Splitting the second: Designing a physics course with an emphasis on timescales of ultrafast phenomena

TL;DR

This paper proposes a semester-long undergraduate physics course focused on the vast range of physical phenomena across 24 orders of magnitude in timescales, integrating modern physics and technology from an unconventional perspective.

Contribution

It introduces a novel syllabus emphasizing ultrafast phenomena timescales, based on the author's teaching experience, to enhance understanding of modern physics.

Findings

Developed a comprehensive syllabus for timescale-based physics education

Demonstrated the pedagogical value of ultrafast phenomena in teaching modern physics

Provided insights into effective course design for complex scientific concepts

Abstract

Timescales spanning 24 orders of magnitude smaller than one second can be studied experimentally, and each range is packed with different physical phenomena. This rich range of timescales offers a great context for an innovative undergraduate physics course which introduces modern physics and technology from an unconventional perspective. Based on the author's experience in lecturing on these topics to different audiences, this paper proposes a syllabus of a semester-long timescale-based undergraduate physics course.