Advancing Physics

Advancing Physics (30 credits)

Introducing a whole new set of mathematical skills, you will begin to look at more complex algebra, introduce calculus into your physics equations and revisit some of the topics covered in foundations and see how you can solve more interesting and advanced problems using these new techniques. You will begin to move beyond Newtonian physics as we start to apply our skills to other areas such as quantum physics and relativity. You will study the use of models, look at their limitations and how they can be used to model new ideas, for example looking at gravitation and circular motion equations to create a model for orbital motion. You will also look at how to recognise when a model can be applied and when it can be adapted, for instance, with relativity (which changes the Newtonian Law’s model) and quantum physics (which requires an adaptation of both Newton’s Laws and our understanding of waves and particles).