General Physics II (Algebra-Based)

Course Description

PHY2054C – General Physics II is a 4-credit, integrated lecture-and-laboratory course that continues the algebra- and trigonometry-based survey begun in PHY2053C. The course covers electricity, magnetism, electromagnetic induction, AC and DC circuits, electromagnetic waves, geometric and wave optics, and a brief introduction to modern physics including relativity, quantum, atomic, and nuclear topics. The integrated "C" format means lecture and laboratory meet as a unified course; students apply theoretical concepts directly through hands-on experimentation each week.

The course sits within the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System (SCNS) under Physical Sciences > Physics and is offered at approximately 31 Florida public institutions, making it one of the most widely-adopted science courses in the state. It functions as the second semester of the algebra-based physics sequence required for pre-health professions (pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-pharmacy, pre-physical therapy), biological sciences, agricultural sciences, environmental science, information technology, and many engineering technology pathways. Engineering majors typically take the calculus-based sequence (PHY2048C/PHY2049C) instead.

PHY2054C is designed to fulfill general education laboratory science requirements at Florida public colleges and universities, and articulates seamlessly into the State University System (SUS) under the 2+2 transfer pathway. It satisfies the laboratory science component of the AA degree at all Florida College System institutions when paired with PHY2053C.

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of PHY2054C, students will be able to:

• Apply Coulomb's law, the principles of electric fields, and Gauss's law to analyze charge distributions and field configurations.
• Use the concepts of electric potential, potential energy, and capacitance to solve problems involving charged particles and capacitor networks.
• Analyze direct-current (DC) circuits using Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's rules, and series/parallel resistor and capacitor combinations.
• Describe magnetic forces and fields, including the Biot-Savart and Ampère's laws, and analyze the motion of charged particles in magnetic fields.
• Apply Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction and Lenz's law to predict induced EMFs and currents.
• Explain the nature and properties of electromagnetic waves, including their generation, propagation, and the electromagnetic spectrum.
• Solve problems in geometric optics involving reflection, refraction, mirrors, and thin lenses, including ray-tracing and the lens-maker's equation.
• Analyze wave optics phenomena, including interference, diffraction, and polarization.
• Describe foundational concepts of modern physics, including special relativity, the photoelectric effect, atomic structure, and basic nuclear physics.
• Conduct laboratory experiments safely and accurately, collecting data with appropriate instruments, analyzing uncertainty, and communicating results in formal lab reports.

Optional Outcomes

Depending on instructor and institutional emphasis, students may also:

• Analyze alternating-current (AC) circuits involving resistors, capacitors, and inductors using phasor methods.
• Apply special relativity to problems involving time dilation, length contraction, and relativistic energy.
• Explore nuclear physics topics in greater depth, including radioactive decay, half-life calculations, fission, and fusion.
• Use quantum mechanical concepts such as wave-particle duality, the de Broglie wavelength, and the uncertainty principle qualitatively.
• Apply physics to medical imaging technologies such as X-ray, MRI, and ultrasound (common at institutions with strong pre-health enrollment).

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Electric Charge and Electric Fields: Coulomb's law, electric field lines, dipoles, conductors and insulators, Gauss's law (qualitative or quantitative depending on institution).
• Electric Potential and Capacitance: Electric potential energy, voltage, equipotential surfaces, parallel-plate capacitors, dielectrics, energy stored in capacitors.
• DC Circuits: Current, resistance, resistivity, Ohm's law, power dissipation, EMF and internal resistance, series/parallel networks, Kirchhoff's rules, RC circuits.
• Magnetism: Magnetic fields and forces, motion of charges in fields, magnetic force on currents, Biot-Savart and Ampère's laws, solenoids, magnetic materials.
• Electromagnetic Induction: Faraday's law, Lenz's law, motional EMF, generators and transformers, self- and mutual inductance, RL circuits.
• Electromagnetic Waves and Light: Maxwell's equations (qualitative), the EM spectrum, the speed of light, energy and momentum of EM waves.
• Geometric Optics: Reflection, refraction, total internal reflection, mirrors (plane, spherical), thin lenses, image formation, optical instruments.
• Wave Optics: Young's double-slit, single-slit diffraction, diffraction gratings, thin-film interference, polarization.
• Modern Physics Introduction: Special relativity (postulates, time dilation, length contraction, mass-energy equivalence), photoelectric effect, blackbody radiation, atomic models (Bohr), nuclear structure, radioactivity, nuclear reactions.
• Laboratory Practice: Use of multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, optical benches, and standard electromagnetic apparatus; data analysis with uncertainty propagation.

Optional Topics

• AC Circuits: RMS values, impedance, resonance, power factor, phasor diagrams.
• Quantum Physics Extensions: Wave functions, the hydrogen atom in greater detail, quantum numbers, Pauli exclusion.
• Nuclear and Particle Physics: Binding energy, decay chains, applications in medicine and energy.
• Medical and Biological Applications: Bioelectric phenomena, medical imaging principles, dosimetry.
• Solid-State and Semiconductor Concepts: Band theory introduction, p-n junctions, applications.

Resources & Tools

• Most-adopted textbooks at Florida institutions: College Physics by Serway and Vuille (Cengage); College Physics by Young and Geller (Pearson); College Physics by Hewitt; OpenStax College Physics (free, increasingly adopted as the zero-textbook-cost option, used at FSCJ, Valencia, Miami Dade, and others).
• Online platforms: WebAssign, Mastering Physics, OpenStax Tutor, MyOpenMath — used for problem sets and adaptive practice.
• Laboratory equipment: Digital multimeters, DC power supplies, function generators, oscilloscopes, optical benches with light sources, lenses, mirrors, diffraction gratings, magnets and field-line sensors, capacitor and inductor sets.
• Simulation software: PhET Interactive Simulations (University of Colorado, free), used widely across Florida for circuit, optics, and modern physics demonstrations.
• Calculator: Scientific or graphing calculator (TI-30, TI-84, or equivalent) — many institutions prohibit symbolic-algebra calculators on exams.
• Reference resources: American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) educational materials; OpenStax ancillary materials.

Career Pathways

Successful completion of PHY2054C supports entry into and progression through these pathways relevant to Florida's economy:

• Pre-health professions: Medicine (MD/DO), dentistry, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, optometry, veterinary medicine — most U.S. medical schools require one year of physics with lab.
• Biological and life sciences: Biology, marine biology, ecology, biotechnology — particularly relevant in Florida's coastal and aquatic-research employer landscape.
• Allied health technology: Radiologic technology, diagnostic medical sonography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy.
• Information technology and engineering technology: CompTIA-track careers, telecommunications, electronics technology programs throughout the Florida College System.
• K–12 science teaching: Florida's secondary science teacher certification pathways accept this course as content preparation.
• Pre-environmental science and agricultural science: Soil physics, hydrology, agricultural technology — relevant for Florida's agricultural employers.

Special Information

Articulation and Transfer

PHY2054C is part of the Florida statewide common course numbering and articulates directly to corresponding 4-year institution courses (typically PHY2054 or equivalent). It satisfies general education laboratory science requirements under the State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.030 and counts toward the lower-division natural science requirement of the AA degree. Students transferring to the SUS should confirm that the algebra-based sequence (rather than calculus-based) meets their intended major's prerequisites — engineering majors typically need PHY2048C/PHY2049C, not PHY2053C/PHY2054C.

Course Format and Position in Curriculum

The integrated lecture-laboratory format means students cannot complete the course by attending lecture only; lab attendance and successful lab work are required components. Most institutions schedule lecture meetings of 3 hours/week and laboratory meetings of 2–3 hours/week. Typical contact hours total 75 per semester, though some institutions schedule up to 90.

PHY2054C is taken in sequence after PHY2053C (General Physics I). Many programs require both with a grade of C or higher. Check institutional catalogs for grade-and-pace requirements specific to your transfer institution.

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

The standard prerequisite is PHY2053C with a minimum grade of C. Some institutions (notably Valencia College and others) accept PHY2048C (calculus-based Physics I) as an alternative. A working knowledge of algebra and trigonometry is assumed; many institutions list MAC1105 (College Algebra) or higher as a co-prerequisite to PHY2053C.

Course Code Variations

The same content is also offered as the algebra-based "College Physics II" at some institutions under the same SCNS code. The calculus-based equivalent is PHY2049C – Physics with Calculus II (engineering majors should consult their institution's articulation agreements carefully — these are not interchangeable for engineering or physics degree requirements).

Time Commitment

PHY2054C is one of the more challenging gen-ed-eligible science courses. Students typically need 8–12 hours of study and lab preparation per week beyond class meetings. The combination of new conceptual material (electromagnetism is non-intuitive), problem-solving demands, and lab reporting makes this a course where ongoing weekly engagement matters far more than cramming.