Courses 2025-26: Integrated Core

An introduction to classical and modern physics. Topics included will be Newtonian physics, electromagnetism and light, special relativity, topics in statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. The material will be introduced from the perspective of their application to space travel and sustainable energy production.

An introduction to general chemistry focusing on the molecular level understanding of the structures, properties and reactivities of matter. The course introduces the physical and electronic structures of atoms and molecules, periodic properties, chemical bonding, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, equilibrium thermodynamics, acid-base chemistry, electrochemistry, kinetics, and fundamental reactions of organic and biochemistry. This material provides the foundation to develop the molecular basis of energy production, conversion, storage and transmission in both society and the biosphere, with carbon dioxide used as a reference system in the lectures and the lab to exemplify underlying chemical concepts. Satisfies the core requirements for Ch 1ab and Ch 3a/3x.

Linear algebra and multivariable calculus, including derivatives of vector functions, multiple integrals, line and surface integrals, theorems of Green and Stokes. Sequence of topics will be aligned with the applications of mathematics as they arise in the Integrated Core.

Introduction to energy in the Earth system, with emphasis on the Earth as an interacting set of dynamical systems, energy balance in the climate, the role of greenhouse gases, and strategies to capture and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Includes a 3-day field trip before the start of new student orientation in the Fall.

A classroom- and laboratory-based introduction to fundamental principles in biology with a focus on bioenergetics. Topics include diverse modes of energy conservation, the relationship between catabolism and anabolism, free energy of the processes of life, and how microbial metabolic diversity has shaped the Earth and can be harnessed for energy and sustainability applications.

This introductory lab will allow the student to investigate many of the concepts discussed in the Integrated Core lectures in a laboratory setting. The labs will cover topics such as kinematics, angular momentum, electric motor principles, and electromechanical power conversion. Students will also have the opportunity to become familiar with basic electronic circuits and test equipment such as power supplies, multimeters, and oscilloscopes. The student will be expected to do data analysis and comprehensive lab write-ups.

This sequence of humanities courses will introduce students to political philosophy and ethics, historical research, and literary analysis, in conjunction with themes treated in other parts of the integrated core. Key topics will include the ethics of space travel, the history of Caltech energy research, and contemporary climate fiction. All three terms together count as the equivalent of a single 9-unit first-year humanities class; students may choose their other first-year humanities class from any area of humanities instruction.