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Caltech Course Catalog / 2025-2026 Catalog / Courses 2025-26 / History of Light from Antiquity to the 20th Century

HPS/H 170 - History of Light from Antiquity to the 20th Century

HPS/H 170

History of Light from Antiquity to the 20th Century

9 units (3-0-6)   |  first term
Prerequisites: Ph 1 abc, and Ph 2 abc (may be taken concurrently).

A study of the experimental, mathematical, and theoretical developments concerning light, from the time of Ptolemy in the 2nd century A.D. to the production of electromagnetic optics in the 20th century.

Instructor: Buchwald
Published Date: Aug. 19, 2025