Physics: The Awe of the Ordinary

This course aims to cultivate a sense of wonder and awe in students as they see physics at work in the vast and intricate world around them; at the same time, it emphasizes a firm conceptual understanding of the laws of physics through the fundamental themes of motion and forces, energy and momentum, heat and thermodynamics, waves, optics, and electricity and magnetism. Students will also apply these laws extensively in solving problems and completing labs. Real-world applications of the concepts learned in the classroom will be further explored through talks from guest speakers and field trips. Lastly, through their final project, students will gain experience in the process of scientific inquiry and dissemination of results.

Students gain experience and training in independent scientific inquiry through a yearly Independent Research Project– project creation and proposal, literature review, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of results – with the mentorship of faculty and other experts.