30 November, 2007

Physics without mathematics?

Yes, there is a book out there with that very title, but that's not what this is about. There are reference materials coming, though, no worries there, and maybe they'll be helpful to someone. I think it's a great find, a terrific public service, and yes I am pretty proud of myself for my web searching prowess.

The real point here is trying to figure out just how deep into the world of Physics, be it Quantum or Classical, someone can go and understand without having the background in the complex mathematics that are used. The math really isn't something there to support the concepts, as you'll know if you've done a lot of looking and digging, the math actually IS the concept, and pretty much the basis everything works from. So, one would think, it's not possible to understand the theories without grasping the equations.

With all that in mind, the University of Toronto Physics Department has made available classroom materials and lessons in their Physics Virtual Bookshelf. Very many of these courses are aimed at teaching pretty advanced physics to people without the intensive math, and from what I've read so far, it works very well. One of note is a course called The Magic of Physics, a great overview of everything else. Give it a try if it interests you at all, there is some good reading and a lot of knowledge right there at our fingertips.

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