33-115 Physics for Future Presidents

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

Countless topics of social and political importance are intimately related to science in general and physics in particular. Examples include energy production, global warming, radioactivity, terrorism, and space travel. This course aims to provide key bits of knowledge based on which such issues can be discussed in a meaningful way, i.e., on the level of arguments and not just vague beliefs. We will cover an unusually wide range of topics, including energy, heat, gravity, atoms, radioactivity, chain reactions, electricity, magnetism, waves, light, weather, and climate. The course is open for all students at CMU.

Prerequisites: none listed

Offered: Fall 2026, Fall 2025

Courseweave needs JavaScript to show sections, workloads and planning tools.