Go to
Phys 491
Catalog Description.
A seminar on the history and philosophy of physics, emphasizing the
essential unity of the discipline and exploring questions of how
physics
relates to the other natural sciences. Intended to serve as a capstone
experience for physics majors.
Course Description:
The capstone course for physics majors. This
course
will emphasize the essential unity of physics and the integration of
previous
knowledge to understand new, more complex physical systems. The
class
format will be partly lecture but largely based on in-class student-led
discussion
of the readings and short presentations. The course covers 4
primary
areas:
Syllabus
Length
Scales by John Baez - A Tour of 4 Basic Length Scales in
Physics.
Physics
Timeline:
You will need to memorize this for the final quiz.
Advice
for giving slide presentations
Previous Student Web Pages/Projects
Tentative Schedule
|
|
|
||
| Week 1 | Tuesday: | Go over Syllabus/Discuss Projects | |
| Thursday: | Lecture - Greek Science - Dr. Tom | ||
| Week 2 | Tuesday: | Discuss Mechanics Galileo and Newton |
|
| Thursday: | Discuss Electric Charge Coulomb and Cavendish |
Assn #1 | |
| Week 3 | Tuesday: | Discuss Optics Young and Fresnel |
|
| Thursday: | Discuss Conservation of Energy Joule |
||
| Week 4 | Tuesday: | Project management: Dr. Tovar Project Management - Wiki Gantt Charts - Wiki Pert Charts - Wiki Advice for giving slide presentations |
Assn
#2 Must have project idea figured out |
| Thursday: | Discuss Electromagnetism Hertz and Maxwell |
||
| Week 5 | Tuesday: | Discuss xrays/radioactivity Roentgen & Becquerel |
|
| Thursday: | Discuss the electron Thomson and Millikin |
Assn #3 due February 8 (Cavendish and Coulomb) | |
| Week 6 | Tuesday: | Discuss Quantum Mechanics Planck and Bohr |
|
| Thursday: | Discuss "Thiry Years that Shook Physics" Ch. 1 |
||
| Week 7 | Tuesday: | 30 years - Ch. 2 |
|
| Thursday: | 30 years - Ch. 3 |
||
| Week 8 | Tuesday: | 30 years - Ch 4 |
Rough draft of manuscript due, have copies for each student and prof. |
| Thursday: | 30 years - Ch. 5 |
||
| Week 9 | Tuesday: | 30 years - Ch. 6 |
|
| Thursday: | 30 years - Ch. 7-9 |
||
| Week 10 | Tuesday: | Length
Scales in physics - Dr. Tom |
|
| Thursday: | Scaling Laws - Dr. Tom |
||
| Finals Week | Project Presentations | Project Due |
Go
to Physics Dept. Home Page.