Physics

• CAS PY 100: Physics of the Twentieth Century and Beyond
  A historical survey of modern physics, focusing on quantum mechanics and relativity as applied to the microworld (subatomic physics) and the macroworld (the early universe). Covers exotic phenomena from quarks to quasars, from neutrinos to neutron stars. For non-science majors. Carries natural science divisional credit (without lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 101: Topics in Physics
  Topic for Fall 2015: Physics of Health Sciences. Particularly recommended for students majoring in athletic training, physical therapy, or speech, language & hearing sciences. A one-semester, terminal physics course for students who do not require a two-semester sequence. Cannot be taken for credit in addition to CAS PY 105 or PY106. Students considering application to medical, dental, or veterinary schools should take PY 105/106 (or PY 211/212, or PY 241/242, or PY 251/252) instead of PY 101.
• CAS PY 103: Cinema Physica
  Conceptual introduction to physical law as portrayed in film. Quantitative understanding using simple estimates, elementary physics, and dimensional analysis. Kinematics; forces; conservation laws; heat and temperature; atoms, molecules and materials. Sample films: Speed; Armageddon; Independence Day; X-Men; The Sixth Sense; Contact. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 105: Elementary Physics 1
  The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements; presupposes knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. Principles of classical and modern physics, mechanics, conservation laws, and heat. Students must register for three sections: a lecture section, a discussion section, and a laboratory section. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 106: Elementary Physics 2
  The CAS PY 105/106 sequence satisfies premedical requirements; presupposes knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. Principles of classical and modern physics; electricity and magnetism, waves, optics, light, atomic and nuclear physics. Students must register for three sections: a lecture section, discussion section, and laboratory section. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 107: Physics of Food/Cooking
  Physical science concepts of thermal physics, and soft matter physics such as phase transitions, gelation, viscosity, elasticity illustrated via cooking. Labs and demos using molecular gastronomy methods of sous-vide cooking, pressure cooking, making desserts, cheese, emulsions, foams, gels, ice creams. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 138: The Physics of Chance and Necessity
  A conceptual survey of physics based on the role played by chance in nature. Topics include: Newtonian mechanics; heat and entropy; chaos theory; wave-particle duality; and the evolution of order out of randomness, as exemplified by galaxies, crystals, and life itself.
• CAS PY 195: Freshman Seminar for Physicists
  Seminar where freshman physics majors learn successful strategies for studying physics and become familiar with BU's policies, procedures, resources, and extracurricular activities. Exploration of research and career opportunities through invited speakers, book discussions, and laboratory tours.
• CAS PY 211: General Physics
  For premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106, and for science majors and engineers. Basic principles of physics emphasizing Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, and thermal physics. Lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 212: General Physics
  For premedical students who seek a more analytical course than CAS PY 105/106, and for science majors and engineers. Basic principles of physics emphasizing electricity, magnetism, and geometrical optics. Lectures, discussion, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 231: The Physics in Music
  An introduction to musical acoustics, which covers vibrations and waves in musical systems, intervals and the construction of musical scales, tuning and temperament, the percussion instruments, the piano, the string, woodwind and brass instruments, room acoustics, and the human ear and psychoacoustical phenomena important to musical performance. Some aspects of electronic music are also discussed. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 241: Principles of General Physics 1
  Calculus-based introduction to principles and methods of physics. Mechanics, heat, light, electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and relativity are treated. Topics relevant to medical science are emphasized. Ideal for premedical students. Lectures, discussions, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 242: Principles of General Physics 2
  Calculus-based introduction to principles and methods of physics. Mechanics, heat, light, electricity and magnetism, atomic and nuclear physics, and relativity are treated. Topics relevant to medical science are emphasized. Ideal for premedical students. Lectures, discussions, and laboratory. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 251: Principles of Physics 1
  Introduction to mechanics, conservation laws, heat, and thermodynamics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 252: Principles of Physics 2
  Introduction to electromagnetic radiation and geometrical optics. Primarily for physics, mathematics, and astronomy majors, but open to other students with a strong background in mathematics. Carries natural science divisional credit (with lab) in CAS.
• CAS PY 313: Waves and Modern Physics
  Waves and physical optics, relativistic mechanics, experimental foundations of quantum mechanics, atomic structure, physics of molecules and solids, atomic nuclei and elementary particles. Along with CAS PY 211, 212, PY 313 completes a three-semester introductory sequence primarily intended for students of engineering.
• CAS PY 351: Modern Physics I
  An introduction to modern physics including quantum mechanics, classical and quantum statistics, and special relativity. Topics include Schroedinger equation, temperature, entropy, black-body radiation, Lorentz transformations. Labs are a required course component.
• CAS PY 352: Modern Physics II
  Continuation of CAS PY 351. An introduction to modern physics including quantum mechanics of atoms and molecules, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics. Labs are a required course component.
• CAS PY 355: Methods of Theoretical Physics
  First and second order ordinary differential equations. Partial differential equations (waves, heat, Schrödinger) and series solutions of differential equations. Vectors and vector calculus. Matrices, matrix algebra, and matrix transformations. Rotations, similarity, unitarity, hermiticity, eigenvalues, and eigenvectors.
• CAS PY 371: Electronics for Scientists
  A survey of practical electronics for all College of Arts and Sciences science students wishing to gain a working knowledge of electronic instrumentation, and in particular, its construction. Two four-hour laboratory-lecture sessions per week.

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