Qualifying Examinations and Materials

Here you can find qualifying examinations from previous years. The materials are provided in PDF format. 

Fall

2020 2019  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014  2013  2012  2011  2010  2000  1999  1998  1997  1996  1995

Spring

2021 2020  2019  2018  2017  2016  2015  2014  2013  2012  2011  2010  2000  1999  1998  1997  1996  1995

Qualifying Material

Instead of a list of topics for the qualifier, we have chosen common books used to teach the relevant material and have marked the chapters that contain material that could be covered in the qualifier. The books are only serving as a shortcut in listing topics and are not meant to be specific suggestions as study guides.

All material in a standard introductory (freshman/sophomore) physics class with calculus can be on the qualifier. For example, any of the material in "Fundamentals of Physics, 10th Ed." by Halliday & Resnick and Jearl Walker - see table of contents (PDF) - could be on the qualifier.

There is some material that is expected to be known at a lower level but not at a higher level. Two examples:

1. Blackbody radiation is not included at the level of  "An Introduction to Thermal Physics" by Schroeder but is included at the level of "Modern Physics, 6th Ed." by Tippler and Llewellyn.
2. Relativity is not included at the level of "Introduction to Electrodynamics, 4th Ed." by Griffiths but is included at the level of "Modern Physics, 6th Ed." by Tippler and Llewellyn.

There are other examples besides these so you should check the lower level texts.

Additional Books

For all books, the subsections are also included if a section is included. For example, if section 7.1 is specified, then all of the subsections of 7.1 are included unless specific subsections are mentioned. A pdf of the table of contents of each book is included, with marked sections, to reduce confusion.

"Modern Physics, 6th Ed." by Tippler and Llewellyn
Material: Chapters 1-8 (PDF)

"Classical Dynamics of Particles and Systems, 5th Ed." by Thornton and Marion
Material (PDF):

• Chapters 1-3,
• Chapter 5: sections 5.1-5.3,
• Chapter 6,
• Chapter 7: sections 7.1-7.10, 7.13,
• Chapter 8: sections 8.1-8.7,
• Chapter 9: sections 9.1-9.8, 9.11,
• Chapter 12: sections 12.1-12.4

"Introduction to Electrodynamics, 4th Ed." by Griffiths
Material (PDF):

• Chapters 1-5,
• Chapter 7,
• Chapter 8: Section 8.1,
• Chapter 9: Sections 9.1-9.3

"Introduction to Quantum Mechanics, 3rd Ed." by Griffiths and Schroeter
Material (PDF):

• Chapters 1-4: through sections 4.4.2,
• Chapter 5: sections 5.1, 5.1.1,
• Chapter 7: sections 7.1, 7.1.1, 7.1.2

"An Introduction to Thermal Physics" by Schroeder
Material (PDF):

• Chapter 1: sections 1.1-1.6,
• Chapters 2 & 3,
• Chapter 4: sections 4.1, 4.2,
• Chapter 5: sections 5.1-5.3,
• Chapter 6,
• Chapter 7: sections 7.1-7.2