| Content: | This course concentrates on twentieth and twenty-first century physics. We begin with a study of special relativity theory which is necessary for a correct treatment of the kinematics and dynamics of objects that move at “relativistic” speeds (say, greater than about 10% the speed of light). Then we turn our attention to quantum mechanics which is required for an understanding of atomic-scale phenomena. One of the notable facts about these new theories is that they encompass the classical ones the laws of relativity and quantum mechanics reduce to familiar forms at slow speeds and large distances. Finally, we apply these foundational theories of modern physics to a number of areas such as molecular structure, solid-state physics, and nuclear physics.
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The course syllabus and other documents handed out in class can be accessed from this web page.