History of Physics

The aim of this course is to introduce the main themes of the History of theoretical and experimental Physics from the Hellenic time until the mid-20th century. The course will also address the role of History of Physics in Physics Education, the links with some aspects of Philosophy of Science, and themes concerning the cultural heritage such as the scientific instruments on exhibition in museum collections and the historical-scientific information supports.

At the end of the course the student is expected to have the following skills:
1. Knowledge about the main themes of Philosophy of Science, in particular: inductive and deductive reasoning, falsificationism, scientific explanation, realism.
2. Ability to describe the main aspects of Hellenic and Hellenistic phyics and astronomy.
3. Ability to describe the main aspects of physics during the Scholasticism and the Renaissance with Copernicus' astronomy.
4. Ability to describe the main aspects of the Scientific Revolution, contributions to physics and astronomy by Galileo, Kepler and Newton.
5. Ability to describe the main aspects of the historical development of Classical Mechanics: Newtonian mechanics, conservation laws, minimum principles.
6. Ability to describe the main aspects of particle and wave optics.
7. Ability to describe the main aspects of the studies on electricity and magntism, and on the development of the electromagnetic theories.
8. Ability to describe the main aspects of the studies on thermal phenomena and the devlopment of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics.
9. Ability to describe the main aspects of the origins of Quantum Physics, the development of a quantum theory, atomic, nuclear and sub-nuclear physics, and Quantum Mechanics.
10. Ability to describe the main aspects of the origins of Relativity physics and the development of astrophysical and cosmological theories.
11. Ability to describe the genesis of the main physical theories.
12. Ability to describe the main links between different contemporary physical theories and their respective influences.
13. Ability to describe the main types of sources on which historiographical research is based for the various periods and the main conservation problems.