PHYS 100(S) Contemporary Physics

Many everyday phenomena, from why things fall to the colors of the rainbow, can be understood using physics. Physics principles also underlie most new technology, from compacts disks and grocery store scanners to fiber optical communications and computers. These could not have been developed without deep insights into the subtle texture of the physical world as viewed at the most fundamental level, the level of curved spacetime, wave-particle duality, and quantum uncertainty. This course will investigate the concepts underlying contemporary physics, from the mundane to the most bizarre, using only basic mathematics (algebra and trigonometry). Evaluation will based on weekly homework, a midterm exam, a final exam, and a five-page paper. No prerequisites.

Hour:  KRAUSE