PHYS-136 Physics and Art

This course is a survey of some of the interesting ways in which fine art intersects math and physics. The curriculum consists of six topics in which some juxtaposition of physics and art is present; in some cases physics is relevant to the context of the art, in some case to the content of the art, and in some cases, both. We begin with some of the earliest works of art and proceed chronologically, including cave paintings and radiocarbon dating, the Archimedes palimpsest and imaging techniques, and the drip paintings of Jackson Pollock and their connection to chaotic motion and fractals.

Maximum Enrollment

Standard Course (40)

(Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning.)

Credits

1

Offered

Spring

Notes

Familiarity with algebra and calculus recommended.