NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS

College of Science

University of the Philippines

Course Number: Physics 10 (MST)

Course Title: Physics and Astronomy for Pedestrians

Course Description: A "walk-through" course for people who want to enjoy physics & astronomy

Prerequisite: none

Credits: 3 u.

Course objectives:

1) To introduce concepts from various sub-disciplines of physics and astronomy to students and to develop an appreciation of the position of mankind in the universe.

  1. To update the student with the latest development in physics and astronomy.

  2. To refine student’s understanding of the role of physics and its sub-disciplines in technological innovations and in the advancement of other fields in the natural and social sciences. The latter, in turn, conditions other human activities, transforming processes by which humans interact.

4) To acquaint the student with the current state of physics & astronomy education and research in the Philippines.

5) To enable the student to understand the character and functions of science and technology and develop an appreciation of the key role of science and technology in national development.

SYLLABUS

PART I. CLASSICAL PHYSICS (7.5 hrs)

1. Breaking Out: Emergence of Physics as a Discipline (1.5 hour)

2. Order of Harmony: Newton’s Contribution to Our Understanding of the Physical World (1.5 hrs.)

3. One and the Same Banana: The Unification of Electricity, Magnetism, and Light (3.0 hours)

4. To Dream the Impossible Dream: Machines Without Fuel (1.5 hrs)

PART II. POST-CLASSICAL PHYSICS (6 hrs)

  1. The Limits of Our Sensibilities: The Quantum World of Uncertainties (3.0 hours)

FIRST EXAMINATION (1.0 hour)

6. The Right Stuff: Probing the Subatomic World (3.0 hours)

PART III. ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY (7.5 HRS)

7. A Beautiful Mind: Einstein’s Relativistic Revolution (3.0 hours)

8. The Truth is Out There, Somewhere: Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos (3.0 hours)

  1. Search for the Theory of Everything: Questions and Opportunities (1.5 hours)

    2. SECOND EXAMINATION (1.0 hour)

    PART IV. PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT I (10.5 hrs)

  2. There is No Science Without Measurement: Science and Measurement (3.0 hours)

  3. Physics in a New Era. Mesoscopic and Nanoscopic World (7.5 hours)

THIRD EXAMINATION (1.0 hour)

PART V. PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT II (12 hours)

12. Small is Beautiful and Size Matters: Observation of Large- and Small-Scale Structures (4.5 hours)

13. Physics in a New Era Continued: Complex Systems (4.5 hours)

  1. Our hard-earned money and what are they doing with it?: Physics & Society (3.0 hours)

FOURTH EXAMINATION (1.0 hr)

FINAL EXAMINATION (2.0 HRS)