HPS 0410 Einstein for Everyone Spring 2010

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Schedule

This is the term's OLD schedule what has been modified as a result of the cancellation of classes on February 8-10 due to snowstorms. The new schedule is here.

Week Lecture Date Recitation Date Lecture Topic Assignment Due Test
1 Wed. Jan. 6 Introduction: the questions.
2 Mon. Jan. 11 Special relativity: the basics.
Mon. Jan. 11
Tues. Jan. 12

1. Principle of Relativity

Wed. Jan. 13 Special relativity: adding velocities.
Relativity of simultaneity
3 NO CLASS Mon. Jan. 18.
Martin Luther King Day

Tues. Jan. 19 Add/drop ends
Submitting assignments due on Monday
Tues. Jan. 19 2. Adding Velocities Einstein's Way
Wed. Jan. 20

Is special relativity paradoxical?

4 Mon. Jan 25 E=mc2
Mon. Jan. 25
Tues. Jan. 26
  3. Relativity of Simultaneity
Wed. Jan. 27 Origins of special relativity
Einstein's Pathway to Special Relativity
Test 1
What is it on?
Grades
5 Mon. Feb. 1 Spacetime
Spacetime and the Relativity of Simultaneity
Mon. Feb. 1
Tues. Feb. 2
4. Origins of Special Relativity
Wed. Feb. 3

Spacetime and the Relativity of Simultaneity
Spacetime, Tachyons, Twins and Clocks


6 Mon. Feb. 8 What is a four dimensional space like?
Philosophical significance of relativity
Mon. Feb. 8
Tues. Feb. 9
5. Spacetime
Wed. Feb. 10 Philosophical significance of relativity Test 2
What is it on?
7 Mon. Feb. 15

Euclidean Geometry: The First Great Science
Non-Euclidean Geometry: A Sample Construction

Mon. Feb. 15
Tues. Feb. 16
6. Philosophical Significance
Wed. Feb. 17

Non-Euclidean Geometry: A Sample Construction
Spaces of Constant Curvature

8 Mon. Feb. 22 Spaces of Constant Curvature
Spaces of Variable Curvature
Mon. Feb. 22
Tues Feb. 23
7. Non-Euclidean Geometry
Wed. Feb. 24 General relativity Test 3
What is it on?
9 Mon. Mar. 1 General relativity
Gravity Near a Massive Body
Einstein's Pathway to General Relativity
Mon. Mar. 1
Tues. Mar. 2
8. Curvature
Wed. Mar. 3

General relativity


SPRING BREAK
10 Mon. Mar. 15 Relativistic cosmology
Mon. Mar. 15
Tues. Mar. 16
9. General Relativity
Wed. Mar. 17 Relativistic cosmology Test 4
What is it on?
11 Mon. Mar. 22 Big bang cosmology
Mon. Mar. 22
Tues. Mar. 23

10. Relativistic Cosmology

Wed. Mar. 24 Big bang cosmology/
Black holes
12 Mon. Mar. 29 Black holes
Mon. Mar. 29
Tues. Mar. 30

Term paper topic submitted
11. Big Bang Cosmology
Wed. Mar. 31 A Better Picture of Black Holes Test 5
What is it on?
13 Mon. Apr. 5 A Better Picture of Black Holes
Mon. Apr. 5
Tues. Apr. 6
12. Black Holes
Wed. Apr. 7 Origins of Quantum Theory
14 Mon. Apr. 12 Origins of Quantum Theory
Mon. Apr. 12
Tues. Apr. 13

13. Origins of Quantum Theory
Wed. Apr. 14 Problems of Quantum Theory
15 Mon. Apr. 19 Problems of Quantum Theory
Mon. Apr. 19
Tues. Apr. 20
14. Problems of Quantum Theory
Wed. Apr. 21 Term paper due Problems of Quantum Theory Test 6
What is it on?

Test 1. Wednesday January 27. The test will be in the first 15 minutes of class and will consist of 3-4 questions requiring answers of a few sentences each. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "Special relativity: the basics," "Special relativity: adding velocities," "Relativity of simultaneity," "Is special relativity paradoxical?" and the assignments 1-3.

Test 2. Wednesday February 10. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "E=mc2", "Origins of Special Relativity," "Einstein's Pathway to Special Relativity," the three "Spacetime" chapters and the assignments 4 and 5.

Test 3. Wednesday February 24. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "Philosophical Significance of Relativity" and "Non-Euclidean Geometry" and the assignments 6 and 7.

Test 4. Wednesday March 17. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "Spaces of Variable Curvature" and "General Relativity" and the assignments 8 and 9.

Test 5. Wednesday March 31. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "Relativistic Cosmology" and "Big Bang Cosmology" and the assignments 10 and 11.

Test 6. Wednesday April 21. The material examinable is the content of the chapters "Black Holes," "A Better Picture of Black Holes" and "Origins of Quantum Theory" and the assignments 12 and 13.