This calculus-based course is offered in the Spring semester.  It investigates the basic mathematics and principles of heat and thermodynamics, oscillations and waves, geometrical and physical optics, the properties of light, and the fundamental concepts of modern physics, including atomic, quantum, solid state, nuclear, and elementary particle theory.

Course Outcomes

1. Solve problems using temperature scales, ideal gas laws, and the kinetic theory of gases.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of heat capacity, latent heat, internal energy, work done on a gas, and the four principle thermodynamic processes.
3. Apply the 1st and 2nd Laws of Thermodynamics to a variety of problems.
4. Analyze oscillations and vibrations using wave theory and Hooke’s Law.
5. Investigate the basic properties of light in regard to geometric and physical optics.
6. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental concepts in modern physics: quantum theory, atomic theory of the atom, solid state physics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics.