About Physics & Astronomy
Welcome to the CNM Astronomy and Physics Department webpage. We are enthusiastic about helping you understand the basic principles that govern the universe around us so that you may apply them in your pursuit of your future academic and professional goals!
What is physics? In broad terms, physics is the study of matter and energy and their interactions. In other words, it is the study of everything that comprises our physical surroundings. However, physics is much more. Like any science, it is a way of thinking about nature and interpreting the patterns that we recognize in all the physical phenomena that happen all around us every day. Physics encompasses the investigation of mechanics (linear and rotational motion, energy, momentum, etc), periodic phenomena, waves, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, light and optics, relativity and quantum mechanics. Astronomy, simply stated, is the application of physics on a grand scale. Specifically, it is physics applied to the entire universe. The laws of physics enable us to understand the contents, processes and evolution of our universe. Topics in astronomy include the study of all the objects in our solar system (the Sun, planets, moons, etc) and our solar system's origin, the properties of stars and their life cycles and cosmology which deals with the "creation" of our universe and its subsequent evolution.
Here at CNM we offer a wide variety of astronomy and physics courses to meet our students' needs. Our PHYS 1010, ASTR 1010 and ASTR 1110 courses are introductory courses designed for non-science majors. They provide an introduction to the concepts of physics and astronomy with a minimal amount of mathematical rigor. The ASTR 1192 course is an astronomy lab class that enables the student to more deeply probe many of the concepts introduced in the ASTR 1010 and ASTR 1110 courses.
PHYS 1510/1592 and PHYS 1610/1692 comprise our algebra-based physics sequence geared primarily toward students entering fields in the life sciences and pre-med students.
Finally, engineers and scientists will tackle the calculus-based physics sequence comprised of PHYS 1710/1792, PHYS 1810/1892 and PHYS 2710.
Whatever your needs and ultimate goals, there is an astronomy and/or physics class for you here at CNM!FACULTY CONTACT INFORMATION
ASTRONOMY AND PHYSICS LINKS
