big questions in science: small to large
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Big Questions in Science: From the Very Small
to the Very LargeSebastian de Haro
AUC Open Day, 17 January 2015
The Course: Quick Introduction
• Academic core course for non-science majors
• It can be used to fulfil the science requirement
• No science background expected or required• Students with a science background (‘beta-profiel’ or similar) can still take the
course and benefit from the different perspective
• They normally provide good contributions to the class discussion!
The Teacher(s): Quick Introduction
• Three teachers, one for each section
(physics & astronomy, earth science, biology)
• My own background: Dutch/Spanish, theoretical physicist, 40 research papers, 1500 citations• Now new background in philosophy of science: second PhD at the
University of Cambridge• Interest in philosophical questions obvious in the course!
• Teacher and tutor at AUC since 2009. Courses:
• Quantum Physics, Statistical Mechanics,
Symmetries and the Quantum Universe, Philosophical Problems
The Course: More Details
• Taught twice a year (fall and spring): 50 students
• Tailor-made for AUC students’ needs in HUM/SSC• Connection to humanities/society
• Different student backgrounds
• Importance of science in everyday life
• To become a critical citizen on various issues one needs basic understanding of the state of the art of science
• Provide an overview of the very basic concepts of science fostering the development of such an understanding
• Identify the Big Questions in Science, and how these questions are being (have been) addressed
General Aims
• Basic understanding of the state of the art:• Overview of the basic concepts of science needed to understand the
Big Questions
• Identify concrete Big Questions in science, old and new:• What makes them into Big Questions?
• How do scientists address them?
• Their social/cultural impact (and impact on them!)
What the students say…
• “I really liked Sebastian's slides; they were very helpful for the exam preparation. I didn't really like the idea of 'learning questions' but it ended up being super helpful. I used to hate physics, and was surprised to have liked it so much after taking the course. It's probably thanks to Sebastian too.”
• “It's demanding for a social science student, but you learn a lot.”
Big Questions Connecting Circle:Space- and time-scales
3 Time and relativity
4 Quantum mechanics
5 Our cosmic origins
1 Classical physics
2 The Scientific Revolution
It is in constant fall but its direction keeps changing
The Moon behaves as any other physical object, for instance an apple!
The Scientific Revolution
• Copernicus vs. Ptolemais
• Kepler (laws of motion of the planets)
• Galilei (mechanics, popularisation of Copernicus)
• Newton (laws and Big Question: What is gravity?)
• What made it a revolution?• Novel science (modern science is born)
• Influence on society (‘paradigm shift’)
• Societal influences on the genesis of the revolution
Einstein’s Big Questions
• What is time and how do we measure it? (Augustine, Galilei)
• What is gravity and how does it work? (Newton)• Preliminary: energy (forms of energy, conservation of energy)
• Cultural influences (both ways): dynamism of space-time and extra dimensions in art (e.g. cubism, Flatland)
• Einstein’s mathematical derivation of the relativity of time (‘time dilation’) using only basic trigonometry!
• Theory of relativity: nice illustration of the ‘scientific method’
The General Theory of Relativity: Black Holes
• Qualitative explanation of the general theory of relativity
• Experimental evidence for the existence of black holes, predictions
Quantum Mechanics: Connections between Micro and Macro
• Basic review of the history and main principles of quantum mechanics: atoms, electrons, light
• Many properties of large systems are related to quantum mechanics
Example: Spectral Lines
• Specific wavelengths of light emitted/absorbed by particular atoms
• Explained by quantum mechanics
Example: Planck Spectrum and Spectral Lines
• Explain a large number of macroscopic phenomena: colour of light, absorption of radiation in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases
• Used in astronomy to determine the distance of stars to us
• Used in cosmology to test the theory of the Big Bang
Big Questions Connecting Circle:Space- and time-scales
3 Time and relativity
4 Quantum mechanics
5 Our cosmic origins
1 Classical physics
2 The Scientific RevolutionEnergy
Big Question: How Did the Universe Start? And How Do We Know This?
• … and what are OUR cosmic origins?
• Most of the matter in the universe was created shortly after the big bang (hydrogen, helium)
• But there was not enough time to form heavier atoms, from which our body is made (carbon, oxygen). This was formed inside stars!
• And then again, only 4% of the universe is made of matter
• The remaining 96%… Dark matter?... Dark energy?
The Big Bang
• Time-line: what happened when, and how do we know?
• Experimental evidence for the theory
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