November 1, 6 & 8
3:30 p.m.
Overview of Physics (Lecture Series)
G Rajasekaran
Chennai Mathematical Institute and Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai.
01-11-12

---

Abstract

Aim of the lectures

The aim of these lectures is to communicate the excitement of Physics to ALL students so that their academic and cultural background is made a little broader. For the physics students it will be a preview of all the things that they will learn in more detail in the three years. We shall try to emphasize the unity of Physics which tends to get lost when different parts of physics are taught by different instructors in different styles. For the MATHS students, it will be Physics in a nutshell and we will try to show what they will be missing! More seriously the aim will be to show how all the Laws of Nature are written in the language of Mathematics.

Synopsis

It will be a quick overview of the basic concepts of both classical and quantum physics, without detailed dicussions or derivations. In classical physics we shall map out Mechanics, Electromagnetic Fields and Thermodynamics. After a brief detour into Special and General Relativity, we reach quantum physics which will include Quantum Mechanics, Atoms,and finally Elementary Particles & Quantum Fields.