University of Warsaw - Central Authentication System
Strona główna

Physics of everyday life

General data

Course ID: 1100-FDC-OG
Erasmus code / ISCED: 13.2 The subject classification code consists of three to five digits, where the first three represent the classification of the discipline according to the Discipline code list applicable to the Socrates/Erasmus program, the fourth (usually 0) - possible further specification of discipline information, the fifth - the degree of subject determined based on the year of study for which the subject is intended. / (0533) Physics The ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) code has been designed by UNESCO.
Course title: Physics of everyday life
Name in Polish: Fizyka dnia codziennego
Organizational unit: Faculty of Physics
Course groups: (in Polish) Przedmioty do wyboru/specjalizacyjne na kierunku MSOŚ oferowane przez Wydział Fizyki
General university courses
General university courses at Faculty of Physics
General university subjects
ECTS credit allocation (and other scores): (not available) Basic information on ECTS credits allocation principles:
  • the annual hourly workload of the student’s work required to achieve the expected learning outcomes for a given stage is 1500-1800h, corresponding to 60 ECTS;
  • the student’s weekly hourly workload is 45 h;
  • 1 ECTS point corresponds to 25-30 hours of student work needed to achieve the assumed learning outcomes;
  • weekly student workload necessary to achieve the assumed learning outcomes allows to obtain 1.5 ECTS;
  • work required to pass the course, which has been assigned 3 ECTS, constitutes 10% of the semester student load.

view allocation of credits
Language: Polish
Main fields of studies for MISMaP:

physics

Type of course:

general courses

Prerequisites (description):

Lectures answer for questions concerning physical phenomena and processes observed in our direct surroundings. Lectures are based on experiments (in average, about ten per single lecture). These, well suited experiments, enable to show the most significant elements (the core) of physics reality.

Mode:

Classroom
Self-reading

Short description:

The main goal of lectures is to answer for the questions concerning physical phenomena and processes present in our direct surroundings. Lectures are based on several experiments (in average, about ten per single lecture). These, well suited experiments, enable to show the most significant elements (the core) of the physics reality.

Full description:

The principal goal of my lectures is to present everyday life physics to students (mainly) of humanistic faculties. My lectures will inspire them by using as many as possible physical experiments, and make them more sensitive to the physic phenomena present in a real world.

Program of lectures:

Lectures are ordered according to successive times of day.

At morning:

Why we are able to hear?

Why our eyes see in colours?

How glasses are working?

The source of dew

If fog is falling down, does then wheather improve?

Why mirror in the bathroom and window in the kitchen are usually covered by steam?

Why sky is blue?

Why sony does shine in yellow colour?

and so on and so far

We are running to our office:

Why windows observed from the outside are almost black?

...

Simlple model of the traffic jam

...

Why windows have two glasses?

and so on and so far

...

Bibliography:

- P.G. Hewitt, "Fizyka wokół nas", PWN, Warszawa 2000

- J. Gaj, "Laboratorium fizyczne w domu", WNT, Warszawa 1982

- K. Ernst, "Fizyka sportu", PWN, Warszawa 1992

- K. Ernst, "Einstein na huśtawce czyli fizyka zabaw, gier i zabawek", Prószyński i S-ka, Warszwa 2002

- C. Suplee, "Fizyka XX wieku", PWN, Warszwa 2001

- "Encyklopedia multimedialna PWN", PWN Warszawa 1999-2002R.

- Greenler, "Tęcze, glorie i halo czyli niezwykłe zjawiska optyczne w atmosferze", Prószyński i S-ka, Warszawa 1998

- A. Strzałkowski, "O siłach rządzących światem", PWN, Warszawa 1996

- A. Isaacs, "Słownik fizyki", Prószyński i S-ka, Warszwa 1999

- "Słownik fizyki", Prószyński i S-ka, Warszawa 1999

- "Encyklopedia fizyki wspólczesnej", PWN, Warszawa 1983

- "Encyklopedia Nauki i Techniki", Prószyński i S-ka, Warszawa 2002

Learning outcomes:

The principal task of my lectures is to present everyday life physics to students (mainly) of humanistic faculties. My lectures will inspire them by using as many as possible physical experiments, and make them more sensitive to the physic phenomena and processes present in a real world. We expect that lectures will support own students activity to find answers for questions define by everayday physics.

Assessment methods and assessment criteria:

In fact, there are two ways to examination:

(i) to present few experiments before the audience and explain the physics phenomena shown in this manner;

(ii) traditional spoken examination concerning lectures

Internships:

none

This course is not currently offered.
Course descriptions are protected by copyright.
Copyright by University of Warsaw.
ul. Banacha 2
02-097 Warszawa
tel: +48 22 55 44 214 https://www.mimuw.edu.pl/
contact accessibility statement site map USOSweb 7.1.2.0-a1f734a9b (2025-06-25)