Natural Sciences (/academics/areas-of-study/natural%20sciences)

Physics
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PHY 101

A course in fundamental physics that covers

Introductory Physics I classical mechanics, fluid mechanics, basic
thermodynamics, sounds, and waves. Meets
Professor/Instructor
premedical requirements. One lecture, three
classes, one three-hour laboratory.

PHY 102

Continuation of 101. A course in fundamental

Introductory Physics physics that covers electricity, magnetism, and
II an introduction to the quantum world. Meets
premedical requirements. Two 90-minute
Professor/Instructor lectures, one preceptorial, and one three-hour
laboratory.

PHY 103
General Physics I The physical laws that govern the motion of
objects, forces, and forms of energy in
Professor/Instructor mechanical systems are studied at an
introductory level. Calculus-based, primarily for
engineering and science students, meets
premedical requirements. Some preparation in
physics and calculus is desirable; calculus may
be taken concurrently. One demonstration
lecture, three classes, one three-hour
laboratory.

PHY 104

Continuation of 103. Electromagnetism from

General Physics II electrostatics, DC and AC circuits to optics,
and topics of modern physics are treated at an
Professor/Instructor
introductory level. Some preparation in physics
and calculus is desirable; calculus may be
taken concurrently. Calculus-based, primarily
for engineering and science students, meets
premedical requirements. One demonstration
lecture, three classes, one three-hour
laboratory.

PHY 105

This course parallels 103 at a level that

Advanced Physics assumes a good preparation in physics and
(Mechanics) calculus. The material is treated in more depth
and with more mathematical sophistication
Professor/Instructor than in 103. Students interested in 105
should enroll in 103. After three weeks, the
course will reorganize with those students who
qualify and are interested in entering 105 for
the remainder of the term. Either course can
lead to a major in physics. One demonstration
lecture, three classes, one three-hour
laboratory.

PHY 106
Advanced Physics Parallels 104 at a more sophisticated level,
emphasizing the unification of electric and
(Electromagnetism) magnetic forces and electromagnetic
radiation. To enter this course, students must
Professor/Instructor have done well in 103 or 105. 103 students
must attend the lectures on special relativity
given in reading period as part of 105. Three
lectures, one class, one three-hour laboratory.

PHY 115A / STC 115

What do future leaders of our society need to

Physics for Future know about physics and technology? The
Leaders course is designed for non-scientists who will
someday become our influential citizens and
Professor/Instructor decision-makers. Whatever the field of
endeavor, they will be faced with important
decisions in which physics and technology play
an important role. The purpose of this course
is to present the key principles and the basic
physical reasoning needed to interpret
scientific and technical information and to
make the best decisions. Topics include
energy and power, atomic and subatomic
matter, wave-like phenomena and light, and
Einstein’s theory of relativity.

PHY 115B / STC 115

What do future leaders of our society need to

Physics for Future know about physics and technology? The
Leaders course is designed for non-scientists who will
someday become our influential citizens and
Professor/Instructor decision-makers. Whatever the field of
endeavor, they will be faced with important
decisions in which physics and technology play
an important role. The purpose of this course
is to present the key principles and the basic
physical reasoning needed to interpret
scientific and technical information and to
make the best decisions. Topics include
 energy and power, atomic and subatomic
matter, wave-like phenomena and light, and
Einstein’s theory of relativity.

EGR 191 / MAT 191 / PHY 191

Taken concurrently with EGR/MAT/PHY 192.

An Integrated An integrated course that covers the material
Introduction to of PHY 103 and MAT 201 with the emphasis
on applications to engineering. Physics topics
Engineering, include: mechanics with applications to fluid
mechanics, wave phenomena, and
Mathematics, Physics thermodynamics. The lab revolves around a
single project to build, launch, and analyze the
Professor/Instructor
flight dynamics of water-propelled rockets. One
Daniel Robert Marlow
lecture, three preceptorials, one three-hour
laboratory.

EGR 192 / MAT 192 / PHY 192 / APC 192

Taken concurrently with EGR/MAT/PHY 191.

An Integrated An integrated course that covers the material
Introduction to of PHY 103 and MAT 201 with the emphasis
on applications to engineering. Math topics
Engineering, include: vector calculus; partial derivatives and
matrices; line integrals; simple differential
Mathematics, Physics equations; surface and volume integrals; and
Green’s, Stokes’s, and divergence theorems.
Professor/Instructor
One lecture, two preceptorials.
Christine Jiayou Taylor

PHY 205

Classical mechanics, with emphasis on the

Classical Mechanics Lagrangian method. The underlying physics is
Newtonian, but with more sophisticated
Professor/Instructor
mathematics introduced as needed to
understand more complex phenomena. Topics
in this intensive course include the formalism
of Lagrangian mechanics, central-force motion
and scattering, rigid body motion and
noninertial forces, small oscillations, coupled
oscillations, and waves. Prerequisite: 103-104,
 or 105-106 (recommended), or permission of
instructor; prior completion of MAT 201 or 203
recommended. Two 90-minute lectures.

PHY 207

Covers the basics of analytical mechanics, but

Mechanics and Waves shifts the emphasis to wave phenomena
before moving on to aspects of quantum
Professor/Instructor
mechanics and quantum statistical
mechanics. Special relativity is given greater
weight than it usually is in PHY 205. Offers
students a path toward the physics
concentration that is less intensive than PHY
205 and more accessible to students with less
mathematical background. Prerequisites:
PHY103-104, or PHY105-106; one 200-level
math course; or permission of instructor. Two
90-minute lectures.

PHY 208

An introduction to quantum mechanics, the

Principles of Quantum physics of atoms, electrons, photons, and
Mechanics other elementary particles. Topics include
state functions and the probability
Professor/Instructor interpretation, the Schrödinger equation, the
uncertainty principle, the eigenvalue problem,
operators and their algebras, angular
momentum and spin, perturbation theory, and
the hydrogen atom. Prerequisites: PHY 106,
PHY 205, or PHY 207 and MAT 203 or MAT
217, and MAT 204 or MAT 218 (MAT 204/MAT
218 can be taken concurrently); or instructor’s
permission. Two 90-minute lectures.

PHY 209

Introductory course in the application of

Computational Physics computers to physics research. Two main
Seminar themes are numerical analysis methods and
the computer-based techniques for
Professor/Instructor implementing them. Methods discussed
include least-squares fitting, numerical
integration, and Monte Carlo simulation.
Techniques include scientific programming,
spreadsheets, symbolic-manipulation
programs, statistical and plotting packages,
and computer graphics. Examples are drawn
from various fields of physics, including
elementary particle physics and astrophysics.
Prerequisites: 104 or 106 or permission of
instructor. One 90-minute seminar, one three-
hour laboratory.

PHY 210

This seminar introduces students to the basic

Experimental Physics techniques of electronics and instrumentation
Seminar used to conduct experiments in the physical
sciences. The course begins by teaching a
Professor/Instructor foundation in analog and digital circuits
including programmable digital logic devices
using an iPad interface for data acquisition.
Students develop measurement techniques in
a wide range of experimental areas.
Prerequisites: PHY 102, 104, 106 or 304. One
three-hour seminar.

ISC 231 / CHM 231 / COS 231 / MOL 231 /

PHY 231
An integrated, mathematically and
computationally sophisticated introduction to
An Integrated, physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and
Quantitative computer science. Alternative to the
combination of PHY 103-104, CHM 201-202,
Introduction to the MOL 214-215 and COS126. Students must
enroll in ISC231 and ISC232 in the fall and
Natural Sciences I ISC233 and ISC234 in the spring.
Prerequisites: familiarity with calculus at the
Professor/Instructor
level of MAT103/104 or Advanced Placement
Curtis Gove Callan Jr., Joshua William
Calculus BC, solid high school physics and
Shaevitz, Peter Andolfatto
chemistry courses. Five lectures, one three-
hour laboratory, one three-hour computational
laboratory, one evening problem session.
ISC 232 / CHM 232 / COS 232 / MOL 232 /
PHY 232
An integrated, mathematically and
computationally sophisticated introduction to
An Integrated, physics, chemistry, molecular biology, and
Quantitative computer science. Alternative to the
combination of PHY 103-104, CHM 201-202,
Introduction to the MOL 214-215 and COS126. Students must
enroll in ISC231 and ISC232 in the fall and
Natural Sciences I ISC233 and ISC234 in the spring.
Prerequisites: familiarity with the calculus at
Professor/Instructor
the level of MAT 103-104 or Advanced
Peter Andolfatto, Curtis Gove Callan Jr.,
Placement Calculus BC, solid high school
Joshua William Shaevitz
physics and chemistry courses. Five lectures,
one three-hour laboratory, one three-hour
computational laboratory, one evening
problem session.

ISC 233 / CHM 233 / COS 233 / MOL 233 /

PHY 233
An integrated, mathematically and
computationally sophisticated introduction to
An Integrated, physics and chemistry, drawing on examples
Quantitative from biological systems. Alternative to the
combination of PHY 103-104, CHM 201-202,
Introduction to the MOL 214-215, and COS126. Students must
enroll in ISC231 and ISC232 in the fall and
Natural Sciences II ISC233 and ISC234 in the spring.
Prerequisites: familiarity with the calculus at
Professor/Instructor
the level of MAT 103-104 or Advanced
Joshua William Shaevitz, Olga G.
Placement Calculus BC, solid high school
Troyanskaya, Haw Yang
physics and chemistry courses. Five lectures,
one three-hour laboratory, one three-hour
computational laboratory, one evening
problem session.

ISC 234 / CHM 234 / COS 234 / MOL 234 /

PHY 234
An integrated, mathematically and
computationally sophisticated introduction to
physics and chemistry, drawing on examples
from biological systems. Alternative to the
combination of PHY 103-104, CHM 201-202,
 MOL 214-215 and COS126. Students must
An Integrated, enroll in ISC231 and ISC232 in the fall and
ISC233 and ISC234 in the spring.
Quantitative Prerequisites: familiarity with the calculus at
the level of MAT 103-104 or Advanced
Introduction to the Placement Calculus BC, solid high school
Natural Sciences II physics and chemistry courses. Five lectures,
one three-hour laboratory, one three-hour
Professor/Instructor computational laboratory, one evening
Joshua William Shaevitz, Olga G. problem session.
Troyanskaya, Haw Yang

PHY 301

A unified introduction to the physics of systems

Thermal Physics with many degrees of freedom:
thermodynamics and statistical mechanics,
Professor/Instructor
both classical and quantum. Applications will
include phase equilibrium, classical and
quantum gases, and properties of solids.
Three lectures. Prerequisites: Any one of PHY
106, 205, 207 or 208, or instructor’s
permission.

PHY 304

Extensions of electromagnetic theory including

Advanced some important applications of Maxwell’s
Electromagnetism equations. Solutions to Laplace’s equation--
boundary value problems. Retarded potentials.
Professor/Instructor Electromagnetic waves and radiation. Special
relativity. Mathematical tools developed as
required. Two 90-minute lectures.
Prerequisites: 104 or 106.

PHY 305

A second course on the basic principles of

Introduction to the quantum mechanics with emphasis on
Quantum Theory applications to problems from atomic and
solid-state physics. Two 90-minute lectures.
Professor/Instructor Prerequisites: 208.
AST 309 / MAE 309 / PHY 309 / ENE 309

We develop the scientific ideas behind fission

The Science of and fusion energy. For fission we move from
Nuclear Energy: elementary nuclear physics to calculations of
chain reactions, understanding how both
Fission and Fusion reactors and nuclear weapons work. We
examine safety and waste concerns, as well as
Professor/Instructor nuclear proliferation. We look at new reactor
Robert James Goldston concepts. For fusion we address the physics of
confining hot, ionized gases, called plasmas.
We address the control of large-scale
instabilities and small-scale turbulence. We
examine progress and prospects, as well as
challenges, for the development of
economically attractive fusion power.

PHY 312

The course offers six different experiments

Experimental Physics from the advanced laboratory collection.
Experiments include Josephson effect, ß-
Professor/Instructor
decay, holography, Mössbauer spectroscopy,
optical pumping. Lectures stress modern
experimental methods and devices. One
lecture, one laboratory.

AST 301 / PHY 321

This is an introductory course in general

General Relativity relativity for undergraduates. Topics include
the early universe, black holes, cosmic strings,
Professor/Instructor
worm holes, and time travel. Two 90-minute
Jeremy J. Goodman
lectures. Prerequisites: MAT 201, 202; PHY
207, 208. Designed for science and
engineering majors.

GEO 371 / PHY 371

Global Geophysics
Professor/Instructor
Frederik Jozef Simons An introduction to the fundamental principles
of global geophysics. Taught in four parts, the
material builds up to form a final coherent
picture of (how we know) the structure and
evolution of the solid Earth: gravity,
magnetism, seismology, and geodynamics.
The emphasis is on physical principles
including the mathematical derivation and
solution of the governing equations.
Prerequisites: MAT 201 or 203, PHY 103/104
or PHY 105/106, or permission of the
instructor. Two 90-minute lectures.

AST 401 / PHY 401

Topics include the properties and nature of

Cosmology galaxies, quasars, clusters, superclusters, the
large-scale structure of the universe, dark
Professor/Instructor
matter, dark energy, the formation and
Neta A. Bahcall
evolution of galaxies and other structures,
microwave background radiation, and the
evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to
today. Two 90-minute lectures. Prerequisites:
MAT 201, 202; PHY 207, 208. Designed for
science and engineering majors.

AST 403 / PHY 402

Stars form by the gravitational collapse of

Stars and Star interstellar gas clouds, and as they evolve,
Formation stars return some of their gas to the
interstellar medium; altering its physical state
Professor/Instructor and chemical composition. This course
Bruce T. Draine, Adam S. Burrows discusses the properties and evolution of the
gaseous and stellar components of a galaxy;
the physics of the diffuse and dense
interstellar medium, the theory and
observations of star formation; stellar
structure; energy production and
nucleosynthesis; stellar evolution; and stellar
end states. Two 90-minute lectures.
Prerequisites: MAT 202; PHY 207, 208.
PHY 403 / MAT 493

Mathematical methods and techniques that

Mathematical Methods are essential for modern theoretical physics.
of Physics Topics such as group theory, Lie algebras, and
differential geometry are discussed and
Professor/Instructor applied to concrete physical problems. Special
attention will be given to mathematical
techniques that originated in physics, such as
functional integration and current algebras.
Three classes. Prerequisite: MAT 330 or
instructor’s permission.

PHY 405

An introduction to modern condensed-matter

Modern Physics I: physics, this course builds on quantum and
Condensed-Matter statistical mechanics to study the electronic
properties of solids, including band theory.
Physics Metals, quantum Hall effects, semiconductors,
superconductors and magnetism, as well as
Professor/Instructor phase transitions in condensed systems and
structure and dynamic of solids and liquid
crystals. Two 90-minute lectures.
Prerequisites: PHY 208, PHY 301, and PHY
305.

PHY 406

The basic features of nuclear and elementary

Modern Physics II: particle physics are described and interpreted,
Nuclear and primarily in the context of the “Standard
Model.” Problems of current interest are
Elementary Particle discussed. Two 90-minute lectures.

Physics
Professor/Instructor

PHY 408
Modern Classical The course discusses some of the most
important and beautiful phenomena described
Dynamics by classical dynamics. This includes
generalized Hamiltonian systems and
Professor/Instructor variational principles, shock waves
propagation, gravitational instabilities, simple
solitons and vortices plus elementary
exposition of the theories of turbulence and
period doubling. Two 90-minute lectures.
Prerequisite: PHY 205 or 207.

GEO 419 / PHY 419

The Earth is a physical system whose past and

Physics and Chemistry present state can be studied within the
of Earth’s Interior framework of physics and chemistry. Topics
include current concepts of geophysics and
Professor/Instructor the physics and chemistry of Earth materials;
Thomas S. Duffy origin and evolution of the Earth; and nature of
dynamic processes in its interior. One
emphasis is to relate geologic processes on a
macroscopic scale to the fundamental
materials properties of minerals and rocks.
Three lectures. Prerequisites: one year of
college-level chemistry or physics (preferably
both) and calculus. Offered alternately with
424.

GEO 442 / PHY 442

An advanced introduction to setting up and

Geodynamics solving boundary value problems relevant to
the solid Earth sciences. Topics include heat
Professor/Instructor
flow, fluid flow, elasticity and plate flexure, and
Allan Mattathias Rubin
rock rheology, with applications to mantle
convection, magma transport, lithospheric
deformation, structural geology, and fault
mechanics. Prerequisites: MAT 201 or 202.
Two 90-minute lectures.

PHY 501
 A systematic treatment of the theory of
Electricity and electromagnetic phenomena from an
Magnetism advanced standpoint. Maxwell’s equations are
discussed, with special attention given to their
Professor/Instructor physical meaning. Other topics include
dielectric and magnetic media, radiation, and
scattering.

PHY 505

The physical principles and mathematical

Quantum Mechanics formalism of non-relativistic quantum
mechanics. The principles will be illustrated by
Professor/Instructor
selected applications to topics in atomic
physics, particle physics and condensed
matter.

PHY 506 / MSE 576

A one-term course in advanced quantum

Advanced Quantum mechanics, following Physics 505. After a brief
Mechanics review of some fundamental topics (e.g.,
hydrogen atom, perturbation theory, scattering
Professor/Instructor theory) more advanced topics will be covered,
Shivaji L. Sondhi including many-body theory, operator theory,
coherent states, stability of matter and other
Coulomb systems and the theory of the Bose
gas.

MAT 595 / PHY 508

The course covers current topics in

Topics in Mathematical Physics. More specific topic
Mathematical Physics details provided when the course is offered.

Professor/Instructor
Simone Warzel

PHY 509

Quantum Field Theory

Professor/Instructor
Introduction to quantum field theory.
Herman Louis Verlinde Quantization of Klein-Gordon and Dirac fields.
Interactions with Feynman diagrams.
Elementary processes in quantum
electrodynamics. Introduction to non-abelian
gauge theory. Radiative corrections.

PHY 510

Advanced topics in Relativistic Quantum

Advanced Quantum Theory: renormalization group, non-
Field Theory perturbative techniques (solitons, instantons),
and quantum fields in curved space.
Professor/Instructor
Igor R. Klebanov

PHY 511

The physical principles and mathematical

Statistical Mechanics formalism of statistical mechanics, with an
emphasis on applications to thermodynamics,
Professor/Instructor
condensed matter physics, physical chemistry,
and astrophysics are studied.

MSE 504 / CHM 560 / PHY 512 / CBE 520

This course examines methods for simulating

Monte Carlo and matter at the molecular and electronic scale.
Molecular Dynamics Molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo and
electronic structure methods will be covered
Simulation in with emphasis on hands-on experience in
writing and/or exercising simulation codes for
Statistical Physics & atomistic and electronic structure simulation.
Materials Science
Professor/Instructor
Roberto Car

PHY 521 / MAT 597

Introduction to An introduction to mathematically rigorous
methods in physics. Topics to be covered
Mathematical Physics include classical and quantum statistical
mechanic, quantum many-body problem,
Professor/Instructor group theory, Schroedinger operators, and
Elliott H. Lieb quantum information theory.

PHY 523

A modern introduction from scratch to the

Introduction to theory of gravity, with an emphasis on
Relativity quantum effects, supersymmetry, strings, and
black holes.
Professor/Instructor

PHY 525

In the fall semester the course explores

Introduction to electronic structure of crystals, phonons,
Condensed Matter transport and magnetic properties, screening
in metals, and superconductivity. In the spring
Physics semester the focus is on “soft” condensed
matter physics, including fluids, polymers,
Professor/Instructor liquid crystals, phase transitions, generalized
David A. Huse elasticity, dislocations, dynamics and
hydrodynamics.

PHY 529

An overview of modern elementary particle

High-Energy Physics physics. The basic formalism is developed in
the context of quantum electrodynamics
Professor/Instructor
(QED), then the principle of local gauge
Mariangela Lisanti
invariance is used to generalize this to the
current “standard model” of the fundamental
forces. The latter is then applied to a variety of
physical cases. Specific topics include: weak
decays, W and Z physics, deep inelastic
scattering, CP violation, neutrino oscillations,
and Higgs searches, with an emphasis on
 areas of current interest. The course also
covers key concepts in accelerator and
detector physics.

PHY 536 / MSE 577

Fermi liquids, Luttinger liquids, the quantum

Advanced Condensed Hall effect, superconductivity, quantum
Matter Physics II magnetism, Kondo effect and localization.

Professor/Instructor
Frederick D. Haldane

PHY 539

The large N expansion in gauge theories;

Selected Topics in quantization of closed and open strings; string
High-Energy Physics perturbation theory and conformal field theory
techniques; string effective actions; and large
Professor/Instructor N matrix models and random surfaces.

PHY 540

Superstrings; low-energy effective actions; p-

Selected Topics in brane solutions in supergravity; Dirichlet
Theoretical High- branes; D-brane approach to black holes; the
AdS/CFT correspondence.
Energy Physics
Professor/Instructor

CHM 510 / PHY 544

Topics covered vary from year to year and are

Topics in Physical selected from the following: state-selected
Chemistry chemical processes; high-resolution
spectroscopy; energy transfer and
Professor/Instructor redistribution; laser-induced chemistry;
Salvatore Torquato, Roberto Car surface chemistry; electronic properties of
conjugated polymers; nonlinear optical
materials; physical electrochemistry;
 heterogeneous reaction dynamics;
spectroscopy and dynamics of clusters; and
chaotic systems.

QCB 505 / PHY 555

Analysis of recent work on quantitative,

Topics in Biophysics theoretically grounded approaches to the
and Quantitative phenomena of life. Topics rotate from year to
year, spanning all levels of biological
Biology organization, including (as examples) initial
events in photosynthesis, early embryonic
Professor/Instructor development, evolution of protein families,
William Bialek coding and computation in the brain, collective
behavior in animal groups. Assumes
knowledge of relevant physics and applicable
mathematics at advanced undergraduate
level, with tutorials on more advanced topics.
Combination of lectures with student
discussion of recent and classic papers.

PHY 557

Analog circuits: operational amplifiers, active

Electronic Methods in filters, low-level measurements, transducers,
Experimental Physics phase-lock loops, and power supplies: digital
circuits: logic, flip-flops, counters, data
Professor/Instructor transmission, A/D and D/A converters and
Norman Charles Jarosik timers; and computer hardware; computer
architecture and mini- and micro-computer
interfacing are studied. Students build about
100 circuits from voltage dividers to
microcomputers.

PHY 561

A physicist’s perspective on selected topics in

Biophysics biology. The course explores problems ranging
from functioning of individual biological
Professor/Instructor
molecules and their complexes to emerging
Robert Hamilton Austin
collective properties of biological systems.
PHY 562

A physicist’s perspective on selected topics in

Biophysics biology. The course explores problems ranging
from functioning of individual biological
Professor/Instructor
molecules and their complexes to emerging
William Bialek
collective properties of biological systems.

PHY 563

Introduces the physics and astrophysics of

Physics of the compact objects, including white dwarfs,
Universe neutron stars, and black holes. Topics included
are radio-pulsars, X-ray binaries, and gamma
Professor/Instructor ray bursts.
Paul Joseph Steinhardt

PHY 564 / AST 524

This course spans a wide range of advanced

Physics of the concepts in contemporary cosmology including
Universe inflation, the cyclic universe, dark matter and
dark energy, and how they can be explored
Professor/Instructor through cosmological observations of the
Paul Joseph Steinhardt, David N. Spergel cosmic microwave background and large scale
structure. The course will be closely linked to
the Princeton Center for Theoretical Physics
Fall 2008 program on the Big Bang and
Beyond, including weekly precept meetings
with seminar speakers.

ELE 567 / PHY 567

Electron localization in disordered

Advanced Solid-State structuresAnderson model and scaling theory
Electron Physics of localization; correlated electron
systemsHubbard model, Mott transition;
Professor/Instructor metal-insulator transitions in correlated and
Ravindra N. Bhatt disordered materials; quantum hall
effectinteger and fractional; and quantum
phase transitions.
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