First-Year Studies: Foundations of Modern Physics

Catalog description

Our everyday experiences with the world around us give us an intuitive knowledge of some of the principles of physics; however, many areas of contemporary physics study the unseen—literally! This course will guide students through the core principles needed to understand modern physics and to think like a physicist. As we develop our knowledge of physics, we will study puzzles, thought experiments, and toy models of the real world to uncover the nature of our universe. Unlike traditional introductory physics courses, we will start with the modern formulations of classical mechanics, which lay the groundwork for how physical theories, including quantum mechanics, have been developed over approximately the last 100 years. We will also see how forces, such as the electromagnetic force and gravity, can be understood as field theories acting everywhere in space. As we develop our physics toolbox, we will focus on building a deep and intuitive understanding of the material, including the fundamental mathematics needed to study physics. This course will be mathematically rigorous; and while prior exposure to calculus will be helpful, a deep interest in mathematical reasoning will be essential. This seminar will focus on understanding the real-world physics at play. Work in this course will largely consist of problem sets designed to develop thinking and showcase progress over the course of the year. Biweekly in fall, students will have individual conferences with the instructor to explore a physics topic while developing skills to read and analyze research articles. In alternate weeks, students will meet for group conferences as problem- solving sessions. Occasionally, we will conduct a lab during group conference so students can experience the physics that they are studying. Biweekly in spring, students will meet with the instructor for individual conferences. Politics…