We live in a thrilling time of space exploration, and the effort to safely send a human to another world and back is one of the most difficult and exciting things humanity has attempted. Every step of that effort is dependent on an understanding of physics, the mathematical rules that govern the fundamental behavior of the universe. Understanding these rules gives us the ability to not only understand the world around us, but to make predictions about it, and ultimately to control it. We will learn about physics concepts evident in the world around us, as well as a special focus on how they apply to space exploration.
We will learn how rockets work, how to orbit a planet and get to another one, how to survive, navigate, and communicate in space, how to get down to the ground from space, and how to survive on another planet. In the process, we will learn about energy, forces, and momentum, describing and analyzing linear and circular motion, waves, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics, along with general scientific skills and concepts. Successful participants will have completed Algebra I or it’s equivalent prior to enrolling.
**NOTE: Though themed, this is a full, high-school level physics course.**
Instructor: Brian Kardon
Instructor Bio: Brian Kardon is a technician in a neuroscience lab at Cornell, where he designs and builds software and hardware for scientific experiments. Before coming to Ithaca, he taught high school physics and biology for six years in the Boston area. He is also a father of two, and he enjoys learning about space exploration, gardening, playing the violin, sailing, and programming.
Required Materials: pencil; 3-ring binder; looseleaf notebook paper; scientific calculator; laptop for physics simulations and data analysis (please let the TEEN DAY administrator know if you need to make arrangements for a loaner)
Materials Fee: $35 toward lab supplies (This amount was added after enrollment and is, therefore; optional for those with the ability to pay.)
TEEN DAY Ithaca 