Physics 211 - Computational Methods in the Physical Sciences

This course provides an overview of commonly used computational methods and their applications to physics problems. Using the Python programming language, students begin with learning how programs send instructions to computers, move on to simple data visualization, error analysis and uncertainty in computational calculations, and then progress to numerical integration and differentiation, machine learning and stochastic methods. In each case, students examine the method’s applications to relevant physics scenarios. This course is project-based, with multiple short projects throughout the semester intended to build the skills and generate a set of modules that can be used as part of a final project applying a computational method to an appropriate physics problem of the student’s choice. Prerequisites: (PHY 113 and PHY 114) or (PHY 118 or PHY 119); and MTH 112. Enrollment limited to 30.

[CE] MTH 112 & [(PHY 113 & 114) or (PHY 118 or 119)]