FYSS8300 History of Physics (5 cr)

• prehistory, early history and ancient Greece
  
• ancient Rome, islamic world and early Europe
  
• classical mechanics, electromagnetism and optics
  
• early atom theory, gas theory and thermodynamics
  
• modern physics circa 1900-1920
• modern physics circa 1920-1945
• new physics 1945-2020
• history of physics and physics education in Finland
  

After completing the study unit the student can

• discuss the development of different fields of physics and the role of physics in natural sciences as well as the nature of physics knowledge and how knowledge evolves and increases
• tell about the historical roots of physics in natural philosophy
• tell about the development of physics from antiquities to modern times
• describe the development of fundamental concepts and understanding of physical phenomena
• describe important breakthroughs such as the scientific revolution and the emergence of modern physics

Basic studies in physics and the courses Modern Physics, parts A&B, or equivalent

Material on the web platform