PHY112: Fundamental Physics II

Physics 112 is the second half of the introductory physics sequence. We will discuss electricity, magnetism, circuits, optics, and thermodynamics. These topics have a wide range of applications in modern physics, engineering, chemistry, and biology, so we will discuss these rela- tionships along the way! The lab section of the course will provide hands-on opportunities to explore the physics described in lecture, as well as training in data collection and analysis.

Along with learning these ideas, we will develop our ability to understand and explain physics through conceptual reasoning as well as mathematical formulae. By the end of this class, my goals are that you will learn to see physics in your every day life, solve problems (both practical and theoretical), and develop intuition about the physical nature of the Universe.

I teach this course in a “flipped” format, in which students will watch short lecture videos and respond to questions before class and then engage in active discussion and problem-solving during class. This format can take time to get used to, but I teach this way because substantial research indicates that students learn more, retain more, and achieve higher grades compared to traditional lecture-based instruction.