Course Descriptions - Undergraduate Calendar 2023-2024

This seminar brings together physics students in all years to hear invited speakers, view physics-related films, and learn about current research. [Offered: F,W]

An introduction to physics for students intending to concentrate their further studies in biology, dentistry, medicine and paramedicine; includes particle kinematics and dynamics, energy and momentum conservation, and rotational mechanics. [Offered: F, W; also offered online: W]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 111.

A continuation of PHYS 111; includes simple harmonic motion, electrostatic force and potential, electric current and power, DC circuits, magnetic field and induction, wave motion, sound and optics. [Offered: W,S; also offered online: S]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 112.

Brief review of kinematics. Particle dynamics, work, energy, conservation of energy. Conservation of linear momentum, collisions, rotational kinematics and dynamics, conservation of angular momentum. Equilibrium of rigid bodies. [Offered: F, W, S]

An introductory course in physics for students intending to concentrate their future studies in the physical sciences, optometry, or mathematics; includes vectors (dot and cross products), particle kinematics and dynamics, forces in nature, work and energy, conservation of energy and linear momentum, rotational kinematics and dynamics, and conservation of angular momentum.

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 121. [Offered: F]

Simple harmonic motion, resonance, damped harmonic motion, complex numbers, wave motion and sound, electrostatic force and potential, electric current and power, capacitors, DC circuits, LRC circuits, introduction to magnetic fields Lorentz Force. [Offered: W, S; also offered online: S]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 122. [Offered: W]

An introductory course in modern physics; includes relativity, quantum physics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, particle physics and gravitation. [Offered: W]

Oscillations; simple harmonic motion. Wave motion, travelling and standing waves; transverse and longitudinal waves, including sound. Geometrical optics; reflection and refraction. Physical optics; interference and diffraction. Quantum physics; quantization of radiation; hydrogen atom. [Offered: W,S]

A lab for students following the Honours Physics Plan.

A survey course in astrophysics intended for Physics and Astronomy students. Astrophysical processes, the sky, the Sun, stars, black holes, the Milky Way and other galaxies, Big Bang cosmology.

For students who are taking PHYS 175. [Offered: W]

Introduction to modeling living systems and their components. Statistical methods in data analysis, curve fitting, including p values. Fourier series and transforms, structural analysis, including nearest neighbor distributions in biomedical applications. Introduction to methods for analysis of transport properties in biological systems. Use of computers in these areas. [Offered: F]

A laboratory that teaches programming for the computer interfacing of physics experiments and automatic data collection.

Introduction to quantization, wave-particle duality and the uncertainty principle The Schroedinger equation and solvable examples. Topics will include stationary states of particle-in-a-box, harmonic oscillator, and the hydrogen atom. Quantization of angular momentum and spin. Introduction to approximation methods including time-independent perturbation theory. Modern applications of quantum mechanics. [Offered: W]

Background of quantum physics. Introduction to formalism of quantum physics. Introduction to operators. Quantization, waves, and particles. The uncertainty principle. The Schroedinger equation for one-dimensional problems: bound states in square wells, harmonic oscillator, transmission through barriers.

Electrostatics in vacuum, electric potential, conductors and currents, magnetostatics in vacuum, electromagnetic induction. [Offered: W,S]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 242.

Computational techniques; numerical accuracy and speed; Python libraries and implementation; algorithms for numerical integration; matrix operations. Computational approach to vectors in 2- and 3-space; linear equations, matrices, determinants; eigenvalues and diagonalization. [Offered: F]

Geometrical optics: image formation, ray tracing through multiple optical components, dispersion by prisms, optical fibers, optical instruments - eyes, telescopes, microscopes, and cameras, introduction to aberrations; physical optics: interference and interferometers, diffraction, imaging resolution, diffraction gratings and their use in spectroscopy; wave-particle duality; introduction to the electromagnetic nature of light and polarization. [Offered: F]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 256.

Experiments in selected physics topics.

Newtonian dynamics of particles and systems of particles. Oscillations. Gravity and the central force problem. Lorentz transformations and relativistic dynamics. [Offered: W,S]

Probability, probability distributions, errors, descriptive statistics, statistical inference (hypothesis testing, fitting, confidence intervals), computational methods (e.g., Monte Carlo) in Python, examples from physics and astronomy. [Offered: W, S]

Selected experiments in Astronomy. [Offered: W,S]

Terrestrial and gas giant planets in the Solar System, asteroids and comets. Extrasolar planets and astrobiology. Star and planet formation. [Offered: F]

Introduction to a physical understanding of biological systems at macro and molecular scales. The course is intended for second-year science and engineering students and will cover a broad spectrum of topics in biophysics, as well as an introduction to neurobiology, nanotechnology, and biotechnology. [Offered: W,S]

Formalism of quantum mechanics. Operator approach to the harmonic oscillator. Quantum mechanics in three dimensions: Hydrogen atom, angular momentum and spin. Time-independent perturbation theory. Fine structure of hydrogen. Zeeman effect. Identical particles. The variational principle. Ground state of the helium atom. Applications in atomic and molecular physics. [Offered: W]

Overview of condensed matter ordered and disordered systems. Thermodynamic origin of order and phase transitions. Waves. Properties of the solid state. Crystals and fractals. Overview of Fourier Series. Reciprocal lattice. Diffraction. Classical elastic theory of the crystalline state. Electrons in a periodic potential, Band structure and Fermi surface. [Offered: W]

Electric and magnetic fields in media, auxiliary fields, Maxwell's equations, electromagnetic waves, electric and magnetic properties of matter.

Algorithms for solving differential equations; Monte Carlo techniques; Fourier transforms; programming and computational techniques using Python, applied to physical problems such as astrophysics, electricity and magnetism, classical and quantum mechanics; introduction to machine learning and artificial intelligence. [Offered: W]

Temperature and thermodynamic equilibrium. Work, internal energy and heat; first law, with examples. Kinetic theory of gases. Basic probability theory. Microscopic states and entropy. Absolute temperature, reversibility and the second law. Thermodynamic Functions and Maxwell's relations. Phase transitions. Third Law. Other applications of thermodynamics. [Formerly PHYS 258. Offered: F, S]

Fundamental postulate of statistical thermodynamics. Entropy. Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical ensembles. Fermi-Dirac, Bose-Einstein, and Boltzmann Statistics. Maxwell-Boltzmann velocity distribution. Applications to specific heat of solids, classical and quantum gases, electrons in metals, Planck's law of radiation, and Bose-Einstein condensation. [Offered: W]

Selected experiments in mechanics, optics, electronics, acoustics, atomic, molecular, nuclear, and solid state physics.

Continuation of PHYS 360A. [Offered: F,W,S]

Non-inertial frames of reference. Calculus of variations. Lagrangian mechanics. Coupled oscillations and normal modes. Hamiltonian dynamics. [Offered: F,S]

Sturm-Liouville theory. Legendre, Bessel, and other special functions. Fourier series and introduction to Fourier transforms. Separation of variables. [Offered: F, S]

Complex variables, Cauchy-Riemann conditions, Cauchy integral formula, Taylor and Laurent expansions, residue theorem, contour integrals and applications. Fourier and Laplace transforms with applications. Green's functions. [Offered: W]

Selected experiments in astronomy. [Offered: W]

Stellar distances, masses, ages. Stellar interiors and atmospheres, star formation and evolution. Supernovae, white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes. [Offered: W]

Cell structure and molecular composition; intermolecular interactions and hydration; protein structure and function; cytoskeletal filaments; DNA structure, packing and chromosomes; rate equations and biological dynamics (e.g., cytoskeletal polymerization); self-assembly; cell membranes; action potentials and biological electricity; molecular motors; cell motility.

Applications of physics in medicine. The course will address basic concepts of medical imaging, nuclear medicine and radiation isotopes, radiation therapy and biomedical laser applications. Nuclear structure and binding energy. Nuclear decays, radioactivity and nuclear reactions. Interaction of radiation with matter. [Offered: W]

Norton and Thévenin equivalent circuits, bipolar junction and field-effect transistors, operational amplifiers, negative feedback, noise, common circuits used for measurement and control of laboratory experiments, introduction to digital circuits. [Offered: W]

For students who have taken or are taking PHYS 391.

Fourier Optics: diffraction, dispersion, coherence, imaging. Polarization: birefringence, Jones vectors, Mueller Matrices. Fresnel Equations: optics at an interface, thin films. [Offered: W even years]

Lasers: semi-classical interaction, properties, cavity, Gaussian beams. Radiation and Detectors. Introduction to nonlinear optics. [Offered: W odd years]

The effect of radiation of various kinds on cells and tissues; elements of radiobiology and photobiology; molecular mechanisms of radiation-induced DNA damage and cell death, repair of radiation damage, dose-response relationships; tumor radiobiology and therapies, radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy, combination therapies; radiosensitizers and photosensitizers for cancer therapies; transdisciplinary advances in physical methods (ultrafast laser and ultrasound techniques) for biomedical applications.

Introduction to imaging concepts in biophysics with emphasis on the interrelationship between the physics principles of an imaging modality and the associated image reconstruction; methods for imaging at macroscopic to microscopic scales; computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, PET, optical imaging, optical and fluorescence microscopy, scanning probe microscopy (AFM, STM), optical tweezers, electron microscopy.

Symmetries and conservation laws. Review of time-independent perturbation theory (degenerate and non-degenerate, Rayleigh-Schrodinger, Brillouin-Wigner and canonical perturbation theory; effective Hamiltonian derivation). Time-dependent perturbation theory (1st and 2nd order, adiabatic perturbation, Aharonov-Bohm effect). Fermi's golden rule. Two-level systems. Emission and absorption of radiation (applications). Second quantization of electromagnetic field in free space; photons. Spontaneous emission and natural lifetime; Lamb shift. Elements of scattering theory. Introduction to the Dirac equation. [Offered: F]

Physics pertaining to collective and emergent phenomena in condensed matter systems. Examples of topics to be covered include magnetism, superconductivity, heavy Fermion systems, quantum hall effect, protein folding, membranes, DNA physics, polymer physics, Modern experimental and theoretical techniques. [Offered: W]

A research project in any area of physics approved by the course co-ordinator(s).

A research project in any area of physics approved by the course co-ordinator(s). This is often a continuation of the project started in PHYS 437A.

Review of the origin of Maxwell's equations, conservation laws, potential formulation of Maxwell's equations and gauge choices, vacuum solutions of Maxwell's equations (free space, waveguides, dispersion), solution to Maxwell's equations for arbitrary sources (static and time-dependent problems), relativistic formulation of electrodynamics, macroscopic Maxwell's equations and plane waves in macroscopic media. [Offered: F]

This course introduces students to the standard model of particle physics. Topics covered include symmetries, particle classification, experimental methods and tools, scattering, Feynman diagrams, gauge theories, quantum electrodynamics, quarks, quantum chromodynamics, weak interactions, and the Higgs mechanism. [Offered: W]

Machine learning applications in the physical sciences. [Offered: F]

The Hilbert space of states, observables, and time evolution. Feynman path integral and Greens functions. Approximation methods. Co-ordinate transformations, angular momentum, and spin. The relation between symmetries and conservation laws. Density matrix, Ehrenfest theorem, and decoherence. Multiparticle quantum mechanics. Bell inequality and basics of quantum computing. [Offered: F]

Selected advanced experiments in mechanics, optics, acoustics, electronics, atomic, molecular, nuclear, and condensed matter physics. [Offered: F,W,S]

A continuation of PHYS 460A. [Offered: F,W,S]

Fundamentals of nanotechnology. Applications of nanotechnology in biology and medicine. Nanotechnology and society. Physical foundations of nanodevices. Conduction at the nanoscale. Modern nanodevices. [Offered: F]

Basics of computational complexity; basics of quantum information; quantum phenomena; quantum circuits and universality; relationship between quantum and classical complexity classes; simple quantum algorithms; quantum Fourier transform; Shor factoring algorithm; Grover search algorithm; physical realization of quantum computation; error-correction and fault-tolerance; quantum key distribution.

Photonic quantum computing, Superconducting qubits, NMR, Ion Trap quantum computing, Atomic quantum computing. [Offered: F]

Galaxy structure, formation and evolution. Dynamics and stellar populations; gas and dust; supermassive black holes; large-scale structure. [Offered: F]

Robertson-Walker metric and Friedmann equations. Observational cosmology. Dark matter and dark energy. Gravitational lensing. Big Bang nucleosynthesis, the cosmic microwave background. Inflation. Structure formation.

Tensor analysis. Curved space-time and the Einstein field equations. The Schwarzschild solution and applications. The Friedmann-Robertson-Walker cosmological models. [Offered: W]

This course examines advanced oncology therapeutic concepts required as a foundation for patient management in the inpatient, ambulatory, and community settings. Topics include a comprehensive review of cancer epidemiology and pathophysiology, therapeutic agents used in the oncology setting, management of cancer therapy toxicities, and treatment and palliation of cancer symptoms. Physics methods in radiation therapy and the medical physicist's role in cancer treatment will be addressed. [Offered: W; Held with PHARM 464]

Theory of correlations and entanglement; theory of quantum channels, detectors; the measurement problem, in quantum mechanics; phase space formulation of quantum mechanics; entanglement in infinite dimensional quantum systems; introduction to open quantum systems; and exploration of current research directions in quantum information. [Offered: W]

A lecture course offered in a particular branch of physics, subject to availability of instructor.

A lecture and project course offered in areas of life, medical and biophysics, which will add to the learning experience of the students in these plans at a fourth-year level. Lecture topics may include advanced topics in molecular and cellular biophysics, imaging, biophotonics, interaction of radiation with biomaterials, radiation dosimetry and other physics based diagnostics and therapeutics. Projects may include studies of recent advances in any areas of medical and biophysics. [Offered: F]