Fall 2018
CORE-UA 203 001, Physical Science: Energy & The Environment
Prof. An (Chemistry) [Syllabus]
This course explores the scientific foundations of current environmental issues and the impact of this knowledge on public policy. One goal of the course is to examine several topics of pressing importance and lively debate in our society – e.g., global warming, the quest for clean air and water, atmospheric ozone depletion, and the continuing search for viable sources of energy. A parallel goal is to develop the chemical, physical, and quantitative principles that are necessary for a deeper understanding of these environmental issues. The relevant topics include the structure of atoms and molecules, the interaction of light with matter, energy relationships in chemical reactions, and the properties of acids and bases. Throughout the course we also examine how scientific studies of the environment are connected to political, economic and policy concerns. The laboratory experiments are closely integrated with the lecture topics and provide hands-on explorations of central course themes. Overall, this course will provide you with the foundation to carefully evaluate environmental issues and make informed decisions about them.
CORE-UA 203 010, Physical Science: Energy & The Environment
Prof. Mahal (Chemistry) [Syllabus]
This course explores the scientific foundations of current environmental issues and the impact of this knowledge on public policy. One goal of the course is to examine several topics of pressing importance and lively debate in our society – e.g., global warming, the quest for clean air and water, atmospheric ozone depletion, and the continuing search for viable sources of energy. A parallel goal is to develop the chemical, physical, and quantitative principles that are necessary for a deeper understanding of these environmental issues. The relevant topics include the structure of atoms and molecules, the interaction of light with matter, energy relationships in chemical reactions, and the properties of acids and bases. Throughout the course we also examine how scientific studies of the environment are connected to political, economic and policy concerns. The laboratory experiments are closely integrated with the lecture topics and provide hands-on explorations of central course themes. Overall, this course will provide you with the foundation to carefully evaluate environmental issues and make informed decisions about them.
CORE-UA 204 001, Physical Science: Einstein's Universe
Prof. Budick (Physics) [Syllabus]
Einstein is best known for his Special Theory of Relativity - the idea that space and time are different for different observers, but the consequences of his work are much broader. The implications of this theory led to the ideas that provide the power source for the visible universe. His General Theory of Relativity revamped our understanding of space and time further. By giving us new insights into gravity, it led us to ideas of black holes and forced us to accept dark matter and dark energy as pervasive in the universe. The ideas of light - thought to be complete at the end of the nineteenth century - were turned on their head by his alternative take. In this course we will highlight these key concepts that he developed, and will study their implications in the 100 years since then, including our modern ideas of stars, their life and how they are powered. We will study the evidence for mystery "dark matter" in the universe and consider what it might be. We will discuss the expansion of the universe and what it tells us about the future of the universe and why it is such a puzzle. We will push back to the big bang and dip our toes into the multiverse, to see why physicists are increasingly considering it as a possible explanation for what we see around us.
CORE-UA 209 001, Physical Science: Quarks to Cosmos
Prof. Weiner (Physics) [Syllabus]
Modern science has provided us with some understanding of age-old fundamental questions, while at the same time opening up many new areas of investigation. How old is the Universe? How did galaxies, stars, and planets form? What are the fundamental constituents of matter and how do they combine to form the contents of the Universe? The course will cover measurements and chains of scientific reasoning that have allowed us to reconstruct the Big Bang by measuring little wisps of light reaching the Earth, to learn about sub-atomic particles by use of many-mile long machines, and to combine the two to understand the Universe as a whole from the sub-atomic particles of which it is composed.
CORE-UA 210 001, Physical Science: Molecules of Life
Prof. Jordan (College Core Curriculum) [Syllabus]
Our lives are increasingly influenced by the availability of new pharmaceuticals, ranging from drugs that lower cholesterol to those that influence behavior. We examine the chemistry and biology of biomolecules that make up the molecular machinery of the cell. Critical to the function of such biomolecules is their three-dimensional structure that endows them with a specific function. This information provides the scientific basis for understanding drug action and how new drugs are designed. Beginning with the principles of chemical bonding, molecular structure, and acid-base properties that govern the structure and function of biomolecules, we apply these principles to study the varieties of protein architecture and how proteins serve as enzymes to facilitate biochemical reactions. We conclude with a study of molecular genetics and how recent information from the Human Genome Project is stimulating new approaches to diagnosing disease and designing drug treatments.
CORE-UA 214 001, Physical Science: How Things Work
Prof. Haas (Physics) [Syllabus]
Do you know how electricity is generated? How instruments create music? What makes refrigerator magnets stick? For that matter, why is ice skating possible, how do wheels use friction and why can someone quickly remove a tablecloth without moving any dishes? All of the devices that define contemporary living are applications of basic scientific discoveries. The principles underlying these devices are fascinating as well as useful, and help to explain many of the features of the world around us. This course familiarizes you with some basic principles of physics by examining selected devices such as CD and DVD players, microwave ovens, the basic electronic components of computers, lasers and LEDs, magnetic resonance imaging as used in medicine, and even nuclear weapons. In learning the basic physics behind these modern inventions, you will develop a deeper understanding of how the physical world works and gain a new appreciation of everyday phenomena that are ordinarily taken for granted. The course is designed for non-science students with an interest in the natural world. The basic physical ideas needed to understand how things operate are presented using some mathematics, but none beyond elementary high school-level algebra.