8.20
Introduction to Special Relativity
Krishna Rajagopal
Mon-Fri, Jan 7-11, 14-18, 22-25, 28-1, 10:30am-12:00pm, 4-370
Pre-register on WebSIS and attend first class.
Listeners allowed, space permitting
Prereq: 8.01, 18.01
Level: U 9 units Standard A - F Grading
Introduces the basic ideas and equations of Einstein's Special Theory of Relativity. Topics include: Lorentz transformations, length contraction and time dilation, four vectors, Lorentz invariants, relativistic energy and momentum, relativistic kinematics, Doppler shift, space-time diagrams, relativity paradoxes, and some concepts of General Relativity. Subject intended for freshman and sophomore levels. Not usable as a restricted elective by Physics majors. Credit cannot be received for 8.20 if credit for 8.033 is or has been received in the same or prior terms.
Contact: Krishna Rajagopal, 6-308A, 253-6202, krishna@ctp.mit.edu
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8.21
Classical Mechanics II
Christoph Paus
Mon-Fri, Jan 7-11, 14-18, 22-25, 28-1, 02-03:30pm, 4-270
Pre-register on WebSIS and attend first class.
Listeners allowed, space permitting
Prereq: 8.01, 18.02
Level: U 6 units Standard A - F Grading
Normally taken by physics majors in their sophomore year. Hamilton's Principle. Linear mechanics with applications to continuous media. Hamiltonian formulation. Liouville's theorem. Action-angle variables in one dimension. Poisson brackets. Canonical transformations. Noether's theorem. Integrable vs non-integrable systems.
Contact: Christoph Paus, 24-509, 258-0314, paus@mit.edu
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8.398
Selected Topics in Graduate Physics
Statistical Physics in Biology
Mehran Kardar
Mon-Fri, Jan 8-11, 14-18, 22-25, 28-1, 10-12:00am, 1-390
Pre-register on WebSIS and attend first class.
Listeners allowed, space permitting
Prereq: Permission of instructor 8.333 or permission of instructor
Level: H 9 units Graded P/D/F
Presentation of topics of current interest with content varying from year to year.
A survey of problems at the interface of statistical physics and modern biology: Bioinformatic methods for extracting information content of DNA; gene finding, sequence comparison, phylogenetic trees. Physical interactions responsible for structure of biopolymers; DNA double helix, secondary structure of RNA, elements of protein folding. Considerations of force, motion, and packaging; protein motors, membranes. Collective behavior of biological elements; cellular networks, neural networks, evolution.
Contact: Mehran Kardar, 12-108, 253-3259, kardar@mit.edu
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