ASTR 110 Planets, Stars, and Galaxies (4). F and S. Core: The Physical World. This course surveys the major astronomical objects, including planets, stars, and galaxies. The course includes: a study of their characteristics and their organization into a dynamic, structured universe; an investigation of the processes now occurring in the universe and the methods used to study them; and a presentation of the history and development of the universe. The course examines scientific perspectives on the natural world, various relationships between science and culture, the role of Christianity in the development of science, and relationships between Christianity and current scientific findings. Not open to students who have taken, or wish to take, ASTR 111 or ASTR 112. Students who meet the prerequisites of ASTR 211 or ASTR 212 are encouraged to take one of those courses instead. Laboratory. Prerequisite: core "Gateway" course.

ASTR 111 The Solar System (4). F. Core: The Physical World. This course is similar to ASTR 110 in providing an introduction to astronomy from a Christian perspective, but emphasizes the contents of our solar system (ranging from planets and satellites down to meteorites and dust), their interrelatedness, and their development over time. Not open to students who have taken ASTR 110, but open to students who have taken or plan to take ASTR 112. Students who meet the prerequisites of ASTR 211 or ASTR 212 are encouraged to take one of those courses instead. Laboratory. Prerequisite: core "Gateway" course.

ASTR 112 Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe (4). S. Core: The Physical World. This course is similar to ASTR 110 in providing an introduction to astronomy from a Christian perspective, but emphasizes objects beyond our solar system (including stars, black holes, and galaxies), their function and development, and how they fit into the structure and development of the universe as a whole. Not open to students who have taken ASTR 110, but open to students who have taken or plan to take ASTR 111. Students who meet the prerequisites of ASTR 211 or ASTR 212 are encouraged to take one of those courses instead. Laboratory. Prerequisite: core "Gateway" course.

ASTR 211 Planetary and Stellar Astronomy (4). F, alternate years. Core: Core: The Physical World. This course is an introduction to modern astronomy and astrophysics for students with some science and math preparation. The first portion of the course includes a study of the planets and other objects in the solar system, including their physical processes and development and the formation of the solar system as a whole. The second portion of the course emphasizes the physical structure of stars, their origin and development, and their end results (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes). Students may take both ASTR 211 and ASTR 212, but one is not a prerequisite for the other. Laboratory. Prerequisites: one course in college calculus (such as Math132 or Math161) and one course in high school or college physics, or permission of the instructor.

ASTR 212 Galactic Astronomy and Cosmology (4). F, alternate years. Core: The Physical World. This course is an introduction to modern astronomy and astrophysics for students with some science and math preparation. The first portion of the course includes a study of our own Galaxy, its structure, its contents (including the interstellar medium and dark matter), and its formation and development. The second portion of the course covers other galaxies, including their classification, clustering, and development, as well as active galaxies and quasars. The final portion of the course covers physical cosmology, including expansion of the universe, its age and ultimate fate, and the formation of elements. Students may take both ASTR 211 and ASTR 212, but one is not a prerequisite for the other. Laboratory. Prerequisites: one course in college calculus (such as Math132 or Math161) and one course in high school or college physics, or permission of the instructor.

CHEM 101 The Molecular World (4). F or S. Core: The Physical World. This is a general course designed for the non-science major and the elementary-education student. The course explores the role of chemistry and its resulting technologies in the environment and contemporary society. It emphasizes the nature of scientific investigation, some historical developments in chemical theory, chemical periodicity and reactivity, and our daily interaction with synthetic materials and chemicals. The course is taught from a biblical worldview and addresses issues such as the validity and limitations of scientific knowledge, human responsibility in applying such knowledge in society, and the care and stewardship of natural resources. Laboratory.

CHEM 103 General Chemistry I (4). F. Core: The Physical World. This course is a study of the basic principles of chemistry, with emphasis on the laws of chemical combination, descriptive inorganic chemistry, thermochemistry, the gas, liquid, and solid states of matter, the periodic law, atomic structure and chemical bonding, and the nature of intermolecular forces. The course is taught from a biblical and reformed worldview and addresses issues such as the validity and limitations of scientific knowledge, the methodology of the physical sciences, human responsibility in applying such knowledge in society, and the care and stewardship of natural resources. Laboratory. Prerequisite: one year of high-school chemistry or permission of the instructor. Note: Successful completion of the CHEM 103-104 sequence meets the two-course requirement of the Natural World category.

CHEM 104 General Chemistry II (4). S. Core: The Physical World. This is a continuation of 103 with emphasis on the physical properties of aqueous solutions, kinetics, and chemical thermodynamics, including entropy and Gibbs energy. Coverage includes chemical equilibria involving gases, weak acids and bases, and slightly soluble salts. Other topics include electrochemistry, transition metal chemistry, descriptive chemistry, and nuclear chemistry. The course is taught from a biblical worldview and addresses issues such as the implications of the laws of thermodynamics for the development of highly-organized systems, human responsibility in applying scientific knowledge in society, and the care and stewardship of natural resources. Laboratory. Prerequisite: CHEM 103 or the equivalent. Note: Successful completion of the CHEM 103-104 sequence meets the two-course requirement of the Natural World category.

CHEM 115 Chemistry for the Health Sciences (4). F and S. Core: The Physical World. This course is specifically designed for those planning for a health-care career such as Nursing or other allied health careers that require a chemistry course. The fundamental concepts of general chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry are presented with an emphasis on the chemical nature of biological systems. Topics such as molecular bonding and structure, equilibrium chemistry, and chemical reactivity as illustrated by acid/base reactions and redox reactions are presented in a biological context such as membranes, enzymes, buffers, and cellular energy metabolism. This course is taught from a biblical worldview. Issues regarding the ethics and stewardship of health are discussed. Laboratory. Prerequisite: high-school chemistry.

GEOL/GEOG 120 Earth Systems (4). F and S. Core: The Physical World. This course includes an introductory study of physical systems and historical processes that shape the surface of the earth. Topics include 1) the physical nature of the earth's surface based on composition of earth materials and the forces that create landforms, 2) weather and climatic systems and their effect on the global distribution of soils and ecological communities, and 3) the oceans. Understanding of earth systems is applied to concepts of stewardship, resource use, and energy consumption. Laboratory.

GEOL 151 Introduction to Geology (4). F and S. Core: The Physical World. This course is a study of the materials and processes of earth leading to a responsible Christian appreciation for and stewardship of earth. Topics include minerals and rocks, earth's interior and surface structure; surface processes producing landforms; geological time and principles for interpreting earth history; mineral resources and fossil fuels; and geological hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, landslides, and groundwater pollution. Laboratory. Note: Successful completion of the GEOL 151-152 sequence meets the two-course requirement of the Natural World category.

GEOL 152 Historical Geology (4). S. Core: The Physical World. The first portion of this course traces the development of the study of earth through the past few centuries, as geology became a true scientific discipline and as its practitioners became convinced of earth's antiquity. Attention is given to relating views of earth history to the Genesis record. During the remainder of the course, evidence for the particulars of earth history, with emphasis on North America, is outlined. Topics include the origin of the earth and its moon; the origin of continents and ocean basins; rock deformation caused by plate motion and the creation of mountain ranges through history; and sedimentary deposits of intracontinental seas. The laboratory builds on rock classification and map techniques introduced in Geology 151. Prerequisite: GEOL 151 or equivalent. Note: Successful completion of the GEOL 151-152 sequence meets the two-course requirement of the Natural World category.

GEOL/GEOG 251 Oceanography (4). F, alternate years. Core: The Physical World.This survey course includes: the history of marine exploration; the nature of the ocean floor, including submarine volcanoes, oceanic crust, sea-floor spreading, and marine sediments; coastal geomorphic processes; the properties of seawater; the nature of tides and currents; ecological marine biogeography, including marine plankton, deep-water biota, coral reef communities, and estuarine and intertidal marine communities; and stewardship of marine resources. Laboratory. Prerequisite: sophomore status.

IDIS 160 Energy: Resources, Use, and Stewardship (4). F and/or S. Core: The Physical World. An introduction to the nature of energy and energy transformations with an emphasis on the different forms of energy and the use and availability of different energy resources, this course includes a study of the environmental implications of the use of a variety of energy resources such as fossil fuels, renewable resources, and nuclear energy resources. This course is taught from a biblical worldview and includes a discussion of the relationship between God, humans, the creation, the nature of science, and the validity and limitations of scientific knowledge. From these discussions a biblical view of stewardship and its implications for our use of energy resources is developed. Laboratory.

IDIS/GEOG 191 (Formerly IDIS/GEOG 250) An Introduction to Meteorology (4). F and/or S. Core: The Physical World. This course is a study of the atmosphere and the processes that cause weather. Special attention is given to weather conditions that make up climate. These conditions include temperature, solar radiation, clouds, precipitation, air pressure, and winds. Natural factors that impact the weather and climate are introduced; these factors include altitude, latitude, and proximity to mountains and bodies of water. This course is taught from a biblical worldview and discusses such matters as the relationship between God, humans, and the rest of creation, the scientific method as applied to the investigation of the atmosphere and atmospheric process, the validity and limitations of scientific knowledge, and the impact of humans on this part of the creation. Regarding the latter, attention is given to the problems of acid rain, photochemical smog, the greenhouse effect, and the ozone hole. Laboratory.

PHYS 113 Scientific Analysis for Elementary School Teachers (4). F and S, Core: The Physical World. This course integrates life, earth, and physical science, as well as the process of science, at a level that is appropriate for those planning to teach at the elementary level. Students gain the skills and content mastery necessary for engaging in inquiry-based science at the elementary level. Topics covered include the development of evidence in scientific investigations, the process of scientific analysis through framing scientific questions and conducting experiments, and solving scientific problems. These scientific processes are analyzed and discussed in terms of their limits and their relevancy to a Christian perspective of the world and science. Prerequisites: Physics 112. Elementary-education students pursuing a science minor should take Physics 212 instead of this course.

PHYS 133 Introductory Physics: Mechanics and Gravity (4). F and S. Core: The Physical World. An introduction to classical Newtonian mechanics applied to linear and rotational motion; a study of energy and momentum and their associated conservation laws; introductions to oscillations and to gravitation. Attention is given throughout to the assumptions and methodologies of the physical sciences. Laboratory. Prerequisites: Mathematics 161 or permission of the instructor.

PHYS 134 Matter, Space and Energy (4). S. Core: The Physical World. Theories of the fundamental character of matter, interactions, and space, including historical perspectives. Observational astronomy, Greek science, and the five essences. The Copernican revolution and the Newtonian synthesis. Gravity and force at a distance. The atomic model of matter, including the states of matter. Introductory thermodynamics and the arrow of time. Blackbody radiation and energy quantization. Electromagnetic and nuclear forces. Radioactivity, nuclear processes, and the weak force. E = mc2. Quarks, gluons and the Standard Model. Relativity and Spacetime. String Theory. Modern Cosmology. Perspectives on the character of scientific inquiry, models, and humans' quest for understanding. Laboratory. Prerequisites: Mathematics 132, 161, or permission of the instructor.

PHYS 212 Inquiry-Based Physics (4). F. Core: The Physical World. This course provides a hands-on study of important concepts in physics. The course is designed specifically to meet the needs of teacher-education students who wish to be elementary- or middle-school science specialists, but is open to other students who satisfy the prerequisites. Topics covered include mechanics (energy, force, friction, work, torque, momentum, and simple machines), pressure, waves, sound, light, resonance, electricity, magnetism, and radioactivity. Reflections on the nature of physical science and the physical world are included; connections to everyday experience and to technology are discussed. Prerequisite: Physics 112 or high-school physics.

PHYS 221 General Physics (4). F. Core: The Physical World. This course is designed for those who do not intend to do further work in physics. Topics covered in the two-semester sequence (Physics 221-222) include Newtonian mechanics, fluids, waves, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, light, optics, atomic physics, and nuclear radiation. Attention is given throughout to quantitative analysis, empirical methods, experimental uncertainties, perspectives on the assumptions and methodologies of the physical sciences, and the use of physics in the life sciences. Laboratory. Prerequisites: high-school algebra and trigonometry.

PHYS 223 Physics for Health Sciences (4). F. Core: The Physical World. This course is an introduction to those topics in physics which are applicable to a variety of health science fields with emphasis on understanding various physical aspects of the human body. Topics include: basic laboratory techniques and instruments for physical measurements, data analysis, basic mechanics with application to forces experienced by muscles and skeleton, fluids with application to the pulmonary and circulatory systems, heat with application to the body's caloric balance, and a significant discussion of the nature of physical science with possible Christian approaches. Additional topics may include electrical circuits, sound, optics, radioactivity and x-rays. Laboratory. Prerequisites: high-school geometry and algebra. Not open to those who have taken or plan to take 221.

PHYS 235 Introductory Physics: Electricity and Magentism (4). F. Core: The Physical World. A study of electric and magnetic forces, fields, and energy, and of the integral form of Maxwell's equations which describe these fields; electric circuits. Laboratory. Prerequisites: 133, and concurrent registration in or completion of Mathematics 261.

Last updated Tuesday, July 22, 2008