Intended for students whose primary interests lie outside of the natural sciences
and mathematics, this course explores the character of physical law by studying
a few specific examples. We start with Newtonian mechanics and some of the
historical background out of which that theory developed. Next we turn to the
nature of space and time as understood in Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity, stopping when we have reached the most famous equation in science,
E=mc2. After a short practical look at electric circuits, we spend the remainder
of the semester looking at the science which underlies the electronic technology
which surrounds us. Every student will build a simple circuit. The mathematics
used in the course will be algebra and trigonometry.
Format: lecture, three hours per week/home and self-scheduled experiments.
Evaluation will be based on regular problem sets, brief lab reports, very brief
essays, occasional quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam, all with a significant
quantitative component.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 115 (expected: 100).