Physics

This course offers a study of the fundamental concepts of electromagnetism and optics. Topics include: electric field; electric potential; conductors; electric current; magnetic field; electromagnetic induction; alternating current; Maxwell's equations; reflection and refraction of light; mirrors, diopters, and lenses; optical instruments.

An understanding of physics is critical to address fundamental questions about our world and to innovate next generation technologies. This course presents an overview of the core physics concepts underlying many modern technologies. No prior physics knowledge is required. Students do not need calculus or advanced math for this course, but they should be comfortable, for example, adding fractions, using scientific notation, and with algebraic manipulation. Topics include energy and thermodynamics, gravity and relativity, waves, light, and optics, and quantum mechanics.
 

The projects, in addition to illustrating particular aspects of physics, represent tasks that might well be expected of physics graduates in the real world of research, technology, and commerce. Students seek to attain a goal agreed with the project supervisor by deploying all the skills and physical background they have accumulated. Feedback is offered by supervisors at each stage of the work.

This course offers a study of the use of computational tools to solve specific and simple problems in different fields of physics. Topics include: operating systems and programming languages; interpolation and roots of functions; numerical integration; random numbers and Monte Carlo integration; ordinary differential equations; partial differential equations.

The course provides a thorough and in-depth knowledge of modern experimental particle physics including recent results. It provides an essential basis for students who will undertake research in this subject.

This course covers two branches of fundamental physics: mechanics and electricity & magnetism. Topics in mechanics include linear motion, circular motion, Newton’s laws of motion, work and energy, conservation of energy, linear momentum, and simple harmonic motion. Topics in electricity & magnetism include electric force, field & potential, current & resistance, DC circuits, electromagnetism and electromagnetic induction.

This course offers a study of the basic phenomena of classical physics including fundamental concepts of fluids, thermodynamics, and waves. Topics include: fluid statics; fluid dynamics; calorimetry; heat transfer; thermodynamics of an ideal gas; wave motion; superposition of waves; sound waves.

In this course, students achieve an understanding and appreciation, in as integrated a form as possible, of some mathematical techniques which are widely used in theoretical physics.

In this course, students learn how to formulate the linear theory of structure formation in the CDM model, obtain solutions in simple model cases of a one component universe; explain the problems of big bang cosmology and the way to solve them in inflationary theory; calculate basic cosmological parameters in inflationary slow roll models; indicate the relations of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation and cosmological parameters; and discuss the evidence for an accelerating universe and the possible role of dark energy.

This course covers the basics in geophysics, particularly the following three specific sub-areas: solid earth physics, fluid earth physics, and space physics. 

(1) Solid Earth Physics: Selected topics from seismology, volcanology, and plate tectonics for the purpose of learning basic knowledge on the structure and dynamics of the solid Earth. 

(2) Fluid Earth (atmosphere and ocean) Physics: Selected topics from meteorology, global warming, and physical climatology for the purpose of learning basic knowledge on climate change and related global environment problems. 

(3) Space Physics: Selected topics from solar physics, interplanetary physics, magnetospheric physics, and upper atmospheric physics for the purpose of learning basic knowledge on the electromagnetic environment of the Sun, the Earth, and planets.