This is a unique YEAR-LONG TWO CREDIT course that integrates historical and scientific perspectives. The course will connect, in important and exciting ways, both the development of nuclear physics during the 20th century and the socia l, political, and diplomatic implications of those developments into the 21st century.
The historic component covers the development of the politics, diplomacy and social implications of the nuclear age as it is influenced by the evolution of the nuclear arms race, cold war attitudes and post-cold war anxieties.
The scientific component of the course presents the fundamental concepts of mechanics and nuclear physics in quantitative terms, in order to understand the designs and dangers of nuclear weapons and reactors. The physical and biological effects of explosions, accidental emissions of radioactive materials and nuclear waste disposal are studied subsequently. Physical aspects of defense and control systems are considered.
Professors Sherwin and Goldstein have taught courses and pursued research in these subjects for many years. This combined course weaves together the scientific and historical material over a full academic year, as appropriate to this in herently interdisciplinary subject. An additional advantage to this longer period for study is that non-science students will have more time to master the unfamiliar scientific concepts and skills.
There are no prerequisites for the course, but mathematics at the level of high school algebra will be used.
Students must register for both History 177 and Physics 5. Upon successful completion of both semesters students will receive one natural science distribution credit and one social science or humanities distribution credit.
Class size will be limited to 80. Weekly discussion section meetings, which are a required part of the course, will be arranged during the first week of the course. Lectures will be in the A+3 block, Tuesday &Thursday 3:50 to 5:05.
