Natural Science 0103 - Science of Space and Time

What are space and time? This course will follow the evolution of the scientific understanding of these concepts which are so fundamental to our experience of the world and of ourselves. Our journey will trace the intellectual paths of physicists who grappled with these questions, including Newton and Einstein, taking us from the conceptions of space and time familiar from our daily experiences to the modern understanding of four-dimensional spacetime as described by the special theory of relativity. Occasionally we will look for insights from philosophers and for inspiration from writers and artist. Since mathematics is the language of physics, we will use basic high school algebra and graphs. No prior exposure to physics is necessary. This course is best suited for students so fascinated with the ideas of space and time that they are willing to grapple with abstract concepts and sometimes tedious algebra in order to gain a basic, but genuine understanding of special relativity.

Physical and Biological Sciences Quantitative Skills Students are generally expected to spend at least 6 to 8 hours per week on preparation and work outside of class time. Readings and written work will be assigned for each class.