Professor Emeritus of Physics
Founding Dean of the
Arizona State University
COURSES
Einstein's Legacy
Fall 2023
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Osher Life-Long Learning Institute and ASU
and the
Academy for Continued Learning
of the
November 9, 16, 30; December 7
12:30 - 2:00 PM
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
The life and work of Albert Einstein, including the social impact of his discoveries and commentary. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
Supplementary Reading:
There are libraries full of books about Albert Einstein, his work, correspondence, and social commentary. The following are among the best that I have read:
Albert Einstein, Albrecht Foelsing, Penguin Books, 1997 (trans. Ewald Osers) In my opinion, the most definitive biography of Einstein covering early life and science but limited as to WWII and post-war activities.
"Subtle is the Lord....", The Science and Life of Albert Einstein, Abraham Pais, Oxford University Press, 1982. Written by a noted physicist and colleague of Einstein, this is the best scientific biography of Einstein. Contains a lot of mathematics, but the lay person can benefit from the non-mathematical text.
Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness, John S. Rigden, Harvard University Press, 2005. A short but accessible book, written by a well-known physicist and teacher, describing the five publications that make up Einstein's first Annus Mirabilis.
Einstein & Oppenheimer, Silvan S. Schweber, Harvard University Press, 2008. Physicist and science historian Schweber addresses and compares the two in in-depth essays regarding nuclear weapons and post-WWII security issues.
Other reasonably good biographies include:
Einstein, His Life and Universe, Salter Isaacson, Simon & Schuster, 2007.
Einstein, a Life, Denis Brian, Wiley, 1996.
Einstein,
the Life and Times, Ronald W. Clark, World Publishing, 1971.
Albert Einstein, Creator and Rebel, Banesh Hoffmann, Viking Press, 1972.
Books on relativity (Note: most contain some math. That's the way it is. Would you read about the works of Camus without running across a little French now and then?)
Spacetime Physics (2nd Edition), Edwin F. Taylor and John Archibald Wheeler. Freeman Press, 1992. If you have a technical background, this is the one you want.
Relativity for the Million, Martin Gardner, MacMillan, 1962.
Relativity, Albert Einstein, 1916 (Special edition, Pi Press, 2005.)
The Meaning of Relativity (Fifth Edition), Albert Einstein, Princeton, 1956.
A Stubbornly Persistent Illusion: The Essential Scientific Works of Albert Einstein, ed. by Stephen Hawking, Running Press, 2007.
Was Einstein Right? Putting General Relativity to the Test (2nd Edition), Clifford M. Will, Basic Books, 1993.
Lecture PowerPoints
Chapter 1 The Young Einstein
Chapter 2 Annus Mirabilis I
Chapter 3 Annus Mirabilis II
Chapter 4 The Iconic Einsten
The People and Physics Behind the Atom Bomb
Fall 2022
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Osher Institute and ASU
and the
Academy for Continued Learning
of the
October 24, 31; November 7, 14
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
The development of the atomic bomb is one of the
most fascinating scientific adventures in world history. In contrast to most
popular understanding, it was an international effort pursued by countries both
allied and adversarial. This course will address the basic nuclear physics and
bomb physics needed to understand the events leading to the Trinity test on
Because of time restrictions, however, the course
will cover only those events from the discovery of the atomic nucleus in 1911
to the Trinity test of the “Big Boy” plutonium bomb at
The course is designed for intelligent adults without formal science background. There will be very little math and no need to follow mathematical deductions.
Supplementary Reading:
There has been very little original historical research in the essentials of the Manhattan Project published in the past two decades. The following books are still excellent sources but may be difficult to obtain.
Brighter than a Thousand Suns, Robert Jungk, Mariner Books, 1970 (Original: Albert Scherz Verlag, Bern, 1956) (Available from Amazon and others.) A readable and reasonably accurate account of the science, the scientists and the politics.
Atoms in the Family: My Life with Enrico Fermi, Laura Fermi, University of Chicago Press, 1954. (1995 Reprint Edition available from Amazon and others.) A charming insight into the family life of one of the most important Project scientists.
The Making of the Atomic Bomb, Richard Rhodes, Simon & Schuster, 1986, New York (25th Anniversary Edition available from Amazon and others.) This is the definitive popular history of the atomic bomb.
Day of Trinity, Lansing Lamont, Athenium, New York, 1965. (Uncertain availability) Shorter and less footnoted than Rhodes, but a good read of the essentials.
The Manhattan Project, Cynthia C. Kelly (ed.), Black Dog & Levanthal Publ., New York 2006 (2020 Edition available from Amazon and others.) A compendium of articles and personal statements.
Lawrence and Oppenheimer, Nuel Pharr Davis, Simon and Schuster, New York, 1966. (Rare) Ernest Lawrence and J. Robert Oppenheimer, close colleagues at Berkeley, were key to the Manhattan Project but fell apart during the dramatic years afterwards. A good “in person” look at the Project.
Lecture PowerPoints
Lecture No. 1 Basic Nuclear Physics Concepts and Developments
Lecture No. 2 Uranium Fission, Neutron Production and Chain Reactions
Lecture No. 3 Working out the Bureaucracy
Lecture No. 4 Enrichment, Separation and Trinity
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
Neutrinos: Phantoms of the Universe
Fall 2019
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Academy for Continued Learning
of the
November 18, 25;
December 2, 9
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
The
prediction and subsequent discovery of the neutrino, a particle of no
electrical charge and very little mass, but which exists around us in
inconceivable numbers, is one of the greatest triumphs of modern theoretical
and experimental physics. Today, neutrinos demonstrate their worth as probes of
a wide range of phenomena, from the subatomic to the cosmic. The history and
concepts of neutrino physics are explained in language accessible to any high
school graduate who has fulfilled general college admission prerequisites.
Enrichment Reading:
I include here books written by
scientists who have contributed substantially to the physics of elementary
particles.
Neutrino
by Frank Close, Oxford University Press (2010).
Neutrino
Hunters by Ray Jayawardhana, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (2013).
Inward
Bound by Abraham Pais, Oxford University Press (1986)
The
Second Creation by Robert P. Crease and Charles C. Mann.
The LHC: Particle Physics at the Higgs Frontier
Spring 2019
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Academy for Continued Learning
of the
March 4, 11, 18, 25
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
It
has been almost seven years since the first observation of the Higgs Boson at
the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva, Switzerland. This event placed the
capstone on the development of the so-called Standard Model of matter, which
unifies the Electromagnetic force with the Weak Nuclear force. Further
unification of these with the Strong Nuclear (or Strong Quark) and
Gravitational forces is the continuing central mission of the LHC. This course
will review the physics leading up to the Higgs observation and, in the final
lecture, will survey the physics done at the LHC since then and the LHC's
current status as still the world's greatest elementary particle physics
laboratory. Important research at the Higgs Frontier at other facilities will
also be presented. The class is presented at the college 101 General Studies
level and requires no science and math beyond high school graduation.
Enrichment Reading:
There have been several books written
since 2013 about the Higgs Boson and it’s observation, but the only one I can
thoroughly recommend is
The
Particle at the End of the Universe by Sean Carroll, Penguin Group (2013).
Carroll is a noted researcher
in cosmology.
For background in particle
physics through the development of the Standard Model, I recommend either of
the following:
Inward
Bound by Abraham Pais, Oxford University Press (1986)
The
Second Creation by Robert P. Crease and Charles C. Mann.
Pais was one of the pioneers of
particle theory during the 20th Century. His books on the history of
physics are masterpieces. Crease is a historian of science and Mann is a
science journalist. The Pais book contains somewhat technical material, but
most of it is within the lay person’s reach.
Spooky Physics
Quantum Entanglement, Teleportation and Computing
Fall 2018
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections,
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
Mondays,
September 24 – October 1, 8, 15
Tempe Public
Library
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Quantum Theory
consists of the physical laws and principles that govern crystalline,
molecular, atomic and subatomic behavior. Quantum Mechanics is the application
of these principles, primarily using mathematical equations and numerical
computations. The most profound scientific revolution of the 20th Century,
Quantum Theory presents a host of non-intuitive concepts and dictums. This
course will introduce and survey contemporary research on some of the most
confounding of these, which Albert Einstein derisively called “spooky.”
The course will
be taught at the level of a college general studies course for intellectually
well-prepared lay persons. No mathematical developments will be presented in
class, although students should be comfortable with simple logic, formulas and
graphs. There will be symbolic notation, hopefully well defined. The historical
development of Quantum Theory and its standard applications through Quantum
Mechanics will not be covered (cf. the instructor’s course, “The First Hundred
Years of Quantum Physics”), but attention will be focused on the basic
principles of Quantum Theory that lead to current research in quantum
entanglement, quantum teleportation and quantum computing.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before each lecture for those who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment Reading:
The books recommended below have authors who have professional expertise and considerable accomplishment in quantum physics. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices. Get paperback when available.
The New Quantum Universe (Revised Edition, 2003, ISBN 0-521-56457-3)
Tony Hey and Patrick Walters
Written for lay persons who want a qualitative introduction to all of quantum physics with lots of pictures.
Dance of the Photons: From Einstein to Quantum Teleportation (2010, ISBN 978-0-374-23966-4)
Anton Zeilinger
A very clever exposition, in narrative form, of Professor Zeilinger’s key research in the field of quantum entanglement. This is the one book I would require if this were a for-credit class. Otherwise, I highly recommend it. The Kindle edition should be adequate.
The Quantum Challenge: Modern Research on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (2005, Second Edition, ISBN 0-7637-2470-X)
George Greenstein and Arthur G. Zajonc
An in-depth presentation for the mathematically literate non-expert. This is the book I would recommend to engineers, chemists and economists.
Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics (Revised Edition, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-8182-9)
J. S. Bell
A collection of the papers by the hero of the story, John Bell. Some are highly technical, some are for the lay person. The latest addition has an introduction by Alan Aspect, who is the first and one of the premier experimentalists to tackle the extremely difficult measurements surrounding Bell’s Inequalities. The hard cover is very expensive. The Kindle edition would be fine, or try to get the older edition without the Aspect intro.
I also recommend the classic Scientific American article (remember
when they were worth recommending?) by Bernard d’Espagnat: “The Quantum Theory and Reality,” (Sci. Am., November 1979, p. 158)
in which he derives the Bell Inequalities in a form in which they are used by
most modern commentators, including the instructor. A link to this and other
seminal papers will be provided on the private course web page.
THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS - Part I
Fall 2017
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Academy for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
November 20, 27, December 4, 11
1:00 - 2:30 PM
.
.
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Arizona State University
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the universe in which we live and the physical laws which govern it. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
Part I of the course surveys the origins, primary concepts and principle technological advancements of quantum physics. Part II will review the advancements and technological applications of quantum physics through the latter half Twentieth Century and going into the Twenty-first.
This course will not cover recent experimental and theoretical developments, e.g., quantum computing and quantum state telekinesis, as these topics are addressed in the course, Spooky Physics, offered periodically by the instructor.
Lecture Schedule: Part I (Each class session will contain two lectures)
Lecture 1: Problems with Classical Physics
Lecture 2: Early Quantum Theories
Lecture 3: Wave-Particle Duality
Lecture 4: Quantum States and the Uncertainty Principle
Lecture 5: Wave Functions and Probabilities
Lecture 6: Spin and the
Pauli Exclusion Principle
Lecture 7: The Quantum Theory of Atoms, Molecules and Nuclei
Lecture 8: Quantum Tunneling and Other Weird Happenings
THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS - Part II
Spring 2018
March 12, 19, 26; April 2
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Lecture Schedule: Part II (Each class session will consist of two lectures.)
Lecture 9: The
Quantum Physics of Electrical Conductors
Lecture 10: Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits
Lecture 11: White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars
Lecture
12 : Bose-Einstein
Condensates
Lecture
13: Relativistic Quantum
Electrodynamics
Lecture 14 : Quantum Field theory
Lecture 15: Quantum Entanglement and The EPR Criticism
Lecture 16: John Bell and Bertelman’s Socks
Cafe Scientifique:
The instructor will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, for as long after the lecture as there are those present who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment Reading:
There are numerous popular books written about the quantum physics. Many are misleading or just plain wrong. I have selected a small number of trustworthy books with the additional selection criterion that they are well written for the lay person. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices.
Tony Hey and Patrick Walters
A good, colorfully illustrated, survey with high concentration on technology. It can serve as a text or guide for this course.
Kenneth Ford
Focusses on subatomic matter. Basic concepts are left to the final chapters.
The Cosmic Code - Quantum Physics as the Language of Nature
Heinz R. Pagels
One of the best books on modern physics written by a highly prolific physicist who met an untimely death while mountain climbing.
QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter
Richard P. Feynman
Everyone has heard of Richard Feynman. This brief book concentrates on photon-electron interactions, but is full of insight and delightful comments.
The Quantum Challenge (2nd Edition)
George Greenstein and
Arthur G. Zajonc
Somewhat expensive, this book is well worth the money. It brings the reader up-to-date on contemporary quantum physics research, focusing especially on entangled states and quantum interference and non-locality. Main relevance to Part II of this course.
Return to R. Jacob's Home Page.
A Practical Introduction to General Relativity
Spring 2017
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Osher Institute and ASU
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
February 6, 13, 27, March 6
Tempe Connections, Tempe Public Library
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the universe in which we live and how, according to current scientific understanding, it came to be. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
This is not a course in “practical” applications of General Relativity (although there are some that will be discussed), but rather an approach that is practical in the sense of not requiring advanced mathematics or physics.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment
There are countless books written about General Relativity. I have selected a small number of them with the selection criteria being that they are well written for the lay person and that their authors have played an important role in the science they discuss. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices.
Peter G. Bergmann
Written by a colleague of Einstein’s, this book for the lay public is one of the clearest introductions to the basic principles of General Relativity.
Clifford M. Will
Clifford Will is one of the founders of experimental General Relativity. In this book, clearly written for laymen, he examines the experimental tests of GR.
Kip S. Thorne
Bestselling book by one of the top experts in the field of GR and Cosmology, this is a long but engrossing read, suitable for all audiences.
Kip Thorne
The popular 2014 release, Interstellar, Christopher Nolan director, was
scientifically plausible, although highly improbable. Kip Thorne was its
technical consultant and has discussed the pertinent physics in this
beautifully written and illustrated book.
A Journey into Gravity and Spacetime
John Archibald Wheeler
John Wheeler was a pioneer in General Relativity whose textbooks have been favorites of students for decades. This book is written engagingly for the lay person
Exploring Black Holes (2005)
Edwin F. Taylor and John A. Wheeler
John Wheeler teamed up with highly regarded physics educator and textbook author, Edwin Taylor, to make some of the most complex general relativistic concepts accessible with minimal mathematics.
Gravity from the Ground Up (1997)
Bernard Schutz
This is a marvelous book covering the history and science of gravity from Galileo to the Big Bang. Full of illustrations and anecdotes, it also doesn’t stint on the math when necessary. For readers at all levels (skip the parts that are too mathy for you.)
Barbara Ryden
Ryden's excellent new textbook for undergraduate physics and astrophysics majors is within reach of anyone with a background in calculus and introductory college level physics. Here is where you can find the equations that make the Big Bang go bang.
James B. Hartle
For upper division and graduate physic students, this book is even useful
for engineers and others with only a calculus background, because it discusses
most of the key elements of GR and Cosmology before getting involved with
higher math. This is the textbook I would use in a senior level GR course.
Spooky Physics
Quantum Entanglement, Teleportation and Computing
Fall 2016
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections,
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
Wednesdays,
October 26 – November 2, 9, 16
Tempe Public
Library
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Quantum Theory
consists of the physical laws and principles that govern crystalline,
molecular, atomic and subatomic behavior. Quantum Mechanics is the application
of these principles, primarily using mathematical equations and numerical
computations. The most profound scientific revolution of the 20th Century,
Quantum Theory presents a host of non intuitive concepts and dictums. This
course will introduce and survey contemporary research on some of the most
confounding of these, which Albert Einstein derisively called “spooky.”
The course will
be taught at the level of a college general studies course for intellectually
well prepared lay persons. No mathematical developments will be presented in
class, although students should be comfortable with simple logic, formulas and
graphs. There will be symbolic notation, hopefully well defined. The historical
development of Quantum Theory and its standard applications through Quantum
Mechanics will not be covered (cf. the instructor’s course, “The First Hundred
Years of Quantum Physics”), but attention will be focused on the basic
principles of Quantum Theory that lead to current research in quantum
entanglement, quantum teleportation and quantum computing.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before each lecture for those who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment Reading:
The books recommended below have authors who have professional expertise and considerable accomplishment in quantum physics. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices. Get paperback when available.
The New Quantum Universe (Revised Edition, 2003, ISBN 0-521-56457-3)
Tony Hey and Patrick Walters
Written for lay persons who want a qualitative introduction to all of quantum physics with lots of pictures.
Dance of the Photons: From Einstein to Quantum Teleportation (2010, ISBN 978-0-374-23966-4)
Anton Zeilinger
A very clever exposition, in narrative form, of Professor Zeilinger’s key research in the field of quantum entanglement. This is the one book I would require if this were a for-credit class. Otherwise, I highly recommend it. The Kindle edition should be adequate.
The Quantum Challenge: Modern Research on the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics (2005, Second Edition, ISBN 0-7637-2470-X)
George Greenstein and Arthur G. Zajonc
An in-depth presentation for the mathematically literate non-expert. This is the book I would recommend to engineers, chemists and economists.
Speakable and Unspeakable in Quantum Mechanics (Revised Edition, 2010, ISBN 978-0-521-8182-9)
J. S. Bell
A collection of the papers by the hero of the story, John Bell. Some are highly technical, some are for the lay person. The latest addition has an introduction by Alan Aspect, who is the first and one of the premier experimentalists to tackle the extremely difficult measurements surrounding Bell’s Inequalities. The hard cover is very expensive. The Kindle edition would be fine, or try to get the older edition without the Aspect intro.
I also recommend the classic Scientific American article (remember when they were worth recommending?) by Bernard d’Espagnat: “The Quantum Theory and Reality,” (Sci. Am., November 1979, p. 158) in which he derives the Bell Inequalities in a form in which they are used by most modern commentators, including the instructor. A link to this and other seminal papers will be provided on the private course web page.
The Nitty and the Gritty: Elementary Particles
Fall 2015 – Spring 2016
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
.
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the fundamental nature of matter in our universe. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
Lecture Schedule: Part I – Leptons and Hadrons
Lecture 1: The Basic Constituents of Matter
.
Lecture 2: The Fundamental Leptons and Hadrons
.
Lecture 3: Neutrinos and the Weak Force
.
Lecture 4: The Hadrons and the Strong Nuclear Force
.
Lecture Schedule: Part II – The Standard Model
Lecture 5: The Discovery of Quarks
.
Lecture 6: Electroweak Unification and the Standard Model
.
Lecture 7: The LHC and the Higgs
.
Lecture 8: Whither the Standard Model?
.
Cafe Scientifique:
.
The instructor will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, for as long after the lecture as there are those present who want to discuss the course material.
.
Enrichment Reading:
.
There are numerous popular books written about elementary particles. I have selected a small number of trustworthy books with the additional selection criterion that they are well written for the lay person. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers may also have these in stock.
.
The Discovery of Subatomic Particles
Steven Weinberg
.
Reviews the history of the discovery primarily of the electron, proton and neutron.
.
Inward Bound: of Matter and Forces in the Physical World
Abraham Pais
.
Much more deatiled than the Weinberg book, this continues the discussion into the discovery of mesons and strange particles.
Robert P. Crease
From the beginning to the quark age.
The Particle Odyssey: a Journey to the Heart of Matter
Frank Close, Michael Martin and Christine Sutton
Basically a coffee table book, but with excellent pictures and discussion.
Symmetries in Modern Physics
Spring 2015
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
Weekly, March 29 – April 20
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Tempe Public Library
From crystals to elementary particle families to space and time transformations, the symmetries of modern physics provide both aesthetic delights and scientific wonder. This course is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
Lecture Schedule:
Lecture 1: Symmetries and Symmetry Transformations
.
Lecture 2: Space-Time Symmetries
.
Lecture 3: Symmetries in Quantum Physics
.
Lecture 4: Symmetries in Strange Spaces
.
Cafe Scientifique:
.
The instructor will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, for as long after the lecture as there are those present who want to discuss the course material.
.
Enrichment Reading:
.
The following books for the lay public discuss symmetry in nature at various levels of complexity. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers may also have these in stock. (List of books and comments to be added.)
A. Zee, Fearful Symmetry, (2007 Edition), Princeton, 2007
This excellent review of symmetries in modern physics for the lay person could serve as the textbook for this course.
Hermann Weyl, Symmetry, Princeton, 1952
The classic monograph for the lay public by one of the original researchers in the importance of symmetry in physics.
Leon M. Lederman and Christopher T.Hill, Symmetry and the Beautiful Universe, Prometheus Books, 2008
Leon Lederman is one of the Twentieth Century's most renoened particle physicists. This book covers much the same material as Zee's.
Ian Stewart, Why Beauty is Truth, Basic Books, 2007
Mathematician Stewart ruminates over symmetries in a more philosophical, but enlightening, manner.
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Arizona State University
Special Relativity - Case Closed
Fall 2014
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
November10, 17, 29, December 1
The wierd, non intuitive phenomena of Special Relativity easily invite skepticism from those who do not understand it. As a scientific discipline, Special Relativity is held to the same criteria of observable substantiation as all of science. In this course, it will be demonstrated how Special Relativity has fulfilled this requirement to a higher degree than any other scientific law or theory. In the process of doing this, it will display and discuss all those fun unimaginable characteristics of Special Relativity that attract curious attention to it. General Relativity may be covered, but only superficially, in the final lecture if time allows. (Offered previously Fall 2010.)
Lecture Schedule: Individual
lectures will not be identified by topic. the course will develop organically
from an introduction to relativity in general and then Special Relativity. The
logical and physical basis of SR will be developed and the remainder of the
course will examine it experimental substantiation.
Cafe Scientifique:
.
The instructor will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, for as long after the lecture as there are those present who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment Reading:
.
The following books for the lay public discuss Special Relativity at various levels of complexity. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers may also have these in stock. (List of books and comments to be added.) It must be pointed out that, Special Relativity having so quickly and thoroughly been accepted as correct fundamental physics, new books on relativity concentrate much more on the General Theory and give SR only passing notice. However, any good undergraduate introductory physics text or upper division mechanics text will provide an adequate introduction. The full use of space-time coordinates, Lorentz transformations and invariants is usually left to graduate level physics texts.
A. Einstein, Relativity, (2005 Edition), Pi Press
Start from the best source: Einstein himself. This superb edition has an introduction by Roger Penrose. Only Section I, on Special Relativity, is of relevance to this course.
A. Einstein, The
Meaning of Relativity, (2004 Edition),
Much more mathematical lectures delivered by Einstein at Princeton in 1921. Chapter 1 covers Special Relativity. One can profitably "read past" the mathematics.
H. Bondi, Relativity and Common Sense, Dover (1980)
The late Hermann Bondi, a highly regarded cosmologist, wrote one of the clearest expositions of Special Relativity for the lay person, including qualitative discussions of relativistic phenomena that are used in textbooks today.
Martin Gardner, Relativity for the Million, Pocket Books (1965)
Long time Scientific American columnist gives a superb, if somewhat dated, exposition of Special Relativity for the lay person.
George Gamow, Mr. Tomkins in Paperback, Cambridge University Press (1993)
Everyone should read George Gamow's whimsical adventures of Mr. Tomkins in all sorts of modernphysics fixes. Only Chapter 1 deals with Special Relativity, but the entire book is a must.
A. P. French, Special Relativity, CRC Press (1966)
Skilled author, Tony French of MIT, wrote this calculus-based sophomore level textbook for physics majors. It is still one of the best around.
Edwin F. Taylor and John Archibald Wheeler, Spacetime Physics, W.H. Freeman (1992)
If you like to learn by doing, and find fun in the process, I've saved the best for last. Get this book! And then, even though it's about general relativity, get Exploring Black Holes by the same authors.
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Arizona State University
Quarks, the Higgs and the Big Bang
Spring 2014
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections,
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
Weekly, April 7 – April 28
Tempe Public Library
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the origin of the universe in which we live and how, according to current scientific understanding, it happened. The current well established standard model of the universe, including its birth, referred to popularly as the Big Bang, and the basic constituents of its contents, will be discussed with particular emphasis placed on the evidence sustaining it. The course is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
This course is an adaptation for ASU Osher and Tempe Connections of a Junior-Senior honors course being offered this semester by the instructor at Barrett, the Honors College at ASU. The syllabus for this course, which contains suggestions for reading, including a selection of Nobel Prize lectures related to the course topics, is accessible by clicking here.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
Spooky Physics
Quantum Entanglement, Teleportation and Computing
Fall 2013
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Weekly, November 4 – December 2 (except November 11)
Tempe Public Library
The Big Bang and All That
Spring 2013
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Weekly, March 6 – April 3 (except March 20)
Tempe Public Library
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the origin of the universe in which we live and how, according to current scientific understanding, it happened. The current well established standard model of the birth of the universe, referred to popularly as the Big Bang, will be discussed with particular emphasis placed on the evidence sustaining it. The course is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment
There are numerous books written about the Big Bang and modern cosmology. I have selected a small number of them with athe selection criteria being that they are well written for the lay person and that their authors have played an important role in the science they discuss. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices.
21st Century Astronomy (2nd Edition, 2006)
Jeff Hester*, David Burstein* (dec.), George Blumenthal, Ronald Greeley*(dec.), Bradford Smith, Howard Voss* (dec.), Gary Wegner
Four (*) of this excellent new text's seven coauthors are or were on the
The First Three Minutes (updated edition, 1993)
Steven Weinberg
This classic by Nobel Prize laureate Steven Weinberg should be everyone's starting point. Written, as the author says, "for a smart old attorney who doesn't understand my language, but who expects nonetheless to hear some convincing arguments before he makes up his mind," it is as correct as it can be considering its age. However, all developments after the publication of the "updated edition" (the original was published in 1977) fit in well inasmuch as Weinberg takes a careful "we'll wait and see" approach to unsettled issues.
The Elegant Universe (2000)
Brian Greene
A best seller and actually read, Greene's description of the universe as seen through the eyes of a string theorist has been most people's introduction to string theory. Is the universe 10-dimensional?
The Fabric of the Cosmos (2005)
Brian Greene
In his second volume, Greene introduces "branes" (short for membranes), a recent and important generalization to string theory. The structure and evolution of the universe (and possible other universes) is always at the forefront of his narrative. Note: I do not recommend the third book in this series by Greene, “The Hidden Reality.” It is extremely speculative and makes questionable assumptions. The real physics in the book is adequately covered in the previous two.
The Inflationary Universe (1997)
Alan Guth
Devised to correct a serious problem in the Big Bang theory, "inflation" during the first very small fraction of a second of the universe's existence was proposed by Guth and is now an essential feature of most Big Bang models. The book is outdated by subsequent developments, but the idea is still robust and this is a good place to start.
Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions (2006)
Lisa Randall
Lisa Randall's award-winning book for the general reader takes us into the extra dimensions that string theorists propose and explains how we might be able to detect them experimentally in the very near future. Highlighted by the pioneering work of hers and Raman Sundram's, the book goes beyond string theory into a multi-universe multi-dimensional structure of branes, all of which may be closer and more observable than we think.
Introduction to Cosmology (2003)
Barbara Ryden
Ryden's excellent new textbook for undergraduate physics and astrophysics majors is within reach of anyone with a background in calculus and introductory college level physics. Here is where you can find the equations that make the Big Bang go bang.
An Introduction to Modern Cosmology (Second Edition) (2003, Corrections 2008)
Andrew Liddle
Less mathematically demanding than Ryden, this is an excellent textbook for students with a high school level calculus and physics background. Liddle concentrates on the phenomenology of the Big Bang and is up-to-date in most matters. It also supplies links to enrichment sites. But it is rather terse, and the mathematically able would likely prefer Ryden.
The
4% Universe (2011)
Richard Panek
A gossipy narration of the work in obtaining important data from observing supernovae at several billions of light years distance. It’s short on the actual science but long on the adventure of precision scientific work. Panek chronicles the competition of two groups of astronomers and physicists who compete to be the first and best at establishing some of the basic parameters of the universe, leading to an appreciation of the roles played by dark matter and dark energy. Some of the principal characters in this narrative won the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for the work described.
The LHC: Particle Physics at the Higgs Frontier
Fall 2012
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The ASU Osher Institute
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
November 5, 19, 26
and December 3
(No class on November 12)
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
The People and Physics Behind the Atom Bomb
Spring 2012
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Osher Institute and ASU
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
April 2, 9, 16 and 30
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
The development of the atomic bomb is one of the
most fascinating scientific adventures in world history. In contrast to most
popular understanding, it was an international effort pursued by countries both
allied and adversarial. This course will address the basic nuclear physics and
bomb physics needed to understand the events leading to the Trinity test on
Because of time restrictions, however, the course
will cover only those events from the discovery of the atomic nucleus in 1911
to the Trinity test of the “Big Boy” plutonium bomb at
The course is designed for intelligent adults without formal science background. There will be very little math and no need to follow mathematical deductions. A list of supplementary texts is provided to the class members via email.
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
MODERN COSMOLOGY
Spring 2011
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Osher Institute and ASU
and the
Center for Continued Learning
of the
Weekly, January 31 - February 28 (except Feb. 21)
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the universe in which we live and how, according to current scientific understanding, it came to be. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
The eleven lectures of which the course consists should bring to the student a good comprehension of contemporary scientific progress in understanding cosmology, that is, the nature and origin of the universe. It will set the observational and theoretical stage for the "standard model" of cosmology, i.e., the "Big Bang."
Cafe Scientifique:
I will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, a half-hour before and as long after the lecture for as there are those who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment
There are numerous books written about the Big Bang and modern cosmology. I have selected a small number of them with athe selection criteria being that they are well written for the lay person and that their authors have played an important role in the science they discuss. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices.
21st Century Astronomy (2nd Edition, 2006)
Jeff Hester*, David Burstein* (dec.), George Blumenthal, Ronald Greeley*, Bradford Smith, Howard Voss* (dec.), Gary Wegner
Four (*) of this excellent new text's seven coauthors are or were on the
The First Three Minutes (updated edition, 1993)
Steven Weinberg
This classic by Nobel Prize laureate Steven Weinberg should be everyone's starting point. Written, as the author says, "for a smart old attorney who doesn't understand my language, but who expects nonetheless to hear some convincing arguments before he makes up his mind," it is as correct as it can be considering its age. However, all developments after the publication of the "updated edition" (the original was published in 1977) fit in well inasmuch as Weinberg takes a careful "we'll wait and see" approach to unsettled issues.
The Elegant Universe (2000)
Brian Greene
A best seller and actually read, Greene's description of the universe as seen through the eyes of a string theorist has been most people's introduction to string theory. Is the universe 10-dimensional?
The Fabric of the Cosmos (2005)
Brian Greene
In his second volume, Greene introduces "branes" (short for membranes), a recent and important generalization to string theory. The structure and evolution of the universe (and possible other universes) is always at the forefront of his narrative.
The Inflationary Universe (1997)
Alan Guth
Devised to correct a serious problem in the Big Bang theory, "inflation" during the first very small fraction of a second of the universe's existence was proposed by Guth and is now an essential feature of most Big Bang models. The book is outdated by subsequent developments, but the idea is still robust and this is a good place to start.
Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions (2006)
Lisa Randall
Lisa Randall's award-winning book for the general reader takes us into the extra dimensions that string theorists propose and explains how we might be able to detect them experimentally in the very near future. Highlighted by the pioneering work of hers and Raman Sundram's, the book goes beyond string theory into a multi-universe multi-dimensional structure of branes, all of which may be closer and more observable than we think.
Introduction to Cosmology (2003)
Barbara Ryden
The only technical book on this list, Ryden's excellent new textbook for undergraduate physics and astrophysics majors is within reach of anyone with a background in calculus and introductory college level physics. Here is where you can find the equations that make the Big Bang go bang.
The
4% Universe (2011)
Richard Panek
A gossipy narration of the work in obtaining important data from observing supernovae at several billions of light years distance. It’s short on the actual science but long on the adventure of precision scientific work. Panek chronicles the competition of two groups of astronomers and physicists who compete to be the first and best at establishing some of the basic parameters of the universe, leading to an appreciation of the roles played by dark matter and dark energy.
Special Relativity - Case Closed
Fall 2010
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
November 1, 8, 15, 29
Symmetries in Modern Physics
Spring 2010
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
Weekly, February 22 - March 15
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Tempe Public Library
THE Nitty and the Gritty: Elementary Particles
Fall 2009
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
Weekly, November 2 - November 23
1:00 - 2:30 PM
.
.
THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS - Part I
Fall 2008
Presented as a Cooperative Program by
Tempe Connections
The Center for Continued Learning
of the
Emeritus College at Arizona State University
and
The OSHER Program for Lifelong Learning at ASU
Weekly, September 15 - October 7
1:00 - 2:30 PM
.
.
Instructor:
Richard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Professor Emeritus of Physics
Arizona State University
.
This course is designed for adults who, while not necessarily trained in the sciences, have sincere curiosity about the universe in which we live and the physical laws which govern it. It is taught at the university general studies level and has no mathematics or physics prerequisites beyond that ordinarily required for high school graduation. New concepts will be carefully introduced.
.
The course surveys the origins, primary concepts and principle technological advancements of quantum phsyics. Part II will review the advancements in quantum physics through the latter half Twentieth Century and going into the Twenty-first.
Lecture Schedule: Part I
Lecture 1: Problems with Classical Physics
Lecture 2: Early Quantum Theories
Lecture 3: Wave-Particle Duality
Lecture 4: Quantum States and the Uncertainty Principle
Lecture 5: Wave Functions and Probabilities
Lecture 6: Spin and the Pauli Exclusion Principle
Lecture 7: Quantum Tunneling and Other Weird Happenings
THE FIRST 100 YEARS OF QUANTUM PHYSICS - Part II
Spring 2009
February 9, 23, March 2, 9
1:00 - 2:30 PM
Lecture Schedule: Part II (Each class session will consist of two lectures.)
Lecture 8: Review of Part I
Lecture 9: The Quantum Physics of Electrical Conductors
Lecture 10: Bose-Einstein Condensates
Lecture 11: Relativistic Quantum Electrodynamics
Lecture 12: The EPR Criticism
Lecture 13: Bell's Theorems and Experimental Validation of Quantum Theory
Lecture 14: Schrödinger's Cat
Lecture 15: Quantum Computing
Cafe Scientifique:
The instructor will be available in the cafe area of the Tempe Library, right next to the Tempe Connections room, for as long after the lecture as there are those present who want to discuss the course material.
Enrichment Reading:
There are numerous popular books written about the quantum physics. Many are misleading or jsut plain wrong. I have selected a small number of trustworthy books with the additiional selection criterion that they are well written for the lay person. The links are to the Amazon web site; other quality book sellers will also have these in stock and I suggest that one search around for the best prices.
Tony Hey and Patrick Walters
A good, colorfully illustrated, survey with high concentration on technology. It can serve as a text or guide for this course.
Kenneth Ford
Focusses on subatomic matter. Basic concepts are left to the final chapters.
The Cosmic Code - Quantum Physics as the Language of Nature
Heinz R. Pagels
One of the best books on modern physics written by a highly prolific physicist who met an untimely death while mountain climbing.
QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter
Richard P. Feynman
Everyone has heard of Richard Feynman. This brief book concentrates on photon-electron interactions, but is full of insight and delightful comments.
The Quantum Challenge (2nd Edition)
George Greenstein and Arthur G. Zajonc
Somewhat expensive, this book is well worth the money. It brings the reader up-to-date on contemporary quantum physics research, focussing especially on entangled states and quantum interference and non-locality. Main relevance to Part II of this course.
Return to R. Jacob's Home Page.