1. Schedule

Lecture 1 - Introduction and Syllabus 2006

Introduction, requirements, texts, syllabus

Lecture 2 - Requirements, projects, early relativity

Requirements, projects, beginning of Classical Relativity

Lecture 3 - Relative motion, velocity, Newton

Classical relative motion, velocity, Newton's Laws, Galilean Relativity.

Lecture 4 - EM waves, ether, light

Waves, EM waves, ether, light, Einstein's postulates

Lecture 5 - Time and space relative

Light clock, Time dilation, length contraction

Lecture 6 - Space-time, velocity, twins

Time dilation, Length contraction, Velocity combination, twin paradox

Lecture 7 - From twins to relativistic energy

Twins, relativistic momentum & energy, E = mc²

Lecture 8 - Relativistic energy

Relativistic energy, rest energy, nuclear reactions and mass change

Lecture 9 - Nuclear energy and general relativity

Nuclear binding energy, fusion, fission, equivalence principle, General Relativity begins

Lecture 10 - General relativity

General view of General Relativity - equivalence principle, space curvature, tests, cosmology

Lecture 11 -Cosmology and quantum introduction

Cosmology: Expansion of universe, Hubble's constant, Big Bang, Temp & background radiation, scenario. Introduction to Quantum Physics: blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, atomic spectra

Lecture 12 - Early quantum physics

Early Quantum Physics, up to photoelectric effect

Lecture 13 - Atomic spectra and Bohr

Photons in photoelectric effect, atomic spectra, planetary model, Bohr model

Lecture 14 - Bohr's atom, probability, deBroglie

Bohr's model of the atom and photon spectrum, Review of Probability, deBroglie's electron waves

Lecture 15 - Electron waves and wave functions

Electron waves, wave equation, wave functions, waves in a tube, wave-particle duality, H atom, interpreting wave functions and probability

Lecture 16 - Copenhagen interpretation

Wave functions, probability, Copenhagen Interpretation, wave-particle duality, mixed states, Schroedinger's Cat

Lecture 17 - Background and Copenhagen play

Review of wave functions, mixed states, Copenhagen interpretation, Schroedinger's Cat, historical background for play

Lecture 18 - More Copenhagen

Continuing discussion of Copenhagen.

Lecture 19 A-bombs and Frisch-Peierls

Lead up to A-bomb - history, introduction to Frisch-Peierls memorandum

Lecture 20 - A-bombs

Frisch & Peierls cont'd; How to build A-bombs & enrichment

Lecture 21 - A-bombs and effects

First A-bombs, effects of explosion, radioactivity, half-life, exponential decay, examples of radionuclides

Lecture 22 - Nuclear radiation

Measures of radioactivity, examples, fusion

Lecture 23 - H-bomb and arms control

H-bomb, fusion, delivery systems, treaties

Lecture 24 Nuclear Reactors

How fission reactor works, Safety system, Accidents - TMI and Chernobyl

2. Audience and Prerequisites

• It is the goal of this course to make some of these profound ideas accessible to non-scientists with a minimum of mathematics.
• The prerequisite is only high school algebra.
• The class meets for one hour and fifteen minutes twice a week.
• Discussion sessions for fifty minutes twice a week are optional.

3. Requirements

• Attendance required - no more than 3 absences
• Homework ~ every other week
• Mid-term Exam (perhaps 2 mid-terms) and Final (multiple choice and problems)

4. Texts

• Feyman, R.P. Six Easy Pieces
• Hoffmann, B. The Strange Story of the Quantum
• Frayn, M. Copenhagen
• Notes and copies of articles will be handed out or posted
• Several other texts will be on reserve:
  • Gamow, G. Mr. Tompkins in Paperback
  • Lightman, A. Great Ideas in Physics
  • Hewitt, P.G. Conceptual Physics