Physics is one of the most elegant products of human thought. Physicists often talk about the beauty of physics. Hopefully, by the end of the course you will have an appreciation of the way physics deals with patterns in nature.

While it is true that one needs to be skilled in math to learn physics well, knowing what equations mean matters just as much: Some fundamental laws are verbal statements and are stated succinctly. One needs to pay attention to the meaning of words. The best way to understand a law is to deconstruct it; the process will give you an insight to the nuance of the words. Where math is used to express physical ideas, it is imperative that you focus on the meaning of concepts. The way to learn physics is not by memorizing laws and equations, but in applying them in experiments and problems. Most of the time, it is not enough for you to look at a problem and decide whether you know how to solve it: You need to obtain an answer and check whether it is the right order of magnitude. Sometimes problems contain conceptual details that could trip you; solving the entire problem will help you become skilled at dealing with those kinds of issues. Finally, applying equations will help you understand the methods of physics.

Click on the links above for course details. Although the homework details are updated each week, please check every day: The content is calibrated based on the progress of the class during the day.

Physics Web Sites:
Physical Reference Data
Unit Converter
Famous Physicists
Learning Physics :
The Physics Classroom
Interesting Physics:
Imagining the Tenth Dimension
Other web sites:
Official Eastern Standard Time
National Hurricane Center