Physics
The rules that govern matter, energy, space, and time.
71 courses from MIT OpenCourseWare.
8.01L · Undergraduate · Fall 2005
8.01L is an introductory mechanics course, which covers all the topics covered in 8.01T. The class meets throughout the fall, and continues throughout the Independent Activities Period (IAP).
8.01SC · Undergraduate · Fall 2016
<p>This first course in the physics curriculum introduces classical mechanics. Historically, a set of core concepts—space, time, mass, force, momentum, torque, and angular momentum—were introduced in classical mechanics in order to solve the most famous physics problem, the motion of the planets.</p> <p>The principles of mechanics successfully described many other phenomena encountered in the world. Conservation laws involving energy, momentum and angular momentum provided a second parallel app…
8.02 · Undergraduate · Spring 2007
<p>This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism. The subject is taught using the TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) format which utilizes small group interaction and current technology. The TEAL/Studio Project at MIT is a new approach to physics education designed to help students develop much better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena.</p> <p><strong>Staff List</strong></p> <p>Visualization…
8.02 · Undergraduate · Spring 2019
<p>Electricity and magnetism dominate much of the world around us – from the most fundamental processes in nature to cutting-edge electronic devices. Electric and magnetic fields arise from charged particles. Charged particles also feel forces in electric and magnetic fields. Maxwell’s equations, in addition to describing this behavior, also describe electromagnetic radiation. </p> <p>The three-course series comprises:</p> <p>8.02.1x: Electrostatics <br> 8.02.2x: Magnetic Fields and F…
8.02T · Undergraduate · Spring 2005
<p>This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism. The subject is taught using the TEAL (Technology Enabled Active Learning) format which utilizes small group interaction and current technology. The TEAL/Studio Project at MIT is a new approach to physics education designed to help students develop much better intuition about, and conceptual models of, physical phenomena.</p> Acknowledgements <p>The TEAL project is supported b…
8.03SC · Undergraduate · Fall 2016
<p>Vibrations and waves are everywhere. If you take any system and disturb it from a stable equilibrium, the resultant motion will be waves and vibrations. Think of a guitar string—pluck the string, and it vibrates. The sound waves generated make their way to our ears, and we hear the string’s sound. Our eyes see what’s happening because they receive the electromagnetic waves of the light reflected from the guitar string, so that we can recognize the beautiful sinusoidal waves on the string. In…
8.04 · Undergraduate · Spring 2013
<p>This course covers the experimental basis of quantum physics. It introduces wave mechanics, Schrödinger’s equation in a single dimension, and Schrödinger’s equation in three dimensions.</p> <p>It is the first course in the undergraduate Quantum Physics sequence, followed by <em>8.05 Quantum Physics II</em> and <em>8.06 Quantum Physics III</em>.</p>
8.04 · Undergraduate · Spring 2016
<p>This is the first course in the undergraduate Quantum Physics sequence. It introduces the basic features of quantum mechanics. It covers the experimental basis of quantum physics, introduces wave mechanics, Schrödinger’s equation in a single dimension, and Schrödinger’s equation in three dimensions. The lectures and lecture notes for this course form the basis of Zwiebach’s textbook <em>Mastering Quantum Mechanics</em> published by MIT Press in April 2022.</p> <p>This presentation …
8.05 · Undergraduate · Fall 2013
Together, this course and <em>8.06 Quantum Physics III</em> cover quantum physics with applications drawn from modern physics. Topics covered in this course include the general formalism of quantum mechanics, harmonic oscillator, quantum mechanics in three-dimensions, angular momentum, spin, and addition of angular momentum. The lectures and lecture notes for this course form the basis of Zwiebach’s textbook <em>Mastering Quantum Mechanics</em> published by MIT Press in April 2022.
8.06 · Undergraduate · Spring 2018
This course is a continuation of <em>8.05 Quantum Physics II</em>. It introduces some of the important model systems studied in contemporary physics, including two-dimensional electron systems, the fine structure of hydrogen, lasers, and particle scattering. The lectures and lecture notes for this course form the basis of Zwiebach’s textbook <em>Mastering Quantum Mechanics</em> published by MIT Press in April 2022.
8.06 · Undergraduate · Spring 2016
8.06 is the third course in the three-sequence physics undergraduate Quantum Mechanics curriculum. By the end of this course, you will be able to interpret and analyze a wide range of quantum mechanical systems using both exact analytic techniques and various approximation methods. This course will introduce some of the important model systems studied in contemporary physics, including two-dimensional electron systems, the fine structure of Hydrogen, lasers, and particle scattering.
8.06 · Undergraduate · Spring 2005
Together, this course and its predecessor, 8.05: Quantum Physics II, cover quantum physics with applications drawn from modern physics. Topics in this course include units, time-independent approximation methods, the structure of one- and two-electron atoms, charged particles in a magnetic field, scattering, and time-dependent perturbation theory. In this second term, students are required to research and write a paper on a topic related to the content of 8.05 and 8.06.
8.07 · Undergraduate · Fall 2012
This course is the second in a series on Electromagnetism beginning with Electromagnetism I (8.02 or 8.022). It is a survey of basic electromagnetic phenomena: electrostatics; magnetostatics; electromagnetic properties of matter; time-dependent electromagnetic fields; Maxwell’s equations; electromagnetic waves; emission, absorption, and scattering of radiation; and relativistic electrodynamics and mechanics.
8.08 · Undergraduate · Spring 2005
<p>This course covers probability distributions for classical and quantum systems. Topics include: Microcanonical, canonical, and grand canonical partition-functions and associated thermodynamic potentials. Also discussed are conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium for homogenous and heterogenous systems.</p> <p>The course follows 8.044, Statistical Physics I, and is second in this series of undergraduate Statistical Physics courses.</p>
8.09 · Undergraduate · Fall 2014
This course covers Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, systems with constraints, rigid body dynamics, vibrations, central forces, Hamilton-Jacobi theory, action-angle variables, perturbation theory, and continuous systems. It provides an introduction to ideal and viscous fluid mechanics, including turbulence, as well as an introduction to nonlinear dynamics, including chaos.
8.012 · Undergraduate · Fall 2008
This class is an introduction to classical mechanics for students who are comfortable with calculus. The main topics are: Vectors, Kinematics, Forces, Motion, Momentum, Energy, Angular Motion, Angular Momentum, Gravity, Planetary Motion, Moving Frames, and the Motion of Rigid Bodies.
8.13-14 · Undergraduate · Fall 2016
<p>Junior Lab consists of two undergraduate courses in experimental physics. The course sequence is usually taken by Juniors (hence the name). Officially, the courses are called Experimental Physics I and II and are numbered 8.13 for the first half, given in the fall semester, and 8.14 for the second half, given in the spring.</p> <p>Each term, students do experiments on phenomena whose discoveries led to major advances in physics. In the process, they deepen their understanding of the relation…
8.20 · Undergraduate · January IAP 2021
The theory of special relativity, originally proposed by Albert Einstein in his famous 1905 paper, has had profound consequences on our view of physics, space, and time. This course will introduce you to the concepts behind special relativity including, but not limited to, length contraction, time dilation, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic kinematics, Doppler shifts, and even so-called “paradoxes.”
8.21 · Undergraduate · Fall 2009
<p>This course is designed to give you the scientific understanding you need to answer questions like:</p> <ul> <li>How much energy can we really get from wind?</li> <li>How does a solar photovoltaic work?</li> <li>What is an OTEC (Ocean Thermal Energy Converter) and how does it work?</li> <li>What is the physics behind global warming?</li> <li>What makes engines efficient?</li> <li>How does a nuclear reactor work, and what are the realistic hazards?</li> </ul> <p>The course is designed for MIT…
8.022 · Undergraduate · Fall 2004
<p>Course 8.022 is one of several second-term freshman physics courses offered at MIT. It is geared towards students who are looking for a thorough and challenging introduction to electricity and magnetism. Topics covered include: Electric and magnetic field and potential; introduction to special relativity; Maxwell’s equations, in both differential and integral form; and properties of dielectrics and magnetic materials. In addition to the theoretical subject matter, several experiments in elec…
8.033 · Undergraduate · Fall 2006
This course, which concentrates on special relativity, is normally taken by physics majors in their sophomore year. Topics include Einstein’s postulates, the Lorentz transformation, relativistic effects and paradoxes, and applications involving electromagnetism and particle physics. This course also provides a brief introduction to some concepts of general relativity, including the principle of equivalence, the Schwartzschild metric and black holes, and the FRW metric and cosmology.
8.033 · Undergraduate · Fall 2024
The goal of this course is to give you a thorough introduction to Einstein’s special theory of relativity, and to give you a brief introduction to core concepts of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The course is designed to be accessible to first-semester sophomores, and suitable as one of the first “core major” courses students encounter after completing the physics General Institute Requirement.
8.044 · Undergraduate · Spring 2013
<p>This course offers an introduction to probability, statistical mechanics, and thermodynamics. Numerous examples are used to illustrate a wide variety of physical phenomena such as magnetism, polyatomic gases, thermal radiation, electrons in solids, and noise in electronic devices.</p> <p>This course is an elective subject in MIT’s undergraduate Energy Studies Minor. This Institute-wide program complements the deep expertise obtained in any major with a broad understanding of the interlinked …
8.223 · Undergraduate · January IAP 2017
This undergraduate course is a broad, theoretical treatment of classical mechanics, useful in its own right for treating complex dynamical problems, but essential to understanding the foundations of quantum mechanics and statistical physics.
8.224 · Undergraduate · Spring 2003
Study of physical effects in the vicinity of a black hole as a basis for understanding general relativity, astrophysics, and elements of cosmology. Extension to current developments in theory and observation. Energy and momentum in flat spacetime; the metric; curvature of spacetime near rotating and nonrotating centers of attraction; trajectories and orbits of particles and light; elementary models of the Cosmos. Weekly meetings include an evening seminar and recitation. The last third of the s…
8.231 · Undergraduate · Fall 2006
This course offers an introduction to the basic concepts of the quantum theory of solids.
8.251 · Undergraduate · Spring 2007
This course introduces string theory to undergraduate and is based upon Prof. Zwiebach’s textbook entitled <em>A First Course in String Theory</em>. Since string theory is quantum mechanics of a relativistic string, the foundations of the subject can be explained to students exposed to both special relativity and basic quantum mechanics. This course develops the aspects of string theory and makes it accessible to students familiar with basic electromagnetism and statistical mechanics.
8.284 · Undergraduate · Spring 2006
This course explores the applications of physics (Newtonian, statistical, and quantum mechanics) to fundamental processes that occur in celestial objects. The list of topics includes Main-sequence Stars, Collapsed Stars (White Dwarfs, Neutron Stars, and Black Holes), Pulsars, Supernovae, the Interstellar Medium, Galaxies, and as time permits, Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Cosmology. Observational data is also discussed.
8.286 · Undergraduate · Fall 2013
<p>The Early Universe provides an introduction to modern cosmology. The first part of the course deals with the classical cosmology, and later part with modern particle physics and its recent impact on cosmology.</p> In the News <p>For more about Professor Guth’s work, listen to this interview from WBUR, Boston’s National Public Radio news station.</p> <p>You may also be interested in this MIT Alumni Association Podcast Inflationary Cosmology—Is Our Universe Part of a Multiverse? with Professor…
8.311 · Graduate · Spring 2004
Electromagnetic Theory covers the basic principles of electromagnetism: experimental basis, electrostatics, magnetic fields of steady currents, motional e.m.f. and electromagnetic induction, Maxwell’s equations, propagation and radiation of electromagnetic waves, electric and magnetic properties of matter, and conservation laws. This is a graduate level subject which uses appropriate mathematics but whose emphasis is on physical phenomena and principles.
8.321 · Graduate · Fall 2017
This is the first semester of a two-semester graduate-level subject on quantum theory, stressing principles. Quantum theory explains the nature and behavior of matter and energy on the atomic and subatomic level. Topics include Fundamental Concepts, Quantum Dynamics, Composite Systems, Symmetries in Quantum Mechanics, and Approximation Methods.
8.322 · Graduate · Spring 2003
8.322 is the second semester of a two-semester subject on quantum theory, stressing principles. Topics covered include: time-dependent perturbation theory and applications to radiation, quantization of EM radiation field, adiabatic theorem and Berry’s phase, symmetries in QM, many-particle systems, scattering theory, relativistic quantum mechanics, and Dirac equation.
8.323 · Graduate · Spring 2023
This course is a one-term self-contained subject in quantum field theory. Concepts and basic techniques are developed through applications in elementary particle physics and condensed matter physics.
8.324 · Graduate · Fall 2010
This course is the second course of the quantum field theory trimester sequence beginning with Relativistic Quantum Field Theory I (8.323) and ending with Relativistic Quantum Field Theory III (8.325). It develops in depth some of the topics discussed in 8.323 and introduces some advanced material.
8.325 · Graduate · Spring 2003
This is the third and last term of the quantum field theory sequence. The course is devoted to the standard model of particle physics, including both its conceptual foundations and its specific structure, and to some current research frontiers that grow immediately out of it.
8.325 · Graduate · Spring 2007
This course is the third and last term of the quantum field theory sequence. Its aim is the proper theoretical discussion of the physics of the standard model. Topics include: quantum chromodynamics; the Higgs phenomenon and a description of the standard model; deep-inelastic scattering and structure functions; basics of lattice gauge theory; operator products and effective theories; detailed structure of the standard model; spontaneously broken gauge theory and its quantization; instantons and…
8.333 · Graduate · Fall 2013
Statistical Mechanics is a probabilistic approach to equilibrium properties of large numbers of degrees of freedom. In this two-semester course, basic principles are examined. Topics include: Thermodynamics, probability theory, kinetic theory, classical statistical mechanics, interacting systems, quantum statistical mechanics, and identical particles.
8.334 · Graduate · Spring 2014
This is the second term in a two-semester course on statistical mechanics. Basic principles are examined in this class, such as the laws of thermodynamics and the concepts of temperature, work, heat, and entropy. Topics from modern statistical mechanics are also explored, including the hydrodynamic limit and classical field theories.
8.370x · Graduate · Spring 2018
<p>This course is a three-course series that provides an introduction to the theory and practice of quantum computation. The three-course series comprises:</p> <p>8.370.1x: Foundations of Quantum and Classical computing—quantum mechanics, reversible computation, and quantum measurement <br> 8.370.2x: Simple Quantum Protocols and Algorithms—teleportation and superdense coding, the Deutsch-Jozsa and Simon’s algorithm, Grover’s quantum search algorithm, and Shor’s quantum factoring algor…
8.371x · Graduate · Spring 2018
<p>This three-module sequence of courses covers advanced topics in quantum computation and quantum information, including quantum error correction code techniques; efficient quantum computation principles, including fault-tolerance; and quantum complexity theory and quantum information theory. Prior knowledge of quantum circuits and elementary quantum algorithms is assumed. These courses are the second part in a sequence of two quantum information science subjects at MIT.</p> <p>The three modul…
8.421 · Graduate · Spring 2014
This is the first of a two-semester subject sequence that provides the foundations for contemporary research in selected areas of atomic and optical physics. Topics covered include the interaction of radiation with atoms: resonance; absorption, stimulated and spontaneous emission; methods of resonance, dressed atom formalism, masers and lasers, cavity quantum electrodynamics; structure of simple atoms, behavior in very strong fields; fundamental tests: time reversal, parity violations, Bell’s i…
8.422 · Graduate · Spring 2013
This is the second of a two-semester subject sequence beginning with Atomic and Optical Physics I (8.421) that provides the foundations for contemporary research in selected areas of atomic and optical physics. Topics covered include non-classical states of light–squeezed states; multi-photon processes, Raman scattering; coherence–level crossings, quantum beats, double resonance, superradiance; trapping and cooling-light forces, laser cooling, atom optics, spectroscopy of trapped atoms and ions…
8.511 · Graduate · Fall 2004
This is the first term of a theoretical treatment of the physics of solids. Topics covered include crystal structure and band theory, density functional theory, a survey of properties of metals and semiconductors, quantum Hall effect, phonons, electron phonon interaction and superconductivity.
8.512 · Graduate · Spring 2009
This is the second term of a theoretical treatment of the physics of solids. Topics covered include linear response theory; the physics of disorder; superconductivity; the local moment and itinerant magnetism; the Kondo problem and Fermi liquid theory.
8.513 · Graduate · Fall 2021
This graduate-level course covers the quantum effect in solids. It focuses on the concepts and physical pictures behind various phenomena that appear in interacting many-body systems.
8.513 · Graduate · Fall 2004
This course covers the concepts and physical pictures behind various phenomena that appear in interacting many-body systems. Visualization occurs through concentration on path integral, mean-field theories and semi-classical picture of fluctuations around mean-field state.
8.514 · Graduate · Fall 2003
In this course we shall develop theoretical methods suitable for the description of the many-body phenomena, such as Hamiltonian second-quantized operator formalism, Greens functions, path integral, functional integral, and the quantum kinetic equation. The concepts to be introduced include, but are not limited to, the random phase approximation, the mean field theory (aka saddle-point, or semiclassical approximation), the tunneling dynamics in imaginary time, instantons, Berry phase, coherent …
8.701 · Graduate · Fall 2020
This is an introductory graduate-level course on the phenomenology and experimental foundations of nuclear and particle physics, including the fundamental forces and particles, as well as composites. Emphasis is on the experimental establishment of the leading models, and the theoretical tools and experimental apparatus used to establish them.
8.811 · Graduate · Fall 2005
8.811, Particle Physics II, describes essential research in High Energy Physics. We derive the Standard Model (SM) first using a bottom up method based on Unitarity, in addition to the usual top down method using SU3xSU2xU1. We describe and analyze several classical experiments, which established the SM, as examples on how to design experiments. Further topics include heavy flavor physics, high-precision tests of the Standard Model, neutrino oscillations, searches for new phenomena (compositene…
8.821 · Graduate · Fall 2014
This string theory course focuses on holographic duality (also known as gauge / gravity duality or AdS / CFT) as a novel method of approaching and connecting a range of diverse subjects, including quantum gravity / black holes, QCD at extreme conditions, exotic condensed matter systems, and quantum information.
8.821 · Graduate · Fall 2008
This is a one-semester class about gauge/gravity duality (often called AdS/CFT) and its applications.
8.851 · Graduate · Spring 2013
Effective field theory is a fundamental framework to describe physical systems with quantum field theory. Part I of this course covers common tools used in effective theories. Part II is an in depth study of the Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET), an effective theory for hard interactions in collider physics.
8.851 · Graduate · Spring 2006
This is a course in the construction and application of effective field theories, which are the modern tool of choice in making predictions based on the Standard Model. Concepts such as matching, renormalization, the operator product expansion, power counting, and running with the renormalization group will be discussed. Topics will be taken from factorization in hard processes relevant for the LHC, heavy quark decays and CP violation, chiral perturbation theory, non-relativistic bound states i…
8.871 · Graduate · Fall 2004
This course is an introduction to branes in string theory and their world volume dynamics. Instead of looking at the theory from the point of view of the world-sheet observer, we will approach the problem from the point of view of an observer which lives on a brane. Instead of writing down conformal field theory on the world-sheet and studying the properties of these theories, we will look at various branes in string theory and ask how the physics on their world-volume looks like.
8.901 · Graduate · Spring 2006
This course provides a graduate-level introduction to stellar astrophysics. It covers a variety of topics, ranging from stellar structure and evolution to galactic dynamics and dark matter.
8.902 · Graduate · Fall 2004
This is the second course in a two-semester sequence on astrophysics. Topics include galactic dynamics, groups and clusters on galaxies, phenomenological cosmology, Newtonian cosmology, Roberston-Walker models, and galaxy formation.
8.902 · Graduate · Fall 2023
This course broadly covers galactic dynamics and large-scale structure in the universe. Major topics include: galaxies, cosmology, structure formation, cosmic microwave background, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, and thermal history of the universe.
8.942 · Graduate · Fall 2001
This course provides an overview of astrophysical cosmology with emphasis on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, galaxies and related phenomena at high redshift, and cosmic structure formation. Additional topics include cosmic inflation, nucleosynthesis and baryosynthesis, quasar (QSO) absorption lines, and gamma-ray bursts. Some background in general relativity is assumed.
8.952 · Graduate · Fall 2004
This course covers the basics of general relativity, standard big bang cosmology, thermodynamics of the early universe, cosmic background radiation, primordial nucleosynthesis, basics of the standard model of particle physics, electroweak and QCD phase transition, basics of group theory, grand unified theories, baryon asymmetry, monopoles, cosmic strings, domain walls, axions, inflationary universe, and structure formation.
8.962 · Graduate · Spring 2020
8.962 is MIT’s graduate course in general relativity, which covers the basic principles of Einstein’s general theory of relativity, differential geometry, experimental tests of general relativity, black holes, and cosmology.
8.S271 · Undergraduate · Spring 2022
<p>This course was designed to educate students about how nuclear weapons came into being, the physics of these weapons, how they are structured, how they have evolved over the past several decades, efforts to control them and limit the threats that they represent, and what the possibilities for the future are. Many people in our country and other countries are not aware of what an existential threat nuclear weapons represent, and this lack of awareness is an important part of the overall threa…
RES.8-001 · Undergraduate · Spring 2009
<p>László Tisza was Professor of Physics Emeritus at MIT, where he began teaching in 1941. This online publication is a reproduction of the original lecture notes for the course “Applied Geometric Algebra” taught by Professor Tisza in the Spring of 1976.</p> <p>Over the last 100 years, the mathematical tools employed by physicists have expanded considerably, from differential calculus, vector algebra and geometry, to advanced linear algebra, tensors, Hilbert space, spinors, Group theory and man…
RES.8-002 · Undergraduate · Fall 2009
<p>This e-Book is a first step toward a shift in the role of the printed textbook from authoritative serial repository to modular, customizable, linkable, interactive hub. The ideal modern textbook should provide a clear overview of the domain, short summaries of key content, links to more detailed online source material, embedded self-assessment, and a vehicle for instant student feedback. This open-source e-Book for introductory mechanics uses ideas from modeling physics to encourage strategi…
RES.8-003 · Undergraduate · Spring 2012
<p>The Technical Services Group at MIT’s Department of Physics provides technical and teaching support for undergraduate courses at MIT. These brief videos of physics demos display subtle physics concepts ranging from electromagnetism, to kinematics, to optics. </p> <p>Online Publication</p>
RES.8-004 · Graduate · January IAP 2015
This course, organized as a series of lectures, aims to provide an interdisciplinary view of the history and current climate of nuclear weapons and non-proliferation policy. The first lecture begins the series by discusses nuclear developments in one of the world’s most likely nuclear flash points, and the second lecture presents a broad discussion of the dangers of current nuclear weapons policies as well as evaluations of current situations and an outlook for future nuclear weapons reductions.
RES.8-005 · Undergraduate · Fall 2012
<p><em>8.03 Physics III: Vibrations and Waves</em> is the third course in the core physics curriculum at MIT, following <em>8.01 Physics I: Classical Mechanics</em> and <em>8.02 Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism</em>. Topics include mechanical vibrations and waves, electromagnetic waves, and optics. These Problem Solving Help Videos provide step-by-step solutions to sample problems. Also included is information about how Physics III is typically taught on the MIT campus. Instructor Insights…
RES.8-007 · Undergraduate · Fall 2019
Everything around us is made from different chemical elements: carbon, silicon, iron, and all the other elements from the Periodic Table. The lighter elements were mostly produced in the Big Bang, but the rest were (and are) formed within stars and in the explosions of supernovae. In this series of short lecture videos, created to accompany her book <em>Searching for the Oldest Stars: Ancient Relics from the Early Universe</em> (Princeton University Press, 2019), Professor Anna Frebel reveals t…
RES.8-008 · Non-Credit · Spring 2022
The MIT Nuclear Weapons Education Project aims to teach individuals, particularly those who grew up after the end of the Cold War, about what nuclear weapons are and their effects on the world. The project website provides materials for lectures or discussions at introductory course levels.
RES.8-009 · High School · Summer 2017
<p><em>Introduction to Oscillations and Waves</em> covers the basic mathematics and physics of oscillatory and wave phenomena. By the end of the course, students should be able to explain why oscillations appear in many near equilibrium systems, the various mathematical properties of those oscillations in various contexts, how oscillations and waves are related, and the basic mathematical description and properties of a wave.</p> <p>This course was offered as part of MITES Summer, a six-week, r…
RES.8-010 · High School · Summer 2018
<p><em>Introduction to Statistical Physics</em> introduces the concepts and formalism at the foundations of statistical physics. By the end of the course, students should understand qualitative and quantitative definitions of entropy, the implications of the laws of thermodynamics, and why the Boltzmann distribution is important in modeling systems at finite temperature. In terms of skills, students should have increased their familiarity with mathematical methods in the physical science, learn…
STS.042J · Undergraduate · Fall 2020
This class explores the changing roles of physics and physicists during the 20th century. Topics range from relativity theory and quantum mechanics to high-energy physics and cosmology. We examine the development of modern physics and the role of physicists within shifting institutional, cultural, and political contexts, such as Imperial Britain, Nazi Germany, and the US during World War II, and the Cold War.