Showing posts with label free online classes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free online classes. Show all posts

Saturday, May 27, 2023

Lecture 21: Periodic Lattices Part 2


Lecture 21Periodic Lattices Part 2
brought to youtube by M.I.T's online courseware
Professor is Allan Adams
For more information about this professor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Adams


I can not exaggerate the significance of what M.I.T's online courseware has given to the world. And by using the word "world" I believe I am being quite accurate. Classes such as the one pasted above are an excellent example of why "free" does not always coincide with "low quality".

M.I.T's OCW program is provided for free on youtube, which is also totally free to access to anyone with internet access and enough of a highspeed that they can watch  a youtube video without it pausing or glitching too often :)

I thank God for this access. And the more I look, I see that other Ivy League schools of higher learning are following this excellent example of providing free access for any human being to be able to virtually sit in on these university classes.

Do you value knowledge? Do you value your time? Increasing knowledge is a valuable expenditure of time. Do you agree?

An extra benefit of these classes is simply the mystical notion of "blessing by community"...or in other words...."the blessing of association". When you associate with those of great accomplishment and knowledge, (even if it is done virtually through your computer, laptop or phone) you are building up your level. When you respect knowledge.....more knowledge is attracted to you. You may even start to carry yourself differently. You may start to feel more qualified to enter into different kind of conversations with your colleagues or neighbors or those in the community....far or near. You will no longer be attracted to those who simply waste time.

What we value flashes through our eyes. Our gaze indicates what we are looking for. Our gaze leads us into greater knowledge and wisdom....or away from it.

If you are blessed with a high speed internet connection.....use it to fill your life with good things. Good connections, good mentors (yes, you can be mentored by those whom you have never personally met).....good examples, all will feed your life with the spirit of knowledge and truth and productivity.

Enjoy Friends,

Peace,
Carla.

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

String Theory

There are times when I jump head first into immersing myself in subjects waaaay beyond my comfort zone.
And so, I've been delving into some online classes having to do with Physics. I have never taken a "real" physics class in my life, so these efforts deserve a pat on my back don't ya think?

Well, one of the classes I've been listening to is searchable on Google with the following search term:
"String Theory for the Scientifically Curious with Dr. Amanda Peet".
I was heartened to hear that she is a professor at one of my old schools, the University of Toronto.

Anyway, in case you are interested in just a tidbit of what I have gleaned so far from her talks....permit me to share just a few notes I jotted......

Particles can be described like marbles or like waves. Dr. Peet coined  a new funky term called "waveicles" which is  combination of the two descriptions. Particles can be round-ish and still have "wave-like" characteristics. And then there is "string theory" which describes particles as shaped like rounded strings or even wavy tube like "things".

Part of my self led educational journey has to do with increasing my vocabulary.....so here are some of the terms that I am attempting to add to my grey matter:
electrons
fermions and bosons
neutrons
neutrinos
photons
quarks and leptons
gravitons ( have not yet been actually seen)
gluons
W's or Z's
black holes

=========

According to Dr. Peet there are four essential forces in the universe. The strongest force is known as
the "Strong Nuclear Force" and the weakest is "Gravity". The other two forces are
"Electro-magnetisim" and what is called "Weak nuclear Force" and their strength is somewhere in the middle, neither the strongest.....nor the weakest.

Atoms or subatomic particles are described in three ways:

by Mass, which is another word for weight
by Spin, ( does that mean how they turn?)
by Charge (whether negative or positive)


Another interesting bit is that photons,which are "light" have no mass.....meaning that they are weightless. Kinda cool.


Well that's all for now.
May God's Spirit lead your learning.

Peaceful Productivity,
Carla