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SPRING 2004 COURSE GUIDE
Category III: Scientific Principles
These courses focus on basic scientific principles and examines the way these principles were developed through gradual evolution, the elimination of competing ideas, and scientific revolution. A lab or field experience is required. These courses focus on cultures and civilizations generally perceived as alternatives to those in Category 1, and based on traditions prevalent in Africa, Asia, Latin American, the Middle East, Native America, and elsewhere. For additional enrollment information, see the Spring 2004 Schedule of Classes. You may also download the course descriptions in pdf version.
- Homework and Reading 15%
- Lab 20%
- First Midterm 20%
- Second Midterm 20%
- Final 25%
ASTRONOMY 100Lxg
The Universe
Professor Warner
TTh, 12:00 - 1:50
This course is about your origins taken on the grandest possible scale. It is my hope that by the end you will have a sense of where we are in the universe, and how we got here: Not only in terms of the evolution of the planets, galaxies and of the universe as a whole, but also in terms of the development of our knowledge and understanding of astronomy. As a result, the early part of the course will involve a considerable amount of the essential basic science, and most particularly physics, organized according to how it was discovered, or became relevant to astronomy. The last three sections of the course examine what we know about the universe (and how we know it) at progressively larger scales: starting with the solar system, we then move out to stars in our galaxy, thence to other galaxies and, finally, to the expansion of the universe as a whole.
As a general principle, I will try to focus on universal features rather than on individual local peculiarities. For example, I would rather you knew what you might find in other planetary systems around other stars than you knew the names of every single moon of every single planet in our solar system. It will be essential to memorize a significant body of facts, but I will try to extract general themes from these facts and endeavor not to inflict you with the miseries of extensive rote learning.
This course has roughly four parts: (1) what and how we learn from observation, essential physics, basic concepts, and early astronomy; (2) the solar system; (3) the life and death of stars; and (4) the galaxies and the evolution of the universe. I wish to spend more time on (3) and (4) than is typical in the more traditional astronomy class. The concepts in this material are the more intriguing, and are not so easily digested without assistance. The cost of this choice is that we will only make a rather cursory study of the planets.
This course is designed specifically for the non-science major who has very little, if any, background in the sciences and mathematics. The course is non-mathematical by prerequisite, but you will have the pleasure of learning to perform some calculations that are very simple and will employ formulae that are easy to remember. You will note that formulae represent ideas, reflecting the fact that mathematics is the language of science. For the nervous math-phobe: in the first two lectures I will give you an idea of the level of mathematics that will be expected.
Top of PageCHEMISTRY 102Lxg
The Molecular World
Professor Thompson
TTh, 9:30 - 10:50
The following course description belongs to Professor Singer.
This course examines the nature of scientific inquiry by teaching principles discovered by scientists through the review of key discoveries of chemical principles that occurred over the last several hundred years.
Goals:
Teach fundamental principles and laws of chemistry through lecture, problem solving, and quantitative procedures in the laboratory.
Structure:
Lecture given by professor
1 Laboratory per week, taught by graduate teaching assistant
For further information, visit the course website at http://www-scf.usc.edu/~chem102/.
EARTH SCIENCE 105Lg
Planet Earth
Professor Morrison
MWF, 11:00 - 11:50
This course examines the geologic structure and evolution of the planet earth.
For the most recent and detailed information about this course, see the course's website: http://www.usc.edu/dept/earth/academics/course_desc.html.
EARTH SCIENCE 107Lxg
Oceanography
Professor Lund
MWF, 10:00 - 10:50
This course introduces students to oceanographic and geologic processes active at the Earth's surface and their relationship to the human environment. Processes include plate tectonics, oceanic and atmospheric circulation, the hydrologic cycle, marine sedimentation, marine biology, and physical aspects of climate including Global Change issues. The course also surveys relationships between oceanographic processes and the availability of mineral/energy resources and pollution problems.
For the most recent and detailed information about this course, see the course's website: http://www.usc.edu/dept/earth/academics/course_desc.html.
EARTH SCIENCE 108Lg
Crisis of a Planet
Professor Davis
MWF, 9:00 - 9:50
The following course description belongs to Professor Anderson.
This course will explore the impact of Earth's natural evolution on civilization and the impact of our growing population on the Earth's ecosystems and resources. As leaders of tomorrow, students of today face unprecedented challenges that include both ethical and technical issues regarding our planet and its environment.
The Earth is a "restless" planet. Without volcanism and earthquakes, it would not have evolved to a state supportive of biologic life. Yet, the success of our species is leading to an increasing number of natural disasters. From floods to earthquakes to landslides, such forms of planetary instability are natural. They have always occurred but can become disasters when we fail to understand what is natural.
The course will consider how the Earth came to be where it is today and how humans fit into its natural evolution. Human population trends are increasing geometrically. Although it took two million years for our population to achieve the first billion mark, today our population grows by a billion every decade. As result, our impact on Earth is becoming severe with remarkable effects on the balance of nature in areas such as global warming, acid rain and pollution, and high atmosphere ozone depletion. Other topics include the Earth's diminished ability to provide through its water, mineral, and energy resources.
Because of such issues, students of today and our leaders to tomorrow need to be educated about the Earth, including the natural aspects of its instability and the ways that humans are unnaturally affecting its continued evolution. Are we to be part of the problem or part of the solution? These are global problems that carry into every corner of the world.
Grading
The assignment of grades will be based on two midterms and a final for the lecture portion and weekly exercises, three writing projects, and a final for the laboratory portion of the course. Also included is a two-day field trip with an overnight campout. Students that are unable to attend the field trip are asked to submit a term paper.
For the most recent and detailed information about this course, see the course's website: http://www.usc.edu/dept/earth/academics/course_desc.html.
EARTH SCIENCE 130Lxg
The Nature of Scientific Inquiry
Professor Paterson
TTh, 9:30 - 11:00
This course is designed for anyone with an interest in physical science. The course considers our past and current scientific understanding of the 'natural world', the nature of scientific inquiry which has led us to that level of understanding, and the relationship of science to other aspects of human knowledge and experience. We will explore how science is done, how new scientific paradigms (broad scientific hypotheses) are developed (and older paradigms discarded or changed), and what are the limitations of science. Examples of scientific ideas and paradigm shifts will come from the realm of physical science (astronomy, physics, chemistry, earth sciences) with modest use of mathematics. By the end of the semester, we hope that all students acquire a more 'modern' scientific view of the natural world around us, in regards to what we know and don't know, and also develop a more questioning attitude with regard to the learning process and observation of the world around us.
For the most recent and detailed information about this course, see the course's website: http://www.usc.edu/dept/earth/academics/course_desc.html.
GEOGRAPHY 160Lg
The Earth's Surface
Professor Pepper
TTh, 11:00 - 12:20
Please contact the Geography department for course description.
PHYSICS 100Lxg
Conceptual Physics
Professor Haas
MWF, 12:00 - 12:50
This course presents some of the advances in modern physics in the 20th century from a conceptual point of view. It is intend as a cultural enrichment course rather than a technical course. It is primarily addressed to non-specialists, but would also be enriching for students majoring in technical fields. Topics will range from the Big Bang cosmology of the Universe to the microscoping structures of matter including atoms, nuclei, quarks, superstrings, black holes, superconductivity, etc. Attempts will be made to explain the deeper theories of Physics by making analogies and relating them to commonly encountered events in daily life. The lab for this course will help to demonstrate the relationship between concepts learned in lecture.
Grading and Course Requirements:
For further information, visit the course website at http://physics.usc.edu/Classes/100/.
PHYSICS 100Lxg
Conceptual Physics
Professor Feinberg
TTh, 2:00 - 3:20
The aim of this general education course is to introduce you to some of the main concepts of physics. The course is designed to be non-technical, and students won't need to work with lengthy formulas, perform tedious calculations, or pay friends to do their homework for them. However, students will need to understand stuff. To help students in their endeavors, there will be a number of group projects involving homemade rockets, motors, etc.
Grading
* Homework: 20%
* Midterm Exam and occasional quizzes: 30%
* Final Exam: 30%
* Laboratory: 20%
For further information, visit the course website at http://physics.usc.edu/Classes/100/.