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Program Requirements
Students entering this program for the first time should have high standing in mathematics and physics. In addition, a student who has not completed the equivalent of MATH 222 must take it in the first term without receiving credit toward the 78 credits required in the Honours program.
A student whose average in the required and complementary courses in any year falls below a GPA of 3.00, or whose grade in any individual required or complementary course falls below a C (unless it is improved to a C or higher in a supplementary examination or by retaking the course), may not register in the Honours program the following year, or graduate with the Honours degree, except with the permission of the Department.
Program Prerequisites
Students entering Physics programs from the Freshman Program must have successfully completed the courses below or their equivalents. Quebec students must have completed the DEC with appropriate science and mathematics courses.
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CHEM 110 General Chemistry 1 (4 credits)
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of atomic structure, radiation and nuclear chemistry, valence theory, coordination chemistry, and the periodic table.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Butler, Ian Sydney; Fenster, Ariel; Kakkar, Ashok K; Gauthier, Jean-Marc (Fall)
- Fall
- Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics or permission of instructor; CHEM 120 is not a prerequisite
- Each lab section is limited enrolment
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CHEM 120 General Chemistry 2 (4 credits)
Overview
Chemistry : A study of the fundamental principles of physical chemistry.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Gauthier, Jean-Marc; Fenster, Ariel; Mittermaier, Anthony; Siwick, Bradley (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisites/corequisites: College level mathematics and physics, or permission of instructor: CHEM 110 is not a prerequisite
- Each lab section is limited enrolment
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PHYS 131 Mechanics and Waves (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws and principles of Newtonian mechanics; oscillations and waves.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Ragan, Kenneth J (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures; 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
- Corequisite: MATH 139 or higher level calculus course.
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 101, CEGEP objective 00UR or equivalent
- Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
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PHYS 142 Electromagnetism and Optics (4 credits)
Overview
Physics : The basic laws of electricity and magnetism; geometrical and physical optics.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Miyahara, Yoichi (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures, 3 hours laboratory in alternate weeks; tutorial sessions
- Prerequisite: PHYS 131.
- Corequisite: MATH 141 or higher level calculus course.
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 102, CEGEP objective 00UR or equivalent
- Laboratory sections have limited enrolment
One of:
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BIOL 111 Principles: Organismal Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : An introduction to the phylogeny, structure, function and adaptation of unicellular organisms, plants and animals in the biosphere.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Gregory-Eaves, Irene; Dhindsa, Rajinder S; Seizilles de Mazancourt, Claire (Fall)
- Fall
- 2 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UK or equivalent; or BIOL 115.
- This course serves as an alternative to CEGEP objective code 00UK
- May require departmental approval.
- Open to all students wishing introductory biology.
- Attendance at first lab is mandatory to confirm registration in the course.
- This class will use a Student Response System (clicker) which can be obtained from the Bookstore.
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BIOL 112 Cell and Molecular Biology (3 credits)
Overview
Biology (Sci) : The cell: ultrastructure, division, chemical constituents and reactions. Bioenergetics: photosynthesis and respiration. Principles of genetics, the molecular basis of inheritance and biotechnology.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Dent, Joseph Alan; Vogel, Jacalyn (Winter)
- Winter
- 2 hours lecture and 3.5 hours laboratory/seminar
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking CEGEP objective 00XU or equivalent; or BIOL 115; or AEBI 122
- Attendance at first lab is mandatory to confirm registration in the course.
MATH 133 and either MATH 140/141 or MATH 150/151.
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MATH 133 Linear Algebra and Geometry (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Systems of linear equations, matrices, inverses, determinants; geometric vectors in three dimensions, dot product, cross product, lines and planes; introduction to vector spaces, linear dependence and independence, bases; quadratic loci in two and three dimensions.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Kelome, Djivede; Anderson, William J; Loveys, James G; Shahabi, Shahab; Clay, Adam (Fall) Kelome, Djivede; Anderson, William J (Winter) Palka, Karol (Summer)
- Prerequisite: a course in functions
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 221 or CEGEP objective 00UQ or equivalent.
- Restriction Note B: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 123, MATH 130 or MATH 131, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
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MATH 140 Calculus 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Review of functions and graphs. Limits, continuity, derivative. Differentiation of elementary functions. Antidifferentiation. Applications.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Drury, Stephen W; Trudeau, Sidney; Shahabi, Shahab (Fall) Hundemer, Axel W (Winter)
- 3 hours lecture, 1 hour tutorial
- Prerequisite: High School Calculus
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 120, MATH 139 or CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122 or MATH 130 or MATH 131, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
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MATH 141 Calculus 2 (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : The definite integral. Techniques of integration. Applications. Introduction to sequences and series.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Summer 2011
Instructors: Trudeau, Sidney (Fall) Sancho, Neville G F; Drury, Stephen W; Trudeau, Sidney (Winter)
- Prerequisites: MATH 139 or MATH 140 or MATH 150.
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 121 or CEGEP objective 00UP or equivalent
- Restriction Note B: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122 or MATH 130 or MATH 131, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
- Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
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MATH 150 Calculus A (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, L'Hospital's rule, applications, Taylor polynomials, parametric curves, functions of several variables.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lecture, 2 hours tutorial
- Students with no prior exposure to vector geometry are advised to take MATH 133 concurrently. Intended for students with high school calculus who have not received six advanced placement credits
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UN or equivalent
- Restriction Note B: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122 or MATH 130 or MATH 131, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- MATH 150 and MATH 151 cover the material of MATH 139, MATH 140, MATH 141, MATH 222
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MATH 151 Calculus B (4 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Integration, methods and applications, infinite sequences and series, power series, arc length and curvature, multiple integration.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lecture; 2 hours tutorial
- Each Tutorial section is enrolment limited
- Prerequisite: MATH 150
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken CEGEP objective 00UP or equivalent
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 122 or MATH 130 or MATH 131, except by permission of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 152
U1 Required Courses (27 credits)
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MATH 247 Honours Applied Linear Algebra (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Matrix algebra, determinants, systems of linear equations. Abstract vector spaces, inner product spaces, Fourier series. Linear transformations and their matrix representations. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalizable and defective matrices, positive definite and semidefinite matrices. Quadratic and Hermitian forms, generalized eigenvalue problems, simultaneous reduction of quadratic forms. Applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Hundemer, Axel W (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisite: MATH 133 or equivalent.
- Restriction: Intended for Honours Physics and Engineering students
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 236, MATH 223 or MATH 251
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MATH 248 Honours Advanced Calculus (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Partial derivatives; implicit functions; Jacobians; maxima and minima; Lagrange multipliers. Scalar and vector fields; orthogonal curvilinear coordinates. Multiple integrals; arc length, volume and surface area. Line integrals; Green's theorem; the divergence theorem. Stokes' theorem; irrotational and solenoidal fields; applications.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Guan, Pengfei (Fall)
- Fall and Winter and Summer
- Prerequisites: MATH 133 and MATH 222 or consent of Department.
- Restriction: Intended for Honours Mathematics, Physics and Engineering students
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 314
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MATH 249 Honours Complex Variables (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : Functions of a complex variable; Cauchy-Riemann equations; Cauchy's theorem and consequences. Taylor and Laurent expansions. Residue calculus; evaluation of real integrals; integral representation of special functions; the complex inversion integral. Conformal mapping; Schwarz-Christoffel transformation; Poisson's integral formulas; applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Seiringer, Robert (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisite: MATH 248.
- Restriction: Intended for Honours Physics and Engineering students
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 316
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MATH 325 Honours Ordinary Differential Equations (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First and second order equations, linear equations, series solutions, Frobenius method, introduction to numerical methods and to linear systems, Laplace transforms, applications.
Terms: Fall 2010, Winter 2011
Instructors: Humphries, Antony Raymond (Fall) Klemes, Ivo (Winter)
- Fall and Winter
- (3-0-6)
- Prerequisite: MATH 222.
- Restriction: Intended for Honours Mathematics, Physics and Engineering programs.
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken MATH 263 (formerly MATH 261), MATH 315
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PHYS 241 Signal Processing (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Linear circuit elements, resonance, network theorems, diodes, transistors, amplifiers, feedback, integrated circuits.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean (Winter)
- Winter
- 2 hours lectures; 3 hours laboratory alternate weeks
- Prerequisite: CEGEP physics or PHYS 142.
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PHYS 251 Honours Classical Mechanics 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Newton's laws, work energy, angular momentum. Harmonic oscillator, forced oscillations. Inertial forces, rotating frames. Central forces, centre of mass, planetary orbits, Kepler's laws.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Holder, Gilbert (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: CEGEP physics or PHYS 131.
- Corequisite: MATH 222
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 230.
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PHYS 257 Experimental Methods 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Siwick, Bradley (Fall)
- Fall
- 6 hours of laboratory and classroom work
- Corequisite: PHYS 230 or PHYS 251
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PHYS 258 Experimental Methods 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Advanced laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Computers will be employed routinely for data analysis and for numerical computation, and, particularly, to facilitate the use of Fourier methods.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Ryan, Dominic; Engelberg, Edith M (Winter)
- Winter
- 6 hours of laboratory and classroom work
- Prerequisite: PHYS 257
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PHYS 260 Modern Physics and Relativity (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : History of special relativity; Lorentz transformations: kinematics and dynamics; transformation of electric and magnetic forces; introduction to topics in modern physics.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Hanna, David (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: CEGEP physics or PHYS 142.
- Corequisite: MATH 222
U2 Required Courses (24 credits)
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MATH 375 Honours Partial Differential Equations (3 credits)
Overview
Mathematics & Statistics (Sci) : First order partial differential equations, geometric theory, classification of second order linear equations, Sturm-Liouville problems, orthogonal functions and Fourier series, eigenfunction expansions, separation of variables for heat, wave and Laplace equations, Green's function methods, uniqueness theorems.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Roth, Charles (Fall)
- Fall
- Prerequisites: MATH 247 or MATH 251 or equivalent, MATH 248 or equivalent, MATH 325
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PHYS 253 Thermal Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Energy, work, heat; first law. Temperature, entropy; second law. Absolute zero; third law. Equilibrium, equations of state, gases, liquids, solids, magnets; phase transitions.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Grutter, Peter H (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: CEGEP physics or PHYS 131, and CEGEP chemistry or CHEM 120.
- Corequisite: MATH 222
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having taken PHYS 232.
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PHYS 350 Honours Electricity and Magnetism (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Fundamental laws of electric and magnetic fields in both integral and differential form.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Lovejoy, Shaun MacDonald (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: MATH 248, MATH 325.
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of the instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students having taken PHYS 340
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PHYS 357 Honours Quantum Physics 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Experimental basis for quantum mechanics; wave-packets; uncertainty principle. Hilbert space formalism. Schrodinger equation: eigenvalues and eigenvectors: applications to 1-d problems including the infinite and finite potential wells and the harmonic oscillator. Tunneling. Time independent perturbation theory.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Dasgupta, Keshav (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: MATH 223 or equivalent, and one of PHYS 230, PHYS 251, or CIVE 281
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of the instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 446
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PHYS 359 Honours Laboratory in Modern Physics 1 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Advanced level experiments in modern physics stressing quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
- Winter
- 6 hours
- Corequisite: PHYS 457. Honours students or permission of instructor
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PHYS 362 Statistical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Quantum states and ensemble averages. Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein and Boltzmann distribution functions and their applications.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Underwood, Bret (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites: MATH 248 or equivalents, PHYS 253.
- Restriction: Honours students, or permission of the instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students taking or having passed PHYS 333
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PHYS 457 Honours Quantum Physics 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Angular momentum and spin operators. Operator methods in quantum mechanics. Coupling of spin and angular momenta. Variational principles and elements of time dependent perturbation theory (the Golden Rule). Solution of the Schrodinger equation in three dimensions. Applications to the hydrogen and helium atoms and to simple problems in atomic and molecular physics.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Gale, Charles (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 357
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of instructor
- Restriction: Not open to students who have taken PHYS 446
U3 Required Courses (6 credits)
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PHYS 352 Honours Electromagnetic Waves (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Vector and scalar potentials; plane waves in homogeneous media; refraction and reflection; guided waves; radiation from simple systems; dipole and quadrupole radiation; introduction to fields of moving charges; synchrotron radiation; Bremsstrahlung.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Guo, Hong (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 350.
- Restriction: Honours students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 551 Quantum Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : General formulation, scattering theory, WKBJ approximation, time-dependent perturbation, theory and applications, angular momentum, relativistic wave equations.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Maloney, Alexander (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students and graduate students, or permission of the instructor
U3 Complementary Courses (21 credits)
6 credits selected from:
Note: PHYS 459D1 and PHYS 459D2 are taken together.
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PHYS 459D1 Honours Research Thesis (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Honours supervised research project and thesis.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Fall)
- Fall
- 6 hours
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of instructor
- Students must register for both PHYS 459D1 and PHYS 459D2.
- No credit will be given for this course unless both PHYS 459D1 and PHYS 459D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
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PHYS 459D2 Honours Research Thesis (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : See PHYS 459D1 for course description.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
- Winter
- Prerequisite: PHYS 459D1
- No credit will be given for this course unless both PHYS 459D1 and PHYS 459D2 are successfully completed in consecutive terms
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PHYS 469 Honours Laboratory in Modern Physics 2 (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Advanced level experiments in modern physics stressing quantum effects and some properties of condensed matter. Continuation of PHYS 359.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Buchinger, Fritz; Barrette, Jean (Fall)
- Fall
- 6 hours
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of instructor
- Prerequisite: PHYS 359
- Restriction: Not open to students taking PHYS 459
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PHYS 479 Honours Research Project (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Honours supervised research project.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
- 6 hours
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of instructor. Only open to students who have completed the U2 year in a Physics program.
15 credits selected from the list below (students may substitute one or more courses with any 3-credit course approved by the Department of Physics):
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PHYS 434 Optics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Geometrical optics, wave optics, lasers, Fourier transform spectroscopy, holography, optical data processing, stellar interferometry.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Sutton, Mark (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisite: PHYS 342 or PHYS 352, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 479 Honours Research Project (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Honours supervised research project.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Barrette, Jean; Buchinger, Fritz (Winter)
- 6 hours
- Restriction: Honours students or permission of instructor. Only open to students who have completed the U2 year in a Physics program.
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PHYS 514 General Relativity (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Transition from special to general relativity. Non-Euclidian geometry. The basic laws of Physics in co-variant form, Einstein's equations. Gravitational waves; neutron stars; black holes; cosmology.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Maloney, Alexander (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students and graduate students, or permission of the instructor.
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PHYS 521 Astrophysics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : A quantitative course in galactic and extragalactic astrophysics. Topics include observational techniques, stars and stellar evolution, compact objects, galaxy structure, kinematics, evolution and cosmology.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Dobbs, Matthew Adam (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours
- Restriction: U3 Honours students and graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 557 Nuclear Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : General nuclear properties, nucleon-nucleon interaction and scattering theory, radioactivity, nuclear models, nuclear reactions.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Jeon, Sang Yong (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 558 Solid State Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Properties of crystals; free electron model, band structure; metals, insulators and semi-conductors; phonons; magnetism; selected additional topics in solid-state (e.g. ferroelectrics, elementary transport theory).
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Sutton, Mark (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 559 Advanced Statistical Mechanics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Scattering and structure factors. Review of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; correlation functions (static); mean field theory; critical phenomena; broken symmetry; fluctuations, roughening.
Terms: Fall 2010
Instructors: Coish, William (Fall)
- Fall
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 562 Electromagnetic Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Electrostatics, dielectrics, magnetostatics, timevarying fields, relativity, radiating systems, fields of moving charges.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Frey, Andrew (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Prerequisites (Graduate): U1 or U2 Honours Physics or permission of instructor.
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 567 Particle Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Survey of elementary particles; hadrons, leptons and hadrons' constituents (quarks). Invariance principles and conservation laws. Detectors and accelerators. Phenomenology of strong, electomagnetic and weak interactions.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Dobbs, Matthew Adam (Winter)
- Winter
- 3 hours lectures
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor
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PHYS 580 Introduction to String Theory (3 credits)
Overview
Physics : Introduction to bosonic string theory, with application to fundamental theories of particle physics. Gravity and electromagnetism in extra dimensions, dynamics of classical and quantum strings, worldsheet parametrization, conserved currents, light-cone gauge, string thermodynamics and black holes, D-branes.
Terms: Winter 2011
Instructors: Cline, James M (Winter)
- Fall
- Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.
- Restriction: U3 Honours students, graduate students, or permission of the instructor.
Faculty of Science—2010-2011 (last updated Jan. 19, 2011) (disclaimer)