Small adjustments to schedule may be made, and additional readings may be suggested, as the course progresses.
| In 'readings': | |||
| B |
means |
Bohm | Causality and Chance in Modern Physics |
| C | Cushing | Philosophical Concepts in Physics | |
| E | Einstein | Relativity: The Special and General Theory | |
| F | Feynman | The Character of Physical Law | |
| Ha | Hawking | A Brief History of Time | |
| K | Kuhn | The Copernican Revolution | |
| K2 | Kuhn | The Structure of Scientific Revolutions | |
| R | Rohrlich | From Paradox to Reality | |
| S | Sklar | Philosophy of Physics | |
| Sq | Squires | The Mystery of the Quantum World | |
| Dates | Topics | Readings | Milestones |
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#1 Jan. 20 |
Overview; a taste of upcoming surprises |
R: ch 1-3 S: pp. 1-18 C: ch 1-3 |
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#2
Jan. 22 |
Ptolemy vs Copernicus; how do you decide basic scientific questions? Simplicity, common sense, hard evidence... |
K: ch 3, pp. 123-144,181-184 F: ch 2 R: ch 4 C: ch 4 |
Homework 1 due (Friday morning)! We know this is short notice, but it's needed to get you started thinking AHEAD of lectures. |
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#3 Jan. 27 |
Kepler & Galileo; physics & cosmology; the role of mathematics A new world view |
K: pp. 200-237 C: ch 5,6 |
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#4 Jan. 29 |
Kepler to Newton The meaning (& ambiguities) of Newton's laws |
R: ch 5 C: ch 7,8 |
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#5 Feb. 3 |
Newtonian space & time; symmetries; metaphysical assumptions |
S: pp. 19-25 C: ch 11,12 |
Homework 2 due |
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#6 Feb. 5 |
Conservation laws & energy |
B: pp. 1-10 S: pp. 79-82, 202-204 F: ch 4 |
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#7 Feb. 10 |
Waves, fields; electromagnetism & the ether |
S: pp. 94-117, 121-132, 142-155 B: pp. 10-33 F: ch 5 C: ch 13 |
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#8 Feb. 12 |
Searches for the luminiferous ether; why is it so elusive? | E: ch 1-8 | Homework 3 due |
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#9 Feb. 17 |
Einstein's motivation & postulates; spacetime |
E: ch 9-17 R: pp. 54-72 S: pp. 25-40 K2: Ch X C: Ch 16 |
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#10 Feb. 19 |
Unification of electricity & magnetism; E = mc2 and speed limits; locality & conservation laws |
R: pp. 73-88 C: ch 17 |
QUIZ 1! |
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#11 Feb. 24 |
Invariants |
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#12 Feb. 26 |
How do you feel gravity? What does the answer tell you about the structure of the Universe? |
R: ch 7 S: pp. 40-69 C: ch 18 |
Homework 4 due |
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#13 Mar. 3 |
Ttopology; GR cosmology |
S: pp. 69-90 Ha: ch 3 |
Term paper consultations |
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#14 Mar. 5 |
More cosmology; philosophical implications BTW, does the Earth go around the Sun or vice-versa? |
Term paper consultations | |
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#15 Mar. 10 |
Thermodynamics, probability, & the arrow of time Causality & chance |
R: pp. 49-54 | Term paper consultations |
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#16 Mar. 12 |
Experimental basis of QM; lacunae & anomalies of classical physics Light is a particle & electrons are waves (sort of) |
R: ch 9 S: pp. 157-164 C: ch 19 |
Homework 5 due |
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#17 Mar. 17 |
De Broglie's hypothesis; probability & uncertainty Interference, Copenhagen interpretation(s) |
R: ch 10 S: pp. 164-172 F: ch 6 Sq: ch 1.3-2.6 |
Term paper topic due |
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#18 Mar. 19 |
EPR thought experiment; |
R: pp. 169-180 S: pp. 213-225 Sq: ch 5 C: ch 22 |
Term paper consultations |
| Spring break | |||
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#19 Mar. 31 |
Bell's theorem; is local realism dead? |
S: pp 172-191 Sq: ch 3 |
Term paper consultations QUIZ 2! |
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#20 Apr. 2 |
Intro to QM "measurement" Determinism, chance, & objectivity in QM |
S: pp 202-212 Sq: ch 4, 6 C: ch 21 |
Term paper outline/ partial draft due |
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#21 Apr. 7 |
More possible approaches to measurement; reality, entanglement & decoherence |
R: pp. 180-184 S: pp. 191-202 Sq: ch. 7 C: ch 23,24 |
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#22 Apr. 9 |
Quantum summary | ||
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#23 Apr. 14 |
Return to entropic arrow, entropy & entanglement |
Homework 6 due | |
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#24 Apr. 16 |
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Ha: ch 8 | |
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#25 Apr. 21 |
Arrows of time | Ha: ch 3,9 | First complete draft of term paper due |
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#26 Apr. 23 |
Symmetry breaking; cosmology; inflation? |
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#27 Apr. 28 |
Why are we here? String landscapes & the anthropic principle |
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#28 Apr. 30 |
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#29 May 5 |
Course summary: we talk about any issues that you want | ||
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