| Prof. Brown: | Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Physics 101. My name is Ed Brown, and I will be your professor for this semester. Since today is our first class, I wanted to give you an overview of what this course will look like, how you will be graded, and what we will cover this semester. |
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| Matt: | Will we be focusing more on theoretical physics or experimental physics, Professor? |
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| Prof. Brown: | This is an introductory course, and my aim is to give you a broad overview of the field of physics. The term “ physics” encompasses many different areas of research and study, and I hope this course will provide you with conceptual understanding of physics, which will prove useful whether or not you choose to further your study in this field. |
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| Prof. Brown: | We will begin the course by looking at the fundamental concepts of physics, then by the middle of the semester we will begin exploring the more theoretical side of physics. It is essential that you first have a firm grasp of the fundamentals, so that you can better understand the theoretical concepts when we get to them. |
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| Matt: | Will we learn about black holes, wormholes, and string theory? |
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| Prof. Brown: | We will learn about the general theory of relativity, including black holes. We will also explore developing theories in quantum mechanics, such as string theory. We will discuss some hypothetical features of space-time, like wormholes. |
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| Prof. Brown: | We will also explore some of the more influential developments in the fields of thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and nuclear physics, all of which have had significant impacts on modern life. Now, I am going to have the TAs pass out the syllabus for this class, so you can see how this course will be graded. |
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| Matt: | Oh man, looks like this isn’t gonna be the easy A I thought it’d be! |
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| encompass | | to include (something) as a part |
| conceptual | | based on or relating to ideas or concepts |
| grasp | | an understanding of something |
| black hole | | an invisible area in outer space |
| quantum mechanics | | the branch of physics that deals with energy and matter on an atomic level |
| hypothetical | | involving or based on a suggested idea or theory |
| thermodynamics | | a science that deals with the action of heat |
| electromagnetism | | a magnetic field that is produced by a current of electricity |
| nuclear physics | | the area of physics which deals with nuclei |