核心课程中的物理

核心课程的物理要求是什么?

核心课程包括:

  • 物理23 (1).5个单元，秋季学期)狭义相对论
  • 物理24(3个单元，春季学期)经典力学
  • 物理 50 (1 unit, fall or spring semester of sophomore year) 物理 Laboratory

Some of the core topics are typically part of high school physics courses; they are covered at Harvey Mudd College in considerably greater depth than most and use more mathematics than is possible in the great majority of high school courses.

核心物理课程的学习顺序是什么?

For most students the required sequence of courses is 物理 23 in the first semester, 第二学期的物理课, 第三或第四学期的物理课是50. 物理 23 has one lecture and two problem sections each week for the first half or the second half of the first semester; 物理 24 has two lectures and two recitation sections each week; 物理 50 meets every week for two hours.

是否有可能在核心课程中“排除”物理课程? 如果一个学生有很强的背景，那么把他排除在外是否明智?

所有学生都要参加90分钟的分班考试. 考试内容包括一些基础数学和经典力学. We also ask students to describe their physics background: the courses they have taken, 书使用, 成绩和AP物理成绩, 如果可用.

A student who demonstrates a high level of mastery of both classical mechanics and special relativity should speak to the physics department chair immediately following the placement exam during orientation. Few students will have taken a course in special relativity before coming to the College, 至少在物理23的深度上是这样的. 学生 who nevertheless believe that they have a strong background in special relativity and in classical mechanics should arrange with the physics department chair to take further examinations during orientation to demonstrate their mastery of the material of core physics. 太阳2注册平台成功的挑战, they are eligible to take 物理 52 (Quantum 物理) in the spring semester.

A larger number of students may be well prepared in classical mechanics but not in special relativity. 他们有机会通过物理24. To determine whether students qualify for advance placement out of 物理 24, 可选的3小时分班考试将提供, 通常是在秋季学期的第一个星期六. 学生 who take this second exam will then confer with the department chair to determine whether they should take 物理 24, 物理 24A (an advanced-placed section of 物理 24 that covers similar material to 物理 24 but with less lecture and with somewhat more challenging problems), 或者仅仅是排在物理24课之外.

根据分班考试成绩和以前的考试成绩, the physics department endeavors to place first-year students in an appropriate course that is close to being right for that student. 我们希望每个学生都能受到挑战，但不是过度的挑战. 学生 with placement questions are encouraged to speak with the physics department chair during orientation.

How should an entering student prepare for the 物理 24 placement exam?

分班考试是太阳2注册平台经典力学的, 包括(但不限于)粒子运动定律, 动量守恒, 能源, 角动量, 万有引力, 振荡, 和海浪. 学生 interested in advance placement should review material in these areas learned in high school or college courses taken previously.

What is the “next” physics course for advanced-placed students interested in continuing in physics?

学生 who place out of both 物理 23 and 物理 24 in their first year—and who are interested in continuing in physics—will normally take 物理 51 in the fall; they are then eligible to take 物理 52 (Quantum 物理) in the spring of their first year. For students who place out of 物理 24 (but not 物理 23), a number of options are available. 学生 receiving advanced placement may take 物理 32 (Gravitation) or Astronomy 62 (Introduction to Astrophysics), 参与物理研究, 或者在那个学期学习物理以外的课程. They would then take 物理 51 in the fall of the sophomore year and be eligible to take 物理 52 (Quantum 物理) in the spring of their sophomore year.

如果学生中途退出或没有通过一门核心物理课程该怎么办?

  1. A student who drops a core physics course must enroll in the same course at the next available offering of the course.
  2. 一个核心物理课程不及格的学生可能会, 得到物理系系主任的事先许可, 在另一所学校修一门系里认可的课程. 满足HMC课程要求, 学生必须在那门课上取得“B -”或以上的成绩. The student’s transcript will then show the transfer credit from the other institution, but the grade will not count towards the student’s HMC grade point average. The non-HMC course must be completed successfully before the next offering of the core physics course at HMC; if not, 该学生必须重新选修核心物理课程.

什么是合适的补课?

物理课程24

  • A suitable mechanics course for summer study should be calculus-based and appropriate for the physical sciences and engineering. It should be approved in advance of enrollment by the physics department chair.
  • A student my satisfy the 物理 24 requirement by passing our makeup exam in the fall with a score of 60% or better. 此选项仅可用一次.
  • 在确定了合适的课程之后, a student should send information about the course to the Chair of 物理 for approval prior to enrolling in the course. 适当的资料包括课程教材, 目录说明, 课程网站, 如果可用.

What next courses should a student take if he or she is interested in pursuing a physics major?

为物理实验课程做好充分准备, it is recommended that potential physics majors take 物理 50 in their third semester. 完成物理51后, 物理专业的学生通常选物理52, 物理54, 在他们大二的春天，p064. Another physics course that can be taken in that semester is Astronomy 62 (Introduction to Astrophysics). Other spring-semester courses appropriate for sophomores that are offered typically on an every-other-year basis include 物理 166 (Geophysics), 物理174(生物物理学). 偶尔二年级的学生, 如果他们有足够的数学背景, take 物理 111 (Theoretical Mechanics) in the fall of their sophomore year; interested students should speak first with their advisor and the 物理 111 instructor.