History of physical sciences 1101-3N`HPS

The course covers the development of physics since ancient times to the present. The scope of physics underwent significant changes over the years. In the XVIIIth century physics textbooks contained problems which belong now to chemistry, astronomy, mineralogy and biology. Physical methods and ideas in various epochs are discussed during the course.

The main chapters are as follows:

1. Introduction and prehistory of exact sciences
2. Greek science
3. Science in the Middle Ages (including emergence of universities)
4. From Copernicus to Newton (including emergence of scientific periodicals and academies of science)
5. Beginnings of the physics of gases and phenomena of heat
6. Optics from Kepler to Newton
7. Phyisc in the Enlightment
Mechanics from Newton to Laplace
Development of the physics of heat
Electricity from Gilbert to Volta
Chemistry before Lavoisier's reform. Modern atomic theory
First physics textbooks in the Polish language
8. Physics of the XIX century
From Volta's pile to electromagnetism
Optics of Young and Fresnel
Thermodynamics and statistical physics
Maxwell's synthesis
Periodic system of the chemical elements
9. Physics around 1900
10. Physics of the XXth century
Physics of the atom
Physics of atomic nuclei and elementary particles
Condensed matter physics and optics
Development of astronomy and astrophysics
Concluding remarks

The course is illustrated with numerous images (portraits of scientists,
Pictures of instruments from vatrious epochs, old books and prints).

Prerequisites:
The course is rather general, non-technical, and is available for thes tudents of all the faculties of Warsaw University.

Suggested:
Physics students are encouraged to enlist for this course after passing some courses of general physics (Fizyka ogólna I, II, III, IV)

Examination:

Written exam, during which the students are asked to answer a few dozens of simple questions. The final grade depends on the final sum of points, calculated with +1 for every correct answer, and -1 for every incorrect one. The lowest passing grade is with 30 percent of points.

The course may also be of interest for the Ph.D students who decide to choose the history of physical sciencees as one of the subjects for the doctoral examination.