We physics teachers must broaden our focus from physics for physicists and other scientists to physics for all. The reason, as the American Association for the Advancement of Science puts it, is that “[w]ithout a scientifically literate population, the outlook for a better world is not promising.” Physics for all (including the first course for scientists) should be conceptual, not technical. It should describe the universe as we understand it today, including special and general relativity, quantum physics, modern cosmology, nuclear physics, the standard model of particles and interactions, and quantum fields. Many science writers have shown that this description is possible. It should emphasize the scientific process and include such societal topics as global warming, nuclear weapons, and pseudoscience, because citizens need to vote intelligently on such issues.
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December 2006
AWARDS|
December 01 2006
Millikan Award Lecture, 2006: Physics For All
Art Hobson
Art Hobson
a)
Department of Physics,
University of Arkansas
, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701
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a)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
Am. J. Phys. 74, 1048–1054 (2006)
Article history
Received:
August 07 2006
Accepted:
August 18 2006
Citation
Art Hobson; Millikan Award Lecture, 2006: Physics For All. Am. J. Phys. 1 December 2006; 74 (12): 1048–1054. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.2353858
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