Grainger College of Engineering, All Events

Abstract: Most physics calculations (and physics exams) boil down to clever approximations and simple reasoning. In this blackboard talk, I will introduce three powerful tools which I think are particularly useful in both research and also physics classes—dimensional analysis, scaling arguments and approximations. These arguments often provide the most powerful insights into the behavior of physical systems on vastly different scales. Through a series of examples ranging from the quantum scale to the cosmic scale, I will show how these techniques to understand phenomena, identify dominant effects, and build intuition for advanced concepts. By the end of the talk, the goal is to be able to take a seemingly impossible problem and break it down systematically using the tools that we will discuss. Bring writing materials (if possible).

Join via Zoom: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/84701225497?pwd=Xln6ZCKraIhgRswrUDdn1NfpTlOK4A