Washington University Magazine, November 1961

Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Magazine Washington University Publications 1961 Washington University Magazine, November 1961 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/ad_wumag Recommended Citation "Washington University Magazine, November 1961" , . (1961). Bernard Becker Medical Library Archives. Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri. https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/ad_wumag/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Magazine by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOVEMBER 1961 Freshman Camp e e WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ulta?a:Jine u NOVEMBER 1961 Physics for Freshmen 2 Report on a new approach to introductory physics Nationalism and Communism 9 A political scientist Editor in Underdeveloped Countries examines a vital problem FRANK O'BRIEN Art in the Summer 14 A highly diverse group shares an exciting experience Assistant Editor MARGARET BATTS Architecture as the Symbol 18 Campus tour through space and time Design~r The Spoken Word 24 Authors read their works PETER GEIST Football Fan 30 Francis John McGuire roots for the Bears Photographer H ERB WEITMAN Your Child Prepares 32 Sound advice for parents for College from an admissions expert Design for Living 36 Suites for students Bag & Baggage 38 A study in logistics Photo credits: Mike Fletcher: Cover, pages 29, 38, 39. Wa.shington University Magazine is published quarterly by \Vashington University, St. Louis, Miss ouri. Second-class postage paid at Fulton, Missouri. Volume 31. Number 1. -I I By JOHN M. FOWLER Associate Professor of Physics Physics for Freshmen Two years ago a new approach to teaching introductory physics at Washington University was taken. Here one of the originators of the new course reports on the thinking behind it and on the results so far. N 1902 Robert Andrews Millikan, an assistant professor breakdown of the course into compartments (mechanics, I of physics at the University of Chicago, secured a heat, etc.) is a characteristic of both texts, and there is copyright on a text, Mechanics, Molecular Physics and little difference in the order in which subjects appear. Be Heat, and in 1908, with John Mills, an instructor at West cause much of the physics covered by these titles was well ern Reserve University, follovved with a copyright on a understood by the end of the nineteenth century, the second text, Electricity, Sound, and Light. Taken together, specific phenomena discussed are also very similar. the two texts constituted a one-year general physics ''''hat has happened in physics since 1902? Has it course. Robert Millikan had a distinguished career in changed as little as the similarities in these two intro physics, culminated by a Nobel prize in 1923 for his ductory textbooks would indicate? In 1905 Einstein, ac measurement of the charge on an electron. His books also cepting the constancy of the velocity of light as a fact of played a prominent role in the teaching of physics. nature, began to build the theory of relativity, and the In 1960, Robert Resnick, professor of physics at Rens continued success of that theory has forced physicists to selaer Polytechnic Institute, and David Halliday, chairman revise entirely their notions of space and time. Also in of the physics department at the University of Pittsburgh, 1905, the ability of light waves to knock electrons from published a two-volume introductory physics text, PhYSics a metal surface (a discovery in which Millikan partic for Engineers and Scientists, the first of which covered ipated) was explained by Einstein as evidence for the as mechanics, sound, and heat; the second, electricity and sociation of the particle properties, mass, momentum, and light. Millikan and Mills produced 586 pages of text which spatial localization, with light waves. Thus began a way cost $4.50; Resnick and Halliday's 1025 pages cost $12.00. of thinking which culminated in the middle 1920's with Just as Millikan's books enjoyed tremendous sales for the understanding of the atom through the quantum many years, the Resnick-Halliday books are already show theory. ing "best-seller" signs. The growth of physics in the twentieth century has Other than the obvious inflation of work and cost, it been explosive, spilling over into every field which can seems of interest in the study of the evolution of the teach be called a science and profoundly influencing modern ing of physics to see what else is different in the present philosophy. The theory of relativity and the theory of the day books. It must be admitted at once that the similar quantum must be counted as two of the greatest intel ities are more striking than the differences. The general lectual achievements of mankind. The first has afforded I Author Fowler joined the University seven 3 years ago. He has an AB from Earlham College, an MS from the University of Oklahom a, and [I a PhD from Johns Hopkins University. II understanding of a host of physical observations leading some of the new directions we have taken and the lec directly into speculation about the size, shape, and ture demonstrations we have developed to underline these origin of the universe. The second has given a quantitative ideas visually. foundation to chemistry, provided deep insight into the How does one set the goals of an introductory physics nature of forces within the atom, and posed the provoca course? Certainly the first thing to do is to look at the tive concept of uncertainty. student population. But one looks at this population either How are these exciting ideas represented in the typical as a priest or an entertainer: Either he has a vision of introductory physics course today? Often they are treated physics which he gives to all students or he seeks to find as new and strange appendages to the body of physics out what each group of students wants and gives it to itself and lumped into the vague classification of "mod them. What is the student population in the Washington ern physics" at the end of the course, material one hopes University introductory physics course? As this is the only to cover but never quite reaches. In the Resnick-Halliday introductory course offered, it consists of all students book, for instance, relativity is briefly mentioned in two wanting or required to take physics. We have physics ma pages, and the ideas of quantum mechanics occupy the jors, chemistry majors, and other beginning scientists. We last two chapters, a total of 37 pages out of 1025. have engineers, pre-medical students, pre-dental students, The area of understanding which physics claims has and architects. \,Ve would hope to have increasing num grown so since Millikan's time that the undergraduate bers of students from liberal arts, who would be there curriculum for the physics major has become very full. because they feel that physics is an important building The structure of physics for the specialist is programmed block in the foundation of their education. vertically in our universities, with modern physics as the What are the needs of these various classes of stu dessert course at the senior level. dents? If one took the view of physics as a "service The two books by Resnick and Halliday are designed course," he would defend the course or explain it in this to begin this traditional four-year sequence and in this way: The motivation of engineering students is easy. frame of reference serve admirably. 1t should be empha Engineering has become the applied side of science; the sized that I have chosen their book for comparison not engineer implements the ideas of science in a way that because I think it badly written, but, on the contrary, furthers our civilization. Physics must stand at the base of because I think it one of the best of the standard texts. the engineers' professional structure. However, a dissatisfaction with the introductory physics Why are the pre-meds there? Following again this course has been growing among professional physicists, "service course" idea, one would say that pre-meds are and in various places and various ways attempts are be there because of the importance of the techniques of ing made to change it. They are beginning to be concerned physics in the medical field ; x-rays, radiation, all of the lest the pre-medical student, the architect, the liberal arts sensitive and wonderful devices of the physics laboratory major, and even the engineer see as all of physics only are being used more and more in both medical research the timeworn accomplishments of the nineteenth century. and practice. It is perhaps more difficult to apply this At Washington University we are in the third year of de "service course" concept to the architectural students; velopment of such a change. however, they certainly need to be aware of the basic The opportunity to try a unified course with a some principles of mechanics if their buildings are not to col what different approach was given to E. D. Lambe (now lapse, and, to be at home in this technologically based at State University of New York on Long Island) and me civilization of ours, they need as much understanding of two years ago when the Physics Department decided to these principles as possible. combine its two introductory courses. The almost insur These narrow reasons do not guide us in the presenta mountable obstacle to a modification of the introductory tion of our course. We are told by educators in various course was the lack of a textbook.

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