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Of all the intellectual hurdles which the human mind has confronted and has overcome in the last fifteen hundred years, the one which seems to me to have been the most amazing in character and the most stupendous in the scope of its consequences is the one relating to the problem of motion.

In Phys 211, we will tackle the subject of motion starting with kinematics and Newtonian dynamics. I believe this course is particularly important because

1. Our understanding of motion had led to remarkable breakthroughs in our understanding of our Universe that are just fascinating to know about.

Below is the gravitational wave chirp we heard a few years ago when two black holes collided. Ripples in space and time from that collision were detected here on Earth.

This was as predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity, our most precise theory of motion on large cosmological scales.

2. Our understanding of motion has also led to important technological advances.

This interesting video from NASA mentions almost every single concept that you will learn in Phys 211 this year.

3. Finally, Phys 211 is about physics in our daily life.

Motion occurs all the time around us and it can be counterintuitive and surprising. This course will help you make sense of many phenomenon in your daily life.

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