Level 104
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Physics and the Great Discoveries

Physics and the Great Discoveries

Physics's journey from the first studies of electricity and magnetism through Maxwell's unification, Einstein's relativity, and quantum theory to today's search for a theory of everything.

60-Second Review

Express review

A condensed, point-by-point summary of the module, for reviewing right before a test or exam.

  1. From Magnetism to Electrodynamics. From Gilbert's De Magnete to Faraday's induction, early experiments revealed the deep link between electricity and magnetism.
  2. Faraday, Maxwell, and the Unification of Light and Electromagnetism. Faraday's field concept and Maxwell's equations united electricity, magnetism, and light, confirmed experimentally by Hertz.
  3. Thermodynamics and the Crisis of Classical Physics. Thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and the null result of Michelson-Morley exposed cracks in classical physics.
  4. The Discovery of the Atom's Hidden Structure. Thomson, Röntgen, Becquerel, the Curies, and Planck revealed that the atom was neither solid nor simple.
  5. Einstein and the Relativity Revolution. Einstein's 1905 and 1915 papers redefined space, time, energy, and gravity, confirmed by the 1919 eclipse.
  6. The Birth of Quantum Mechanics. Rutherford, Bohr, Heisenberg, and Schrödinger built quantum mechanics, and Einstein and Bohr debated what it meant.
  7. Nuclear Physics and the Standard Model. The exclusion principle, antimatter, the neutron, and nuclear fission opened the nuclear and particle age.
  8. Modern Physics: Particles, Black Holes, and Beyond. Quarks, the Higgs boson, black holes, gravitational waves, and string theory extended physics into the twenty-first century.

This is the starting point of Physics and the Great Discoveries: you don't need any prior knowledge of this subject to begin.

Key points

Visual module map

1From Magnetism to Electrodynamics
2Thermodynamics and the Crisis of Classical Physics
3Einstein and the Relativity Revolution
4The Birth of Quantum Mechanics
5Modern Physics: Particles, Black Holes, and Beyond

Alternative visual view: a simplified sequence of some of the module's key points, in their order within the syllabus.

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Final test

You need to review all key points to unlock the final test.

Optional mini-games

Extra practice, with no penalty, to reinforce the module's content.

Review Flashcards

Review each key point with cards that flip to reveal the summary.

Memory

Match each concept with its definition in as few attempts as possible.

Time Attack

Answer true or false statements before time runs out.

Chronological Order

Put the module's key points back in their original order.

Further reading

Bibliography and cited sources used to create this module.

  • Feynman, R. (1994). Six Easy Pieces: Essentials of Physics Explained by Its Most Brilliant Teacher. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
  • Pais, A. (1982). 'Subtle is the Lord': The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Kragh, H. (1999). Quantum Generations: A History of Physics in the Twentieth Century. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  • Gribbin, J. (1984). In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality. New York: Bantam Books.
  • Rhodes, R. (1986). The Making of the Atomic Bomb. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • The Nobel Prize. "Physics Prizes." NobelPrize.org. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/