91785

PHYS 124 Climate Change

Gidon Eshel

T Th 10:10 am-11:30 am

HDR 106

LS

SCI

Cross-listed: Environmental & Urban Studies This lab course explores the physical principles underlying climate and anthropogenic climate change. We will start with a survey of the most compelling lines of evidence for climate change, how they are obtained/derived and some of their limitations. We will then discuss in some depth idealized one-dimensional planetary radiative and thermal balance, first in the absence of an atmosphere, and then in the presence of a radiatively active one, with variable number of layers. In this context, it will become interesting to explore atmospheric opacity with respect to various radiative types, and what natural and anthropogenic effects affect this opacity. A related topic will be natural feedbacks, such as water vapor and could feedbacks. We will next place current (modern) observations of climate change in the broader context of past climates, emphasizing the last couple millennia, hundreds of millennia, and finally the ten million-year scale geological record. We will conclude the course with some discussion about the objective of successful policy mitigation efforts, and their implementation obstacles. While not technical per se, participation in this course does require the ability to solve a couple of linear algebraic equations (like solving x + 4 = 2y and 2x - 3y = 6 for x and y) and to perform some very basic manipulation of data and plot the results (using, e.g., Microsoft's Excel). Class size: 24

LAB OPTIONS: (register separately)

91786

PHYS 124 LBA Climate Change Lab

Gidon Eshel

T 2:00 pm-4:00 pm

ALBEE 100

LS

SCI

Class size: 12

91787

PHYS 124 LBB Climate Change Lab

Gidon Eshel

T 4:01 pm-6:00 pm

ALBEE 100

LS

SCI

Class size: 12

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91788

PHYS 141 I Introduction to Physics I

Matthew Deady

M W F 8:30 am-9:50 am

HEG 102

LS

SCI

A calculus-based survey of Physics. This first semester covers topics in mechanics, heat and thermodynamics, and wave motion. The course stresses ideas--the unifying principles and characteristic models of physics. Labs develop the crucial ability to elicit understanding of the physical world. Corequisite: MATH 141. This course has four Lab options, see below. Class size: 24

91789

PHYS 141 II Introduction to Physics I

Antonios Kontos

M W F 10:10 am-11:30 am

HEG 102

LS

SCI

See above. Class size: 24

LAB OPTIONS: (register separately)

91790

PHYS 141 LBA Intro to Physics I Lab

Matthew Deady

M 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

HEG 107

Class size: 12

91791

PHYS 141 LBB Intro to Physics I Lab

Matthew Deady

M 3:10 pm-5:10 pm

HEG 107

Class size: 12

91792

PHYS 141 LBC Intro to Physics I Lab

Antonios Kontos

T 1:00 pm-3:00 pm

HEG 107

Class size: 12

91793

PHYS 141 LBD Intro to Physics I Lab

Matthew Deady

T 3:10 pm-5:10 pm

HEG 107

Class size: 12

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91794

PHYS 221 Mathematical Methods I

Matthew Deady Lab:

T Th 8:30 am-9:50 am Th 1:30 pm-2:50 pm

HEG 106 HEG 107

MC

MATC

This course presents mathematical methods that are useful in the physical sciences. While some proofs and demonstrations are given, the emphasis is on the applications. Topics include: complex functions, vector spaces, matrices, coordinate transformations, power series, probability and statistics, and multi-variable differentiation and integration. Prerequisites: Mathematics 141-142, or equivalent, and strong preparation in physics comparable to Physics 141. Class size: 12

91795

PHYS 241 Modern Physics

Paul Cadden-Zimansky Lab:

M W F 1:30 pm-2:50 pm W 3:00 pm-4:00 pm

HEG 106 HEG 107

LS

SCI

An extension of introductory physics concentrating on developments in physics that stem from the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and

statistical mechanics. A major focus will be understanding classical and quantum waves, but there will also be overviews of particle physics,

nuclear physics, optical and molecular physics, condensed matter physics, astronomy, and cosmology. Prerequisites: Physics 141-142 and

Mathematics 141-142. Class size: 16

91796

PHYS 314 Thermal Physics

Paul Cadden-Zimansky

M W F 10:10 am-11:30 am

HEG 106

MC

MATC

This course studies the thermal behavior of physical systems, employing thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and statistical mechanics.  Thermodynamical topics include equations of state, energy and entropy, and the first and second laws of thermodynamics.  Both classical and quantum statistical mechanics are covered, including distribution functions, partition functions, and the quantum statistics of Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein systems. Applications include atoms, molecules, gases, liquids, solids, and phase transitions. Prerequisites: Physics 141-142, Mathematics 141-142. Class size: 16