PHYS 006. Foundations of Contemporary Physics.

Special relativity and the statistical basis of thermodynamics were two of the key discoveries early in the 20th century that launched the development of contemporary physics. Half of this course covers the counterintuitive consequences of special relativity for our understanding of space and time. Half of the course introduces thermodynamics, both macroscopic thermodynamics and introductory statistical mechanics; topics include energy, heat, work, entropy, temperature (the First, Second and “Third” Laws of Thermodynamics), heat capacity, ideal gases, paramagnetism, phase transitions, and the chemical potential. Physics 6 is the usual second course in the sequence for majoring or minoring in astronomy, astrophysics, or physics. It is also suitable for non-majors with appropriate mathematical and problem-solving preparation from a previous quantitative NSE course (physics, engineering, or chemistry).
Prerequisite: MATH 015
Corequisite: MATH 025
1 credit.
Spring 2024. Smith, T. and Hyde.
Spring 2025. Smith, T.
Spring 2026. Smith, T.
Catalog chapter: Physics and Astronomy
Department website: http://www.swarthmore.edu/physics-astronomy

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