The course is aimed at two groups of students.  First, science and engineering majors will gain an understanding of the structure and functioning of a field they have studied.  They should come away from the course with a sense for how modern physics works and hangs together.  Equally, non-science students will get a historical introduction to this scientific discipline.  A decent high-school level course in physics or chemistry will be adequate preparation, but all students should expect to learn a good deal of science.  Students concerned about their physics background should feel free to talk to me individually.  In past years, the best students in the class have divided equally between science and non-science majors.  This course fulfills the L&S breadth requirement in physical sciences.

As a historical study of a scientific field, the course draws on approaches and materials from both history and science.  We deal in some depth with scientific concepts, though in a way that should remain accessible to non-science majors willing to put in a bit of effort.  In all this, however, emphasis is placed on the historical development, and one of the course's goals is to practice the process of thinking historically.

• Russell McCormmach, Night thoughts of a classical physicist (Harvard, 1991), ISBN 0674624610, $19.95.
• Michael Frayn, Copenhagen (Anchor Books, 2000), ISBN 0385720793, $12.00.

The Physics Library also has on reserve a selection of books relevant to the course.  You are encouraged to browse or ask me for guidance.

• Nobel assignment (3 pp.):  You will research and report on one Nobel Laureate or Prize (in physics, of course).  When the assignment is due depends on when the prize was awarded:

Before 1922	Wednesday, March 7
1922-51	Wednesday, April 4
After 1951	Wednesday, May 2

• BAS assignment (3 pp.):  You will examine two articles of your choice from the Bulletin of the atomic scientists between 1945 and 1952, then summarize them and suggest what they reveal about physicists' concerns after World War II.  Due Wednesday, April 18.

• A longer paper (7-8 pp.) on a subject of your choice, due on Monday, May 7, or
• An in-class group presentation (15-20 min.) selected from a list of possible topics and dates.

Informal worksheets will help you consolidate your grasp of the scientific material.  These will not be graded, and you will not turn them in, but we will briefly discuss them in class.  It will be to your advantage to complete them.  The exact timing will depend on our progress through the semester, but I anticipate the following (rough) completion dates:  Mechanics and thermo 1/26, E&M 2/2, new discoveries 2/16, the quantum 2/23, special relativity 2/28, old QT and QM 3/16, QFT and particle physics 4/25, condensed matter and cosmology 5/4.

• The midterm is scheduled for the 7th week of classes.  It has two components:  a short take-home essay assignment, which you will receive on Monday, February 26, and return at the beginning of class on Monday, March 6;  and a 50-minute in-class section, which you will complete during the class period on Friday, March 2.  Study questions are available.
• The final exam is scheduled (according to Exam Group 7) for Monday, May 14, at 12:30 p.m.  It too has two components:  a longer take-home essay assignment, which you will receive on Wednesday, May 2, and return on Monday, May 14, at 12:30 p.m.;  and a 50-minute in-class section, which you will complete beginning at the start of the scheduled exam period.  The essay component covers the entire semester, while the in-class section covers Units 3 and 4 of the syllabus.
• During the semester I will give 1 or 2 pop quizzes.  These will deal with very basic information immediately relevant to that week's work.  They are meant to encourage you to keep up with the course.

Further notes

Written assignments:  The essay components of the tests and the written research assignments are to be typed, double-spaced in normal-sized fonts with reasonable margins.  They may not be submitted by e-mail or in any other electronic form.  Proper writing (grammar, organization, citation format) definitely counts.  Papers are due at the beginning of class and late papers will be penalized:  each day (or fraction thereof) that a paper is late will reduce its grade by 2/3 of a mark (e.g., A to B+, B- to C). You have been forewarned.

Reading:  The course requires a substantial amount of reading.  You should complete each assignment before coming to class, as we will often refer to or discuss the reading selections.

Class:  Regular attendance is necessary, as the lectures contain material not covered in the reading.  After each class, a brief outline and a list of names and terms will be posted on the webpage (available as a link of the schedule).  These are designed to supplement, not substitute for, notetaking in class.

Discussion section:  There is no discussion section.

Physics reference and information:
Harcourt: AP dictionary of science and technology
Usenet physics FAQs
Net advance of physics (alphabetical index to essays on advanced topics)
Physics and astronomy online education and reference
Science in the headlines

Locating sources on the history of physics:
History of Science Society Reading List (guide to printed resources, good starting point)
History of science and technology database (entry point from on campus)
Virtual Library for the History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Online Archive of California
Pathfinder(online UCB catalogue)

Library and research orientation:
UCB physics library
Introduction to the UCB libraries
Library instruction and tours
Library research guides
Guide to primary source research
Assistance from library reference staff
Introduction to citation styles (either MLA or Turabian is acceptable)
Student Learning Center drop-in writing tutoring
 

Last modified 25 April 2001
Copyright © Cathryn Carson 2001