Conceptual Physics

Description

This course is designed for non-science, non-math students who wish to explore how physics—the study of matter and energy and their relationships—affects our daily lives. We will study topics from classical mechanics through electricity and magnetism and into modern physics. We will touch on work from Galileo through Newton to Maxwell and Einstein. We will apply these concepts to hands-on laboratories, demonstrations,and real life situations. With this foundation, students will be equipped to better understand the equations and formulas of more advanced physics and to better understand the physical world in which they live. Conceptual physics is the qualitative study of the central concepts of physics with emphasis on conceptual rather than a mathematical viewpoint. We will explore real-world situations and emphasize comprehension rather than computation. However, calculations are still needed, and students should review basic algebra before beginning this course.