or
or
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Courses|
Physics Labs | Research Interests | Cool
Websites | SMC
Steve
Nash Pass |
NBA
dance off | How
it all began|
Misty
telling Ash the brutal truth |
Chess & Coasters
Class Schedule SPRING 2010 |
||
Course (section) |
Days and Times |
Room |
| Physics 6 (2825) | M: 8 - 11A T: 8 - 11A |
SCI 153 SCI 106 |
| Physics 6 (2826) |
M: 8 - 11A W: 8 - 11A |
SCI 153 SCI 101 |
| Physics 7 | TTh: 1245 - 350p | SCI 122 |
| Office Hours | M: 12-2P; W: 11-12 noon; Th: 10-11A | SCI 275 |
Physics
21 Select to view course syllabus, past exams, and problem sets for Physics
21. Physics 21 is the first semester of a three semester, calculus-based physics
sequence (Physics 21, 22 & 23). The course content is kinematics, dynamics, and
materials. Offered each semester. This is recommended for engineering and
physical science majors.
Physics
22 Select to view course syllabus, past exams, and problem sets for Physics
221. Physics 22 is the second semester of a three semester, calculus-based physics
sequence (Physics 21, 22 & 23). The course content is electricity and
magnetism. Offered each semester. This is recommended for engineering and
physical science majors.
Physics
6 Select to view course syllabus, past exams, and problem sets for Physics
6. Physics 6 is the first semester of a two semester, non-calculus physics
sequence (Physics 6 & 7). The course content is kinematics, dynamics, wave
motion, materials and thermodynamics. Offered in each semester. This is
recommended for non-physical science majors who do NOT need a calculus-based
physics course.
Physics
8 Select to view course syllabus, past exams, and problem sets for Physics
8. Physics 8 is the first semester of a two semester, calculus-based physics
sequence (Physics 8 & 9). The course content is kinematics, dynamics, wave
motion, materials and thermodynamics. Offered each Fall semester. This is
recommended for non-physical science majors who DO need a calculus-based physics
course.
Physics
9 Physics 9 is the second semester of a two semester, calculus-based physics
sequence (Physics 8 & 9). The course content is electricity and magnetism,
optics, and modern physics. Offered each Spring semester. This is recommended
for non-physical science majors who DO need a calculus-based physics course.
Physics 14 Conceptual Physics with lab. This is a FUN class! There is no math prerequisite, and we cover topics in a way that makes relevant connections to your life. If you DON'T see the connections you will be immediately (and often) encouraged to help me MAKE those connections.
Astronomy
1A Astronomy 1A is a survey
course in stellar astronomy looking at topics such as night sky motion of the
stars and planets, the Sun, stellar evolution, galaxies and cosmology.
Astronomy
1B Astronomy 1B is a survey
course in solar system astronomy looking at topics such as night sky motion of the
stars and planets, the planets and their moons, and minor bodies in the solar
system.
Click HERE for my SCAAPT Spring Meeting PowerPoint® presentation.
LACTE Report
ASSIST CSULA to ECC to SMC
California's Adopted Standards
Physics Education
Having attended numerous NSF
workshops on introductory physics education research and current curriculum
improvement, I am active in improving my physics teaching by implementing new
techniques that enable students to gain knowledge actively rather than
passively. I analyze data obtained from my classes, compare that to national
data, and am constantly revising my teaching strategies. My courses are taught
in the Overview-Case Study/Conceptual Exercises (OCS/CE) mode, with minimal
traditional lecturing taking place. I plan to integrate computers into the
physics and astronomy curricula in such a way that lab and lecture lines are
completely blurred. In the sense of Priscilla Laws' Workshop Physics curriculum,
I hope to make the computers better facilitate the students' discovery of
physical laws. In astronomy, it will also enable the class to direct its own
search for information on topics of interest, rather than be instructor led. In
this way I subscribe strongly to John Holt's philosophy of self-direction as a
means to increase the students' sense of ownership of their knowledge - be it
astronomy, physics, or any other subject.
Astronomical
Observation and Data Analysis
With
a number of telescopes now online, it is possible to request data on objects
that have the potential to lead to new astronomical discoveries. Perhaps the
most interesting is the discovery of supernovae in distant galaxies by
maintaining a survey of perhaps 20 given galaxies. Probabilistically it can be
shown that surveying such a number of galaxies over one year is likely to reveal
a supernova in one of the galaxies. Another area is variable star photometry.
There are numerous known variable stars that have poorly defined light curves,
and hence can not be well classified. Again once data is on hand, analysis of
that data can lead to important results.
Cosmology
and Quantum Gravity
My
subject area research has been in computer-modeling of simple cosmologies,
examining such things as the large-scale symmetries of the universe early in its
history, compared to its current state. This work is important in that numerical
results can be obtained for geometries that cannot be considered in the standard
continuum models. The Regge Calculus approach is used to discretize spacetime
and the Hartle-Hawking "No boundary" condition as applied to their
quantum mechanical model. Many further questions are still to be asked because
of the ability to vary parameters in the model (such as the cosmological
constant or type of matter fields).
A great site that tells you all
you ever wanted to know about physics in society and careers, put together by
the American Institute of Physics.
Physics 2000 site -
Modern physics in an interactive story.
Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous
A spacecraft orbit an asteroid? Land on it? You've got to be kidding...
The Space Telescope Science Institute is where you can find lots of information on the Hubble Space Telescope and its latest pictures.
Astronomy
Picture of the Day Wonderful images and clear descriptions of all types of
astronomical objects.
The
Particle Adventure An interactive tour of the world of particle physics -
both what we know and DON'T know.
NASA
Spaceflight Web Is the shuttle up, down, or in limbo? What's happening on
the International Space Station? Find out all you ever
wanted to about NASA's human spaceflight program.
NASA
What's new in the NASA zoo? It's all listed here.
Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) JPL, at CalTech in Pasadena, is one of the most
important space exploration sites you can visit.
American
Institute of Physics and the American Physical
Society These two links to the major physics-related organizations have
information about careers, publications and the latest physics news from around
the globe.
UCSB
Web site Directory Want to know about engineering at UC Santa Barbara? Here's where to
find it.
US
National Parks Feeling like camping out? There's no better place to check
out information about conditions, campsites and locations than the US National
Park homepage.
Send Comments to: morse_peter@smc.edu
Last Modified: 03/16/2010