PHYS 107 - Quantum Physics for Poets

Since the time of Galileo, nature was thought to be deterministic. The universe was orderly, exact, and predictive. At the start of the 20th century, all of that changed. The photon was discovered: the dual wave and particle nature of light. Developed by Einstein and Planck, the photon led to the idea that energy comes in discrete chunks. This led to Heisenberg developing the Uncertainty Principle and Schrödinger developing the Schrödinger Equation. Nature was no longer deterministic but now considered probabilistic. This new paradigm led to discoveries that seemed to defy reality. Class meetings will consist of discussions regarding the readings, in-class activities, and videos that will present the material in a conceptual manner. Prior knowledge of higher level math or physics will not be required. Topics covered will include the nature of light, the Schrödinger Equation, Quantum Tunneling, Entanglement, Teleportation, Special and General Relativity, and String Theory.

3 credits