In this series, I will rigorously develop the foundations of thermal physics: multiplicity, entropy, thermodynamic potentials, and Boltzmann and Gibbs statistics will be the main topics. Much of this course revolves around how to predict the behavior of a large number of particles without following the details of all their interactions. This kind of thinking helps us understand big, complex systems, like magnets, clouds, and even our own brains. You should be at minimum acquainted with introductory calculus and physics.

In every session, I will present an intriguing physics problem, then introduce the concepts and techniques needed to solve it. We'll start with the famous brachistochrone problem and a discussion of the calculus of variations. Our next topic will be the peculiar behavior of a wobbling frisbee as described by Richard Feynman in his autobiography "Surely You're Joking." This will lead naturally to a discussion of the inertia tensor and Euler's equations. The series will conclude with an introduction to the method of images in electrostatics. Students should have a firm understanding of introductory classical mechanics (i.e., Newton's Laws, energy and momentum conservation, rotations in 2D) and single-variable calculus.

Whether you're taking AP Physics in the fall or reviewing in preparation for a more advanced course, this is the series for you! We'll briefly cover vectors, then move on to Newtonian mechanics. If time allows, we'll discuss electrostatics, circuit analysis, and other topics in physics.