Radiations

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Carleton College

February 18-24, 2001

Weekly Calendar

Monday, Feb 19 12-1:00 p.m. Sevy CTR

Physics Table, The Physics Table weekly meeting is an opportunity for students and staff to get together for lunch. Meet on 3^rd floor Olin at 11:50 a.m. for the walk to Sevy, or join us there at noon. If you are not on board, please bring your lunch. Everyone is welcome!

COMPS PRESENTATION TALKS Copies of the introductory papers are available for your review in 2nd Olin Lounge

Wednesday, Feb 21 3:10-4:20p.m. Olin 04, Daniel Baxter comps presentation is entitled "The Physics of Electronic Music Synthesizers" Since the 1968 release of composer Wendy Carlos’s hit album Switched on Bach, the sounds of electronic music synthesizers have been a fixture of pop music. This talk will examine how synthesizers produce sound, and the physics that allows such sound production to take place. Principles of electronics, waves, thermodynamics, and classical mechanics all play an important role in synthesizer sound creation. Synthesizers make sound by producing an electrical signal whose fluctuations in voltage closely correspond to the changes in air pressure created by loudspeakers which receive the signal. This talk will describe the physics of analog and digital synthesizers, and will also examine the relationship between sounds and electrical signals. Musical examples of synthesizer sounds from Switched on Bach, Jump by Van Halen, and Kraftwerk’s The Man Machine will be provided.

The Write Place is now accepting applications for writing tutors and writing assistants for the 2001-02 academic year. Applicants must have good academic records, strong writing skills, and must work well with their peers. Writing experience in a variety of disciplines is an asset. Applications and complete job descriptions are available at the write place, Scoville 204. The deadline is Friday, March 9. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. For further information, contact Steve Davis, Director of the Write Place (x4015) or Carol Rutz, Director of the College Writing Program (x4082).

Astro 113 Astro Night Lab Spring Term: Joel reminds you that you need a signed instructor (aka Joel) form in order to register for this course, probably the most fun course at Carleton (and Joel reports that he is not biased, either). See Joel's bulletin board for forms. Essentially anyone reading Radiations will have necessary prerequisites; the only issue is whether there will still be space when you register. Space in the course, not space in the universe. Sorry!

Physics 123: What Physicists Do We have a stellar lineup of speakers for this 1-credit spring term class. Each will tell you what he or she does as a physicist. Consider signing up!

QC20 .H392 2000., Hassani, Sadri., "Mathematical Methods: For Students of Physics and Related Fields"

QC174.12 .H433 2000., Hecht, K. T. (Karl Theodor), "Quantum Mechanics"

University of Toledo, NSF-REU Program. Fields of research: astro and astrophysics, atomic and molecular, biophysics, condensed matter physics, materials science, optics.email: reu@physics.utoledo.edu. Web: http://www.physics.utoledo.edu/reu/reu.html, Deadline: March 15, 2001