PHYS 107(F) Newton, Einstein, and Beyond (Q)
This course follows a quest to understand the nature of space, time, matter, and energy, one that continues to this day. We will focus on two scientific theories that revolutionized our understanding of the physical world, Newtonian mechanics (developed in the late 17th century) and Einstein's special relativity (developed in the early 20th century). As we explore these theories, we will pay special attention to the very different stories they tell about space and time. We will conclude the semester by touching upon recent developments in cosmology, where observations have led to dramatic surprises about the make-up of our universe, and particle physics, where the Large Hadron Collider experiment is poised to extend our understanding of nature to higher energies and shorter distances.
This course is intended for students whose primary interests lie outside of the natural sciences and mathematics. The mathematics used will be algebra and trigonometry. Every student will have three meetings every week. Some weeks the three meetings will be lectures (MWF 10-10:50), other weeks there will be two lectures (MF 10-10:50), and one conference section.
Format: lecture, three hours per week; problem-solving conference section, one hour per week. Evaluation will be based on regular problem sets, very brief essays, occasional quizzes, a midterm, and a final exam, all with a significant quantitative component (see the description of the QFR requirement).
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 100 (expected: 70). Preference given to students based on seniority.
Hour: TUCKER-SMITH