---Please note:Â Thisis course is due to be archived on . You can study thecourse up until this date. For learners who have completed the course, theStatement of Participation will remain in your learner records in yourOpenLearn profile.---The restless Universe introduces you to major achievements and figures in the history of physics, from Copernicus to Einstein and beyond. The route from classical to quantum physics will be laid out for you in this free course without recourse to challenging mathematics but with the fundamental features of theories and discoveries described in sufficient detail to whet your appetite for further physics study.
Overview
Syllabus
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Physics and the physical world
- 1 Physics and the physical world
- 2 World-views
- 2 World-views
- 2.1 The lawful Universe
- 2.1.1 Science and regularity
- 2.1.2 Mathematics and quantification
- 2.2 The clockwork Universe
- 2.2.1 Mechanics and determinism
- 2.2.2 Energy and conservation
- 2.3 The irreversible Universe
- 2.3.1 Thermodynamics and entropy
- 2.3.2 Equilibrium and irreversibility
- 2.3.3 Statistical mechanics
- 2.4 The intangible Universe
- 2.4.1 Electromagnetism and fields
- Faraday and Maxwell
- 2.4.2 Relativity, space, time and gravity
- Albert Einstein
- 2.5 The uncertain Universe
- 2.5.1 Quantum mechanics and chance
- 2.5.2 Quantum fields and unification
- Richard Feynman
- 2.5.3 The end of physics?
- 2.6 Closing items
- 2.6.1 course summary
- 2.6.2 End-of-course questions
- Conclusion
- 3 Appendix: Some highlights of physics
- 3 Appendix: Some highlights of physics
- Keep on learning
- References
- Further reading
- Acknowledgements
