
1. An overall average of at least 3.2, with an average of at least 3.5 in physics courses
taken at Davidson.
2. An acceptable score on the Graduate Record Examination in Physics.
3. The favorable vote of the physics faculty concerning the qualities of the candidate,
the proposed course of study and the thesis.
3-2 Engineering Program (Physical Sequence): Physics 130, 201, 230, 310, 320, 330, 335 and 350 and Mathematics 235.
Click on a highlighted faculty name following a course to view the the course syllabus.
100 ENERGY (Staff)
Energy and the laws which govern its behavior. Technical, economic and social consequences
of those laws. Lectures supplemented by practical demonstrations and field trips. No
laboratory. Not open to juniors or seniors. (Fall) (Not offered 1995-96)
105 ASTRONOMY (Mr. Cain, Mr. Manning)
An examination of the structure and evolution of the universe. Emphasis on physical
principles necessary for an understanding of how astronomers see and interpret phenomena.
Topics include life cycle of stars, size and fate of the universe and current cosmology.
No laboratory. Not open to seniors. (Fall and Spring)
110 THE PHYSICS AROUND YOU (Mr. Cain)
A descriptive course, designed primarily for non-science majors, concerning the laws of
mechanics, heat, electricity, light and the atom as applied to the devices and natural
occurances observed in everyday experience. No laboratory. Not open to students with
credit for Physics 120, 220, 130, or 230. (Spring)
115 MUSICAL TECHNOLOGY (Mr. Boye)
Science of sound as it pertains to production, propagation, and perception of audible
accoustic waves in the form of music. Modern electronis recording and production
techniques dicussed. Designed for non-science majors. No laboratory. (Fall)
120,220 GENERAL PHYSICS (Mr. Belloni, Mr. Boye, Mr. Cain, Mr. Christian, Mr. Yukich)
Mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. One
laboratory period each week. Physics 120 or permission of the insructor is a
prerequisite for Physics 220. Physics 120 (Fall and Spring); Physics 220 (Fall and
Spring)
130,230 GENERAL PHYSICS WITH CALCULUS (Mr. Boye, Mr. Cain, Mr. Christian)
Mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. More
comprehensive than Physics 120,220 and designed for students who intend to major in
chemistry, mathematics, physics, or 3-2 Engineering. Prerequisite for Physics 230:
Physics 130 or permission of the instructor. Corerequisite for Physics 130: Math 130.
One laboratory period each week. (Physics 130 -- Fall, Physics 230 -- Spring).
200 COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS (Mr. Boye, Mr. Christian)
Introduction to computer programming and simulations emphasizing problem solving in
science, program writing and the use of statistical differential, integral, graphical and
numerical methods in science. Prerequisite: Physics 120 or 130 at Davidson or
permission of the instructor.
201 MATHEMATICAL METHODS FOR SCIENTISTS (Mr. Cain, Mr. Christian)
Desined to develop a basic comptence in many areas of mathematics needed for junior/
senior level work in the sciences. Basic methods of power series, complex numbers, special
functions, linear algebra, ordinary and partiall differential equations and vector
calculus covered clearly and carefully, but without detailed proofs. Symbolic computation
and scientific visualization tools used as appropriate. Prerequisite: Math 135.
310 ELECTRONICS AND INSTRUMENTATION (Mr. Boye, Mr. Christian)
Analog and digital circuitsand their use in computers and as instrument building blocks.
Circuit theory developed for diodes, transistors, opperational amplifiers and logic gates.
Integration of these components to construct power supplies, oscillators, amplifiers, and
microcomputer data aquisition systems. Two laboratory periods each week. Prerequisites:
Physics 220 or 230. (Fall)
320 INTRODUCTION TO MODERN PHYSICS (Mr. Boye, Mr. Frey)
Atomic view of matter, electricity and radiation, atomic models, relativity, x-rays, waves
and particles, wave mechanics and radioactivity and nuclear processes. One laboratory
period each week. Prerequisite: Physics 220 or 230. (Fall)
330 INTERMEDIATE MECHANICS (Mr. Manning)
Using the Lagrangian technique and the principles of vector calculus, Newtonian principles
are applied to the analysis of oscillating systems and central forces. Emphasis on the
development of energy as the single most useful concept in understanding the physical
universe. Prerequisite: Physics 220 or 230 and Mathematics 135, or permission of the
Instructor. (Fall)
335 INTERMEDIATE LABORATORY (Mr. Cain, Mr. Christian) Introduces physics majors to modern laboratory experiments and research techniques. Lecture and laboratory. Prerequisites: Physics 220 or 230 and Physics 320. Physics 310 is recommended. (Spring)
340 STATISTICAL AND THERMAL PHYSICS (Mr. Cain) Limitations on the conversion of energy from one form to another in physical systems. Statistical approach; conclusions of classical thermodynamics derived from statistical results. Prerequisite: Physics 330 or permission of the instructor. (Spring) (Not offered 1995Ð96)
350 ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM (Mr. Belloni, Mr. Frey) Electrostatics, magnetostatics, DC and AC circuits and electromagnetic waves, with emphasis on the derivation of Maxwell's equations. Prerequisite: Physics 330 or permission of the instructor. (Spring)
360 QUANTUM MECHANICS I (Mr. Cain, Mr. Christian) Quantum mechanics with applications to simple systems. Prerequisites: Physics 330 and 350 or permission of the instructor. (Fall)
391, 392 SPECIAL TOPICS IN PHYSICS (Staff) Open to qualified students with permission of instructor. Topics announced in advance of registration.
395, 396 INDEPENDENT STUDY (Staff) Open to students with substantial backgrounds in physics with written permission from a supervising professor who reviews and approves the study topic. The independent study typically culminates in a written paper and/or an oral presentation.
430 ADVANCED MECHANICS (Mr. Boye, Mr. Christian) Continuation of Physics 330, including motion in non-inertial reference frames, the dynamics of rigid bodies, coupled oscillations, and the one-dimensional wave equation. Prerequisite: Physics 330. (Spring)
435 ADVANCED LABORATORY (Staff) Topics announced in advance of registration. Prerequisite: Physics 310 and Physics 335.
450 ELECTROMAGNETIC THEORY (Mr. Frey) Electromagnetic fields and waves, Maxwell's equations and applications to electromagnetic and optical phenomena. Prerequisite: Physics 350. (Fall) (Not offered 1995Ð96)
460 QUANTUM MECHANICS II (Mr. Boye, Mr. Christian) Continuation of Physics 360 including applications to atomic, molecular, solid state and nuclear physics. Prerequisite: Physics 360. (Spring) (Not offered 1995Ð96)
495, 496 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH (Staff) Open to students with substantial backgrounds in physics with written permission of the supervising professor who reviews and approves the study topic. Satisfactory completion of a project includes an oral presentation.
