PHYS 132(S) Electromagnetism and the Physics of Matter (Q)
This course is intended as the second half of a one-year survey of physics. In the first half of the semester we will focus on electromagnetic phenomena. We will introduce the concept of electric and magnetic fields, and study in detail the way in which electrical circuits and circuit elements work. The deep connection between electric and magnetic phenomena is highlighted in a discussion of Faraday's Law of Induction. In the second half of the semester, we introduce several of the most central topics in twentieth-century physics. We will discuss Einstein's theory of special relativity as well as aspects of quantum theory. We will end with a treatment of nuclear physics, radioactivity, and uses of radiation.
Format: lecture, three hours per week; laboratory, three hours every other week. Evaluation will be based on weekly problem sets, labs, hour tests, and a final exam, all of which have a substantial quantitative component.
Prerequisites: Physics 131 or 141 or permission of instructor, and Mathematics 103. No enrollment limit (expected: 60).
Hour: STRAUCH