The Course III curriculum connects the
fundamental concepts learned in lectures to hands-on work
in the laboratory. Some students may be confused by the Bulletin
entries for the main sophomore subjects.
These courses have been interdigitated to provide a close
connection between theory learned in class and experiments
in the lab: In a typical sequence, you will spend ~3 weeks
in lectures for 3.012, and then move into the lab (3.014)
for one week of intensive application of the ideas just covered
in lecture. During the lab weeks, 3.012 lectures and recitations
do not meet. This lecture/lab alternating
schedule proceeds throughout the term. In this way, students
experimentally apply concepts from the fundamentals of structure,
bonding, and thermodynamics while they are fresh in mind.
In turn, the lab experience brings to light new ideas and
questions to raise in lecture based on actual experiments
that the students themselves have performed.
The Fall 2008 calendar for lectures, recitations, and labs
will be posted in August.
