Department of Physics at Harvey Mudd College

Spring 2022
Astronomy 62 — Introduction to Astrophysics A general survey of modern astrophysics. Topics covered include electromagnetic radiation, gravitation, stellar structure and evolution, the interstellar medium and the birth of stars, supernovae and the death of stars (including the physics of neutron stars and black holes), synthesis of the elements, and the formation, structure and evolution of galaxies and of the universe. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
c179a — STEM and Social Impact: Climate Change In this course our focus is to prepare Harvey Mudd students for the lifelong challenge of fostering "a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society." We will use climate change as an opportunity to explore the impact of our work on society. There are four primary components of that exploration: critical analysis of the social context of STEM, the expansion and application of concepts from the core to understand this social-technical problem, collaborative projects that promote positive change in the world, and communicating our project designs and professional choices. Plenary sessions will explore topics such as environmental justice, earth system science, the relation between expertise and power, policy processes, data science, community engagement, multidisciplinary collaboration, impactful careers, and science communication. Individual sections will explore particular climate-related issues in greater depth. Final team projects will challenge students to apply these concepts in proposals for climate solutions. Open to HMC students only. Open to sophomores; juniors and seniors by permission. Counts as a departmental HSA course.
c179b — Climate Change in Context This version of the "impact course" leverages knowledge and skills developed in the Core to understand the roots and possible remedies for climate change from a variety of intersecting perspectives. Particular attention will be given to the historical, cultural, and economic contexts of anthropogenic climate change as frameworks within which technological and political solutions must operate. We expect this course to meet once weekly, likely in the evening. Content will be roughly balanced between STEM and humanistic/social scientific approaches. Assessments will likely include problem sets, short response papers, class debates, and a final project. Weekly meetings will include small group work as well as lecture/discussion. Open to HMC students only. Open to sophomores; juniors and seniors by permission. Countas as departmental HSA course.
Physics 24 — Mechanics and Wave Motion Classical mechanics is introduced beginning with inertial frames and the Galilean transformation, followed by momentum and momentum conservation in collisions, Newton's laws of motion, spring forces, gravitational forces and friction. Differential and integral calculus are used extensively throughout. Work, kinetic energy and potential energy are defined, and energy conservation is discussed in particle motion and collisions. Rotational motion is treated, including angular momentum, torque, cross-products and statics. Other topics include rotating frames, pseudoforces and central-force motion. Simple harmonic and some nonlinear oscillations are discussed, followed by waves on strings, sound and other types of waves, and wave phenomena such as standing waves, beats, two-slit interference, resonance and the Doppler effect.
Physics 24A — Mechanics and Wave Motion Kinematics, dynamics, linear and angular momentum, work and energy, harmonic motion, waves and sound.
Physics 50 — Physics Laboratory This course emphasizes the evidence-based approach to understanding the physical world through hands-on experience, experimental design, and data analysis. Experiments are drawn from a broad range of physics subjects, with applications relevant to modern society and technology.
Physics 52 — Quantum Physics The development and formulation of quantum mechanics, and the application of quantum mechanics to topics in atomic, solid state, nuclear, and particle physics.
Physics 54 — Modern Physics Lab Classical experiments of modern physics, including thermal radiation and Rutherford scattering. Nuclear physics experiments, including alpha, beta and gamma absorption, and gamma spectra by pulse height analysis. Analysis of the buildup and decay of radioactive nuclei.
Physics 84 — Quantum Information Quantum computation and communication. Fundamentals of discrete-state quantum mechanics as appropriate for quantum information science. Possible topics include universal logic gates for quantum computing, quantum computing algorithms, quantum error correction, quantum cryptography and communication, adiabatic quantum computing, and hardware platforms for quantum computation and communication.
Physics 116 — Quantum Mechanics The elements of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. Topics include the general formalism, one-dimensional and three-dimensional problems, angular momentum states, perturbation theory and identical particles. Applications to atomic and nuclear systems.
Physics 134 — Optics Laboratory A laboratory-lecture course on the techniques and theory of classical and modern optics. Topics of study include diffraction, interferometry, Fourier transform spectroscopy, grating spectroscopy, lasers, quantum mechanics and quantum optics, coherence of waves and least-squares fitting of data.
Physics 156 — Classical Field Theory This course explores concepts, methods, and applications of the classical theory of fields. On the physics side, we will learn about cosmological inflation, superconductivity, electroweak theory, solitons, the nuclear force, and magnetic monopoles. On the mathematics side, we will learn the basics of differential geometry and Lie algebras. Throughout the course, we will emphasize the unity of physical principles and techniques across a wide range of systems and disciplines.
Physics 164 — Particle Physics Topics in high-energy physics including the fundamental interactions, space-time symmetries, isospin, SU(3) and the quark model and the Standard Model.
Physics 166 — Geophysics Special topics in geophysical methods and their application to construction of earth models.
Physics 170 — Computational Methods in Physics Typical numerical methods for solving a wide range of problems of current interest in physics. Examples are drawn from mechanics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, solid state and chemical physics.
Physics 172 — General Relativity and Cosmology The principle of equivalence, Riemannian geometry, and the Schwarzschild and cosmological solutions of the field equations.
Physics 194 — Physics Clinic Team projects in applied physics, with corporate affiliation.
Physics 196 — Physics Colloquium Oral presentations and discussions of selected topics, including recent developments. Participants include physics majors, faculty members, and visiting speakers. Required for all junior and senior physics majors.

Fall 2022 (Tentative)
Astronomy 101 — Observational Astronomy Complete survey of the techniques of observational astronomy, including optical, infrared, radio and X-ray astronomy. Four to six observational projects, including observations using The Claremont Colleges Table Mountain Observatory, plus computer projects analyzing radio and infrared data. Observational techniques used include CCD photometry, stellar spectroscopy, radio interferometry and analysis of infrared satellite data. In addition to observational techniques, the course will also cover the physics of basic emission mechanisms at the various wavelengths. Offered jointly with Pomona and Keck Sciences.
Physics 23 — Special Relativity Einstein's special theory of relativity is developed from the premises that the laws of physics are the same in all inertial frames and that the speed of light is a constant. The relationship between mass and energy is explored and relativistic collisions analyzed. The families of elementary particles are described and the equivalence principle developed.
Physics 51 — Electromagnetic Theory and Optics An introduction to electricity and magnetism leading to Maxwell's electromagnetic equations in differential and integral form. Selected topics in classical and quantum optics.
Physics 111 — Theoretical Mechanics The application of mathematical methods to the study of particles and of systems of particles; Newton, Lagrange, and Hamilton equations of motion; conservation theorems; central force motion, collisions, damped oscillators, rigid body dynamics, systems with constraints, variational methods.
Physics 117 — Statistical Mechanics Classical and quantum statistical mechanics, including their connection with thermodynamics. Kinetic theory of gases. Applications of these concepts to various physical systems.
Physics 133 — Electronics Laboratory An intermediate laboratory in electronics involving the construction and analysis of rectifiers, filters, transistor and operational amplifier circuits.
Physics 151 — Electromagnetic Fields The theory of static and dynamic electromagnetic fields. Topics include multipole fields, Laplace's equation, the propagation of electromagnetic waves, radiation phenomena and the interaction of the electromagnetic field with matter.
Physics 161 — Topics in Quantum Theory Scattering, including the Born approximation and partial wave expansion. Path integrals. Time-dependent perturbation theory. Quantum theory of the electromagnetic field.
Physics 181 — Advanced Laboratory Experiments are selected from the fields of nuclear and solid-state physics, biophysics, quantum mechanics and quantum optics, and atomic, molecular and optical physics. Fast-time coincidence instrumentation and photon-counting detectors are employed, as well as an X-ray machine and a UV/VIS/ NIR spectrophotometer.
Physics 183 — Teaching Internship An Introduction to K–12 classroom teaching and curriculum development. Internship includes supervision by an appropriate K–12 teacher and a member of the physics department and should result in a report of a laboratory experiment, teaching module, or other education innovation or investigation. Internship includes a minimum of three hours per week of classroom participation.
Physics 191 — Physics Research Original experimental or theoretical investigations in physics undertaken in consultation with a faculty member. Projects may be initiated by the student or by a faculty member. Present faculty research areas include astronomy, atomic and nuclear physics, optics, solid-state and low-temperature physics, general relativity, quantum mechanics, particle physics, geophysics and biophysics.
Physics 193 — Physics Clinic Team projects in applied physics, with corporate affiliation.
Physics 195 — Physics Colloquium Oral presentations and discussions of selected topics, including recent developments. Participants include physics majors, faculty members, and visiting speakers. Required for all junior and senior physics majors. No more than 2.0 credits can be earned for departmental seminars/colloquia.
Physics 197 — Readings in Physics Directed reading in selected topics. 1-3 credit hours per semester. Signed form required.
Writing 1 — Introduction to Academic Writing A seminar devoted to effective writing strategies and conventions that apply across academic disciplines. The course emphasizes clarity, concision, and coherence in sentences, paragraphs, and arguments.