Physics and Astronomy

Academic Programs

Physics and Astronomy

From the ancient study of the motion of stars and planets, through the revolutions of Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Einstein and the founders of quantum mechanics, the fields of astronomy and physics continue to open the way for the quantitative study of the physical universe. These studies have shown the universe to be mathematically predictable and have resulted in opportunities for humanity to make effective use of our surroundings and resources. The accuracy of the best physical theories is unprecedented in the history of science, and a host of technological innovations have grown out of the testing of those theories and out of their application by applied scientists and engineers. 

At Alfred University, physics and astronomy go hand in hand, with a strong curriculum in the physical foundation of the universe and the remarkable facilities of the John L. Stull Observatory. We offer a full spectrum of courses, from introductory astronomy and physics, through intermediate courses in all of the main branches of physics and astronomy, up to advanced courses in cosmology and particle physics. Our division offers a variety of degree paths, including two bachelor of science programs in physics or astrophysics, a bachelor of arts in physics, and double majors in physics or astrophysics. 

Astrophysics 

Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences, and the first to have mathematics rigorously applied to it. Humans have always gazed at the night sky, identifying shapes and looking for patterns in the motion of those shapes. While the ancient civilizations developed mathematical models to predict the motion of celestial objects, it was the parallel development of physics and astronomy several centuries ago that allowed for mathematically accurate predictions of planetary motion and observational validation for the laws of physics. Developments over the last century in relativity and quantum mechanics and technological advancements in telescopes have solidified the field of astrophysics as a means of understanding the universe. We now know a great deal about how the physical universe works, from the subatomic scale to the largest astronomical and cosmological structures. Astrophysics allows us to test many aspects of those theories in ways that we could not possibly recreate in a laboratory.

The technologies required to build better telescopes, to put telescopes into orbit, and to detect gravitational waves have led to technological advances in many other fields as well, improving detection sensitivity and fabrication processes across a variety of engineering fields. And with the amount of data at unprecedented precision coming from the James Webb space Telescope and the GAIA Space Observatory, it is a very exciting time to be an astrophysicist.

To prepare them for the problems that they will encounter beyond Alfred University, the Division of Physics and Astronomy helps students to develop a strong theoretical foundation and also to engage in experimental and observational research opportunities. We work closely with our students and encourage them to come to us with questions about their classes, their future plans, and how those fit together. Our students collaborate with each other as they develop their problem solving skills, because the work of astrophysics is almost never done in isolation. Through sharing ideas and learning to explain things to each other, all of our students are better prepared for what their future holds.

The program offers a Bachelor of Science degree in astrophysics. This degree offers a deep focus in advanced and applied areas of physics and astronomy, including computation and independent research, making this degree excellent preparation for graduate study in astrophysics, astronomy, and physics or as a pathway toward scientific computing or research in industry. For students that have already chosen a primary major but are also interested in a complete education in astrophysics, the program offers a double major in astrophysics. 

For students excited about astrophysics but interested in a broader path and more flexibility for pairing other interests with the problem solving skills of a physics degree, the division also offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics with a Concentration in Astrophysics. This option is listed under the Physics Program.

Physics 

Physics is perhaps the most fundamental and most rigorously and quantitatively tested field of science. We know a great deal about how the physical universe works, from the subatomic scale to the largest astronomical and cosmological structures. Our current understanding has been shaped over the last four centuries and then revolutionized in the 20th century with the advent of relativity and quantum mechanics. 

Our understanding of physics and its mathematical structures give us incredible predictive power, which allows other fields, especially the fields of engineering, to apply the results in clever and revolutionary ways. The developments that shape our modern world could only have been envisioned in the context of a deep understanding of the underlying laws of nature. Physicists work on both sides of this interface, developing and refining the laws and applying them to solve problems and create new technologies. 

A degree in physics can prepare students to take up the enterprise of discovering new laws of physics and refining our understanding of existing laws. In learning the theories underlying physics, students also build strong skills in problem solving, mathematical analysis, and critical thinking. Complex problems can be daunting or even impossible to solve all at once, and one of the most important skills required in physics is the ability to prioritize the various aspects of the problem. This allows one to focus on understanding the most relevant aspect first and then refine and improve the theory by adding layers of complexity. This ability is extremely powerful in the solution of all kinds of complicated problems, not just in physics. 

To prepare them for the problems that they will encounter beyond Alfred University, the Division of Physics and Astronomy helps students to develop a strong theoretical foundation and also to engage in experimental and research opportunities. We work closely with our students and encourage them to come to us with questions about their classes, their future plans, and how those fit together. Our students collaborate with each other as they develop their problem solving skills, because the work of physics is almost never done in isolation. Through sharing ideas and learning to explain things to each other, all of our students are better prepared for what their future holds. 

The physics program offers two degree options: a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA). The BS offers a deeper focus with more coursework in advanced and applied areas of physics, including computation and independent research, making this degree excellent preparation for graduate study in physics or as a pathway toward scientific computing or research in industry. The BA allows for a broader path and more flexibility for pairing other interests with the problem solving skills of a physics degree, making this degree an excellent pathway to a variety of careers or to graduate study in other fields like engineering. For students that have already chosen a primary major but are also interested in a complete education in physics, the program offers a double major in physics. 

Courses

ASTR 103: Introductory Astronomy

Credits 4
This course is a general survey of astronomy including our solar system; the nature of stars; the structure of galaxies; and cosmology; including the nature of Dark Matter and Dark Energy.

ASTR 104: Observational Astronomy

Credits 4
A conceptual and visual introduction to planets; stars; galaxies; and nebulae. Positional astronomy; telescope function and operation; and the physics of matter and light are covered; and students make heavy use of Stull Observatory during lab hours.

ASTR 105: Solar Systems

Credits 2
An introductory survey of the science of planetary systems in general and in our own solar system in particular. Includes the nature of the specific objects in the Solar System – planets; asteroids; comets; etc. as well as the role of the Sun in the system. Also includes current theories of the origin; evolution and future of our system. This is placed in the more general context of what is known about planets around stars other than the Sun.

ASTR 106: Stars Galaxies and Cosmology

Credits 2
An introductory survey of the science of astronomical objects outside of our solar system. Topics will include the scientific method; how we observe the sky; interactions between light and matter; our sun; the life-cycle of stars; stellar remnants; exoplanets; galaxies; dark matter; and cosmology. Students will learn about the current theories of the processes that govern the universe and hopefully gain a deeper appreciation of the night sky.

ASTR 107: Elementary Astronomy Lab

Credits 2
Observation; supplemented by discussion of topics such as types of telescopes and auxiliary equipment; use of the Observatory; celestial coordinates and the use of reference materials; astronomical photography.

ASTR 302: Planetary Science

Credits 3
A quantitative and comparative study of the planets; moons and small bodies of the Solar System; this course includes the physics of the interiors; surfaces; and atmospheres of the terrestrial planets/moons; and of the atmospheres and rings of the Jovian planets. Also includes the physics of planetary formation and the latest findings of probes currently exploring the Solar System. (Sufficient demand)

ASTR 303: Stellar Astronomy

Credits 3
Emphasis on the observational and theoretical basis for understanding stellar structure and evolution; beginning with the Sun. . (Sufficient demand)

ASTR 304: Galactic Astronomy and Cosmology

Credits 3
Emphasis on the observational and theoretical basis of our knowledge of the Universe on the large scale. Topics include the structure of the Milky Way Galaxy; active and passive galaxies; and Cosmology. (Sufficient demand)

ASTR 307: Advanced Astronomy Laboratory

Credits 3
An introduction to astronomical observing techniques and data reduction. Emphasis placed on image acquisition and manipulation to determine things like the morphologies; distances; motions; and luminosities of various objects. This course is intended for students with interest in astronomy and some background in physics and mathematics. (Sufficient demand)

ASTR 450: Independent Study

Credits 1 4
Academic inquiry into an area not covered in any established course; and carried on outside the usual instructor/classroom setting. Approved Plan of Study required.

PHYS 111: Introductory General Physics I

Credits 4
A lecture and laboratory course which includes mechanics; wave motion and sound; fluids and heat. Calculus is not used but some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry is assumed.

PHYS 112: Introductory General Physics II

Credits 4
A lecture and laboratory course including electricity and magnetism; optics; and some modern physics. Calculus is not used but some knowledge of algebra and trigonometry is assumed.

PHYS 125: Physics I

Credits 4
A calculus-based lecture and laboratory course which includes one and two dimensional kinematics and dynamics; the work energy theorem; conservation of energy; the impulse momentum theorem; conservation of momentum; rotational and simple harmonic motion and gravitation.

PHYS 126: Physics II

Credits 4
This calculus-based lecture and laboratory course includes electric field and potential; direct and alternating current circuits; magnetism and magnetic induction and an introduction to electromagnetic and other waves.

PHYS 200: Special Topics in Physics

Credits 1 4
Topics vary from year to year and are designed especially for; but not limited to; non-science majors. Typical topics might be light and color; music and sound; or laboratory topics to include aspects of physics of interest to artists; musicians; photographers; environmentalists; etc. (Sufficient demand)

PHYS 201: Computing in the Physical Sciences

Credits 3
In this course students apply computer programming; logic; and/or modeling software to physical problems. Depending on the instructor or semester; various languages or modeling packages will be used. The emphasis is on the flow of logic and on how computers can be used to answer questions that cannot be answered in other ways.

PHYS 324: Mathematical Methods in Physics

Credits 3
An introduction to the mathematical techniques used throughout intermediate and advanced courses in physics; including matrix algebra; complex variables and exponentials; ordinary differential equations by inspection; boundary value problems and partial differential equations by separation of variables; and Fourier and power series solutions.

PHYS 326: Elementary Modern Physics

Credits 3
This course includes basic relativity; quantum and waves aspects of radiation and particles; atomic structure; and an introduction to nuclear physics properties.

PHYS 327: Computational Physics

Credits 3
Numerical methods are an essential element of any modern physics curriculum. This course is concerned with developing the most frequently employed numerical methods for solving differential equations and carrying out complex integrations. Special emphasis will be given to problems associated with quantum mechanics.

PHYS 341: Advanced Physics Laboratory

Credits 3
A laboratory course involving experiments in mechanics; acoustics; heat; optics; electricity and magnetism; electronics and atomic and nuclear physics.

PHYS 400: Special Topics

Credits 1 4
Topics vary from year to year and are designed especially for; but not limited to; non-science majors. Typical topics might be light and color; music and sound; or laboratory topics to include aspects of physics of interest to artists; musicians; photographers; environmentalists; etc. (Sufficient demand)

PHYS 401: Quantum Mechanics I

Credits 3
This course presents Schrodinger's theory of quantum mechanics culminating in the solution of the hydrogen atom. Includes origin of the quantum theory; wave-particle duality; uncertainty relations; harmonic oscillators; symmetries; conservation laws and angular momentum.

PHYS 402: Quantum Mechanics II

Credits 3
Continuation of Quantum Mechanics I. After a full discussion of spin and addition of angular momentum; various approximate methods are developed and applied to real systems; including variational and WKB methods; perturbation theory; and scattering theory. The Dirac equation and quantum electrodynamics are also discussed.

PHYS 405: General Relativity

Credits 4
We start with an extensive review of special relativity; followed by a detailed development of differential geometry which is the mathematics of the Einstein equations. The Einstein equations are then applied to such classic problems as the deflection of light by stars; the precession of the perihelion of mercury; the behavior of static and rotating black holes; and cosmology.

PHYS 408: Physics of Glass

Credits 4
This class is a rigorous introduction to the physical principles and concepts behind glass. The role of the structure function and the pair distribution function in determining the structure of glass is examined. Viscoelastic theory and relaxation behavior are studied The thermodynamics of glass transition are examined using energy and enthalpy landscapes as well as temperature dependent constraint theory. (Offered on demand)

PHYS 410: Particle Physics

Credits 4
Local gauge invariance is applied to the quantum theories of electrodynamics; strong; and weak V-A interactions. The Feynman rules and diagrams for these interactions are developed with a strong emphasis placed on the calculation of cross sections. The unification of electromagnetism and weak interactions into electroweak theory is developed and used to calculate cross sections. The important role that spontaneous symmetry breaking and the Higg's mechanism play in particle physics is developed in detail.

PHYS 415: Nonlinear Dynamics & Chaos

Credits 3
A first course in nonlinear dynamics; culminating in the emergence of chaos innonlinear systems. Major topics include bifurcations; phase plane analysis; fractals; and strangeattractors. Applications are drawn from physics as well as a wide variety of fields throughout thenatural sciences; engineering; and social sciences.

PHYS 421: Statistical Mechanics

Credits 4
This course deals with the various aspects of macroscopic thermodynamics and describes these statistically in terms of the microstates of systems. Examples taken mainly from gaseous and solid systems. (Offered on demand)

PHYS 423: Classical Mechanics

Credits 4
This course makes more sophisticated use of the basic laws of mechanics and includes sections on rotating coordinate systems; orbits in inverse square law fields; the analysis of vibrating systems and waves; Lagrange's and Hamilton's equations; and an introduction to the topic of chaos. (Offered on demand)

PHYS 424: Electricity and Magnetism I

Credits 3
A study of electric and magnetic fields and their origins in free space as well as in materials. Includes an introduction to vector calculus; solutions to Laplace's equation; multiple expansions; and Maxwell's equations in differential and integral form. (Offered on demand)

PHYS 450: Independent Study

Credits 1 4
Academic inquiry into an area not covered in any established course; and carried on outside the usual instructor/classroom setting. Approved Plan of Study required.

PHYS 454: Electricity & Magnetism II

Credits 3
The electromagnetic Lagrangian; as well as the Lagrangian density; is developed. The relativistic transformation equations for the electromagnetic fields are derived and applied. Electromagnetic radiation is examined as are wave guides. (Offered on demand)

SCIE 110: Weather Elements

Credits 2
Analyzes the fundamental physical processes of the atmosphere and their relationships to the daily weather pattern and weather forecasting in the United States. May be taken for science credit. (Sufficient demand)

SCIE 111: Science in Science Fiction

Credits 2 4
Science fiction is intimately connected with science. In the sub-genre of hard science fiction; the story is founded on sound scientific or technological extrapolations and explores how individuals and society react to the changes. This course will look at the science used in a variety of short stories; novels and films. Topics can include planetary science; genetic engineering; artificial intelligence; celestial mechanics; black holes; chemistry; physics; and ecology.

SCIE 115: Life in the Universe

Credits 4
In this course; we take a look at the past and future of astrobiology. Issues covered include how we discovered our physical place in the universe; the origins of life and intelligent life; the physical and chemical conditions need for life as we know it; and where we can find those conditions in the solar system and beyond.

SCIE 117: Integrated Science

Credits 4
Content-based survey of the Physical Setting Core Curriculum for Elementary (K-4) and Intermediate (5-8) Level Science; emphasizing the chemical and physical laws that describe our surroundings and the interactions of inanimate environmental components. Illustrates chemistry and physics concepts with real-world examples and links them with earth science; numeracy; and art as reinforced by the associated inquiry-based laboratory addressing the complementary Process Skills. Includes modern methods of acquiring; analyzing; modeling/interpreting; and communicating data from the physical sciences. Manipulatives; models; and experiments for understanding physical properties and chemical structure are featured in the hands-on laboratory. Prerequisite: Major or minor in education; others by permission of instructor.

SCIE 450: Independent Study

Credits 1 4
Academic inquiry into an area not covered in any established course; and carried on outside the usual instructor/classroom setting. Approved Plan of Study required.