Physics

Until the recent past, science and food were a combination to be encountered mainly in the food industry. Today, things are changing and we are witnessing a great deal of emerging new scientific ideas about how we (humans) relate to food: neuroscientists trying to understand how our brain creates flavors; physicists attempting to manipulate textures; talented haute-cuisine chefs aiming at creating startling multi-sensorial experiences.

Despite the scientific complexities, cooking is a simple endeavor that can be carried out by anyone. You can open a recipe book, get the ingredients and follow the instructions: a method that is easy to follow, but certainly not the whole story towards culinary success.

Every time you follow a recipe and prepare your favorite food, you are, in effect, performing a scientific experiment. You put matter together, modify the initial structure (for example, texture, flavor, etc.) by means of physical and chemical processes, and evaluate (by eating) the result of the experiment, possibly trying to understand what modifications can improve the result. The "experiment" can be a success or a failure, but understanding the science can increase the chances of success. Viewed like this, the kitchen becomes a science laboratory and cooking an experimental science.

This course embarks on a study of food and science (physics in particular) that is both entertaining and useful. The course explores the new dimension that opens up when the two areas fuse and how this combination can be used to boost creativity as well as critical thinking.

Part 1 of the course (Spring semester) focuses on basic notions such as the properties of food molecules (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and basic science processes. Part 2 of the course (Fall semester) focuses on more advanced application like gels, emulsions, foams, fermentation, and baking.

This course introduces the mathematical formalism of quantum information theory. Topics include a review of probability theory and classical information theory (random variables, Shannon entropy, coding); formalism of quantum information theory (quantum states, density matrices, quantum channels, measurement); quantum versus classical correlations (entanglement, Bell inequalities, Tsirelson's bound); basic tools (distance measures, fidelity, quantum entropy); basic results (quantum teleportation, quantum error correction, Schumacher data compression); and quantum resource theory (quantum coding theory, entanglement theory, application: quantum cryptography). 

Oscillatory motions and waves are prevalent in natural phenomena. They appear in many physical systems of various materials and scales. The first half of this course explores the properties of simple harmonic motion and a wave equation that describes waves on a string and sound waves. The second half of the course applies Newtonian mechanics to a system of many particles. The course begins an investigation from a rigid body and then relax this condition slightly. Finally, the course studies a system of particles with many degrees of freedom, namely fluid. 

By the end of the course, students are expected to gain familiarity with and understand oscillation phenomena, which include the simple motion of a pendulum and the propagation of waves and their basic properties. Also, students will have acquired knowledge of the basic properties of wave equations and their solutions. The mechanism behind the standing waves, sound waves, beats, the Doppler effect, and shock waves should become clear. Students are also expected to be able to solve the mechanics of static equilibrium for various configurations, including that in fluid with buoyancy. Young's modulus and bulk modulus as a determining factor of wave speed in medium should be clear. Familiarity with a general form of the hydrodynamical equation of motion from which hydrostatic and Bernoulli's equations are obtained under special conditions is also expected.

This course emphasizes hands-on laboratory experience and teaches students research background, relevant theories, and basic laboratory techniques relevant to their field of study. Students formulate a research plan, implement it by conducting experiment-based research, and convey the results in scholarly presentations. Students submit a written research report at the end of the course.

This course provides an introduction to Einstein's relativity theory: Special relativity, four-vectors and tensors. General relativity, spacetime curvature, the equivalence principle, Einstein's equations, experimental tests within the solar system, gravitational waves, black holes, and cosmology.

Most processes in nature are complex and dynamical. This is also true for many problems encountered by engineers and scientists in their professional life. In this course students get tools to analyse such dynamical systems. They learn to determine if, when, and how chaotic behavior occurs. The course focuses on applications in fields such as physics, biology, chemistry, and engineering. The previous experience of the participants is taken into account and made use of in the course and the examples studied.

The Individual Research Training Senior (IRT Senior) Course is an advanced course of the Individual Research Training B (IRT B) course in the Tohoku University Junior Year Program in English (JYPE) in the spring semester. Though short-term international exchange students are not degree candidates at Tohoku University, a similar experience is offered by special arrangement. Students are required to submit: an abstract concerning the results of their IRT Senior project, a paper (A4, 20-30 pages) on their research at the end of the exchange term, and an oral presentation on the results of their IRT Senior project near the end of the　term.

This course aims to fill the gap between the relevant mathematical knowledge necessary in Physics and its late appearance in Mathematics courses for School of Engineering Freshmen students. It allocates plentiful time for students to solve problems, aiding students to progress naturally to college Physics (which uses Calculus as the language); and acquire the basic capacity of calculation and application of Mathematics and Physics.
 

Science fiction represents a blend of science, social science and arts. It frequently draws inspiration from science, as well as addressing the social issues relevant today by highlighting certain social aspects. Science fiction also serves to popularize science and affects public opinion about certain scientific and technological issues. Therefore, there is a complex relationship between science and science fiction, and understanding this relationship requires its analysis from multiple perspectives. This course covers the topics of the influence of science on science fiction, the influence of science fiction on science, and the influence of science fiction on public perception of science and scientists. These topics will be discussed in the context of examples of science fiction works dealing with space exploration and space travel, time travel, near future fiction, and science fiction dealing with social issues. The science concepts involved in these topics will be briefly explained at a layperson level, and the main emphasis will be placed on critical thinking and analyzing interdisciplinary connections and relationships. Assessment: 100% coursework