PHY 165: Space, Time, relativity
Reading responses
Ch. 1: Principle of Relativity
Ch. 2: Principle of the Constancy of the Velocity of Light
Ch. 3: How to Approach the Problem
Ch. 4: Length of a Moving Stick (I)
Ch. 6: Length of a Moving Stick (II)
Ch. 8: Objections and Reflections
Ch. 13: The Lorentz Transformation
Solutions and reference items
Office hours MWF 9-9:30AM. TR 12:40-2PM, or by appointment.
Tutoring for both PHY and PHI Su/M/W 8-9:30PM in Crounse 102.
Slides for detour into curved spacetime
Chapter 7 combined worksheet solutions
Chapters 2-3 homework solutions
Solution to chapter 3 worksheet (homework help)
Solution to chapter 2 worksheet (light clock)
Chapter 1 homework solutions
Solution to chapter 1 worksheet
Course syllabus
Fall term academic calendar
Fall term final exam schedule
Daily action items by date
All reading assignments are due by 11:59PM on the date they are assigned below.
------- Week 6 items below (10/6-10/13) -------
10/8 (Tues):
• Read Mermin Chapter 8
10/11 (Fri):
• Draft presentations on paradoxes, for feedback from audience.
------- Week 5 items below (9/29-10/6) -------
9/29 (Sun):
• Read Mermin Chapter 7
10/2 (Wed):
• Homework due at start of class: All problems in the Chapter 6 homework sheet
• Due Wednesday 10/9: All problems in the Chapter 7 homework sheet
------- Week 4 items below (9/22-9/29) -------
9/22 (Sun):
• Read Mermin Chapter 6
9/23 (Mon):
• Homework due at start of class: All problems in the Chapter 5 homework sheet
9/25 (Wed):
• Exam 1 chapters 1-5 in class today
9/27 (Fri):
• Due Wednesday 10/2: All problems in the Chapter 6 homework sheet
------- Week 3 items below (9/16-9/22) -------
9/15 (Sun):
• Read Mermin Chapter 5
9/16 (Mon):
• Due Monday 9/23: All problems in the Chapter 5 homework sheet
9/22 (Sun):
• Read Mermin Chapter 6
------- Week 2 items below (9/9-9/15) -------
9/8 (Sun):
• Read Mermin Chapter 3
9/9 (Mon):
• Homework due at start of class: Problems 1.1-1.7 in the Chapter 1 homework sheet
• Due Friday 9/13: All problems in the Chapter 2-3 homework sheet
9/10 (Tues):
• Read Mermin Chapter 4
9/13 (Fri):
• Homework due at start of class: All problems in the Chapter 2-3 homework sheet
------- Week 1 items below (9/2-9/8) -------
9/2 (Mon):
• Class meeting discussing the course
• Due Monday 9/9: Problems 1.1-1.7 in the Chapter 1 homework sheet
9/3 (Tues):
• Read Mermin Chapter 1 and post responses via link at the left
9/5 (Thurs):
• Read Mermin Chapter 2 (and post responses, which goes without saying in the future)
9/6 (Fri):
• Due Friday 9/13: All problems in the Chapter 2-3 homework sheet
-------------------------------------------
Below are some supplemental videos recorded during the pandemic. Note that classes were only six weeks long, and met four days a week for more than one hour, so they do not line up with our course meetings this term. Also, some weeks there are less than five videos because of exams or supplemental activities. Feel free to watch them if you like.