2026-27

PHYS-22023 credit hours

Optics and Waves

Physics · 3 hrs Lecture | 3 hrs Lab

Offering schedule: contact department

The calendar doesn't say which term this runs in. The sections below show the terms it actually runs in this year.

PHYS-2202 prerequisites

10 courses appear in this chain, up to 6 levels deep. 4 are needed whichever route you take: PHYS-1101 → PHYS-2105 → PHYS-2106 → PHYS-2200

Show the chain

all of

all of

PHYS-2105Mathematical Physics I

all of

PHYS-1101Foundations of Physics

all of

all of

Physics 40S

any one of

Pre-Calculus Mathematics 40S

Applied Mathematics 40S

any one of

all of

MATH-1103Introduction to Calculus I

any one of

Pre-Calculus Mathematics 40S

MATH-0042Mathematics Access IImin C

any one of

A minimum grade of 65% in Pre-Calculus 30S

MATH-0041Mathematics Access Imin C+

permission of the Department Chair

MATH-0040not in the 2026-27 calendar

MATH-1104Introduction to Calculus II

MATH-1103Introduction to Calculus Imin C

Its prerequisites are shown above.

MATH-1101not in the 2026-27 calendar

any one of

MATH-1101not in the 2026-27 calendar

Its prerequisites are shown above.

all of

MATH-1103Introduction to Calculus I

Its prerequisites are shown above.

MATH-1104Introduction to Calculus II

Its prerequisites are shown above.

PHYS-2200Electricity and Magnetism

all of

all of

PHYS-1101Foundations of Physics

Its prerequisites are shown above.

any one of

MATH-1101not in the 2026-27 calendar

Its prerequisites are shown above.

all of

MATH-1103Introduction to Calculus I

Its prerequisites are shown above.

MATH-1104Introduction to Calculus II

Its prerequisites are shown above.

PHYS-2105Mathematical Physics I

Its prerequisites are shown above.

PHYS-2106Mathematical Physics II

any one of

all of

PHYS-1101Foundations of Physics

Its prerequisites are shown above.

any one of

MATH-1101not in the 2026-27 calendar

Its prerequisites are shown above.

all of

MATH-1103Introduction to Calculus I

Its prerequisites are shown above.

MATH-1104Introduction to Calculus II

Its prerequisites are shown above.

PHYS-2105Mathematical Physics I

Its prerequisites are shown above.

Some branches run deeper than shown, open a course to follow it further.

Add your completed courses to see which of these you've already done and what you could take next. They stay on this device.

Where PHYS-2202 counts

Required by 5 programs:

PHYS 3-YEAR BSc (APPLIED PHYSICS STREAM)
PHYS 4-YEAR BSc IN PHYSICS
PHYS HONOURS BSc IN PHYSICS
PHYS HONOURS BSc (MATHEMATICAL PHYSICS STREAM)
PHYS HONOURS BSc (MEDICAL PHYSICS STREAM)

Counts toward 4 more as one option among several, not as a course you must take:

PHYS 3-YEAR BSc IN PHYSICS
PHYS HONOURS BSc (CHEMICAL PHYSICS STREAM)
PHYS HONOURS BSc (COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS STREAM)
PHYS MINOR IN PHYSICS

Read from the departments' own calendar pages, where 50 of 208 programs are only partly machine-readable, so treat these as a minimum rather than the full list. Confirm with an academic advisor.

Description

This course provides an introduction to optics and wave motion. Topics covered include geometric optics with lenses and mirrors, Snell's law, the wave equation and basic properties of waves, interference and diffraction, wave vectors, and wave velocities. Other topics may include polarization and Fourier optics.

Requisite courses

PHYS-2105 and PHYS-2200 [prerequisite(s)]; PHYS-2106 (must be taken previously or at the same time as this course); PHYS-2202L (lab) (must be taken concurrently).

Restrictions

Students may not hold credit for this course and PHYS-2201.

LectureLab

From the 2026-27 undergraduate calendar. Always verify details on WebAdvisor or with an academic advisor before registering.