Top Ten Free Online Courses in Physics With Certificates in 2022

So you are looking for online courses on physics? If you are here, this tells that your mind is already made up about what you want to do. In this article, we will go right ahead and list our top ten free online courses in physics with certificates in 2022.

Whether you are a beginner learner or you have been in this field already but seeking ways to gain more knowledge and improve some already existing skills, our list is designed to fit every learning level.

So, why don’t we jump right in?

Free Online Courses in Physics with Certificates in 2022

Below is a list of carefully researched and compiled list of the best free online courses in physics you should go for. These courses are accessible to you free of charge. Even more, all the courses on this list come with a shareable certificate each that learners will be awarded upon course completion.

So, let’s look at them.

1. How Things Work: An Introduction to Physics

This course is offered by the University of Virginia, a university that offers outstanding academics as well as an inspiring and supportive environment. It is one of the best free online courses in Physics with certificates.

Basically, this course offers an exhaustive introduction to physics in the context of everyday subjects.

Course Syllabus

• Course Introduction
• Skating
• Falling Balls
• Ramps
• Seesaws
• Wheels
• Bumper Cars
• Final

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 14 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

2. Understanding Einstein: The Special Theory of Relativity

Yet another one of the best free online courses in physics with certificates, this course is offered by Leland Stanford University, an American private research university established in Stanford, California.

The course aims to understand Einstein by focusing on the special theory of relativity introduced by Albert Einstein as a twenty-six-year-old patent clerk, introduced in his “miracle year” of 1905. Also, the course aims to explore the presentations of relativity in order to gain a deeper understanding of both Einstein as a person as well as the concepts, predictions, and strange paradoxes of his theory.

Furthermore, this course aims to answer the following questions:

• How did Einstein come up with his ideas?
• What was the nature of his genius?
• What is the meaning of relativity?
• What’s “special” about the special theory of relativity?
• Why did the theory initially seem to be dead on arrival?
• What does it mean to say that time is the “fourth dimension”?
• Can time actually run more slowly for one person than another, and does the size of things change depending on their velocity?
• Is time travel possible, and if so, how?
• Why can’t things travel faster than the speed of light?
• Is it possible to travel to the center of the galaxy and return in one lifetime?
• Is there any evidence that definitively confirms the theory, or is it mainly speculation?
• Why didn’t Einstein win the Nobel Prize for the theory of relativity?

Course Syllabus

• Introduction to the Course, and Einstein in Context
• Events, Clocks, and Reference Frames
• Ethereal Problems and Solutions
• The Weirdness Begins
• Spacetime Switches
• Breaking the Spacetime Speed Limit
• Paradoxes to Ponder
• To the Center of the Galaxy and Back

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 81 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

While you’re here, you may want to check out: Top Ten Free Online Courses in Biology With Certificates in 2022

3. Understanding Modern Physics I: Relativity and Cosmology

This course is offered by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, a dynamic, international research university in relentless pursuit of excellence, leading the advance of science and technology as well as educating the new generation of front-runners for Asia and the whole world.

This course covers an introduction to special relativity, general relativity, and cosmology. It aims to find:

• How space and time are relative to observers and unified into a more fundamental construction of spacetime.
• Why spacetime is not absolute but rather curves in response to the matter, and how does gravity emerges as a result of such spacetime curvature?
• What is the framework to understand the evolution of the whole universe, as well as how that is related to problems such as the origin of space and matter, and the fate of our universe?

Course Syllabus

• Special Relativity: Relativity of Space and Time
• Special Relativity: Length, Simultaneity, and Lorentz Transformation
• Special Relativity: Geometry, Energy, and Momentum
• General Relativity
• Cosmology

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

4. Introduction to Thermodynamics: Transferring Energy from Here to There

Also, another one of the best free online courses in Physics with certificates, this course is offered by the University of Michigan, a university devoted to serving the people of Michigan as well as the whole world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving, and applying knowledge, art and academic values as well as in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

This course offers an introduction to the most powerful engineering principles; thermodynamics – the science of transferring energy from one place or form to another place or form. Also, the participants will be introduced to the tools they need to analyze energy systems ranging from solar panels to engines, and insulated coffee mugs.

Even more, this course covers the topics of mass and energy conservation principles which includes:

• First law analysis of control mass and control volume systems
• Properties and behavior of pure substances
• Applications to thermodynamic systems operating at steady-state conditions.

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 16 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

5. Understanding Modern Physics III: Simplicity and Complexity

This course is offered by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, a dynamic, international research university in relentless pursuit of excellence, leading the advance of science and technology as well as educating the new generation of front-runners for Asia and the whole world.

This course covers an introduction to action principles, fundamental particle physics, entropy and information, and complexity. It offers an in-depth view between simplicity and complexity.

Course Syllabus

• Action Principle
• Particles and Strings
• Entropy and Information
• Complexity

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 7 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Also, see: Top Ten Free Online Courses in Earth Sciences with Certificates in 2022

6. Semiconductor Physics

Also another one of the best free online courses in physics with certificates, this course is offered by the University of Colorado Boulder, a dynamic community of scholars and learners with a proud tradition of academic excellence.

The course aims to introduce the basic concepts of the quantum theory of solids and as well presents the theory describing the carrier behaviors in semiconductors.

It balances fundamental physics with applications to semiconductors as well as other electronic devices.

By the end of this course, the participants would be able to:

• Understand the energy band structures as well as their significance in the electric properties of solids
• Analyze the carrier statistics in semiconductors.
• Also, analyze the carrier dynamics as well as the resulting conduction properties of semiconductors.

Course Syllabus

• Quantum Theory Of Semiconductors
• Carrier Statistics
• Currents in Semiconductor
• Carrier Dynamics

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 15 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

7. Introduction to Electricity and Magnetism Specialization

This course is offered by Rice University, a university that has consistently ranked in the top 20 in the US as well as in the top 100 in the world.

Basically, the course aims at helping the learners understand electricity, magnetism, and circuits. It is a calculus-based introductory electromagnetism course designed to prepare the participants for an independent study in science or engineering.

In this course, participants will gain a foundation in electromagnetism and circuits including forces, charge, potentials, fields, induction, current flow, and circuit elements.

By the end of the course, participants would have been able to describe electric and magnetic as well as the forces between them, gained a basic understanding of DC and AC forces as well as been able to think of force interactions as fields.

Course Syllabus

There are 4 courses in this specialization:

• Electric Charges and Fields
• Electric Potential and DC Circuits
• Magnetic Fields and Faraday’s Law
• AC Circuits and Maxwell’s Equations

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 4 months

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

See also: Top Ten Free Online Courses in Biomedical Sciences with Certificates in 2022

8. Physics 101 – Forces and Kinematics

This course is offered by Rice University, a university that has consistently ranked in the top 20 in the US as well as in the top 100 in the world.

This course follows the progression of topics of a first-semester university physics course: from Kinematics to Newton’s Laws, Energy, and Momentum.

It offers an introduction to the physics of force and motion and by the end of the course, the participants would have gained a deep understanding of how mathematical laws and conservation principles describe the motions as well as the interactions of objects all around the human environment.

Also, the learners would gain experience in solving physical problems using tools such as graphical analysis, vector analysis, algebra, and calculus.

The course contains five modules each of which links to a free textbook, complete video lectures, conceptual quizzes, and assignments. Upon completion, participants will be required to take a final exam.

Also, by the end of this course, the learners would have been able to:

• Prepare to critically evaluate real-world data and information regarding motion.
• Prepare for more advanced courses in physics
• Apply mathematical laws to the motions of objects under several physical circumstances.

Course Syllabus

• 1D Kinematics
• 2D Kinematics
• Newton’s Laws
• Forces and Kinematics EXAM

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 30 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

9. Physics 102 – Electric Charges and Fields

Also another one of the top free online courses in physics with certificates, this course is offered by Rice University, a university that has consistently ranked in the top 20 in the US as well as in the top 100 in the world.

This course follows the progression of topics of a first-semester university physics course: from charges to electric forces, electric field potential, currents, magnetic fields, magnetic moments, electromagnetic induction, and circuits.

It offers an introduction to the physics of electricity and magnetism and by the end of the course, the participants would have gained a deep understanding of how the forces between electrical charges are described by fields as well as how these fields are related to electrical circuits.

Also, the learners would gain experience in solving physical problems using tools such as graphical analysis, vector analysis, algebra, and calculus.

The course contains five modules each of which links to a free textbook, complete video lectures, conceptual quizzes, and assignments. Upon completion, participants will be required to take a final exam.

Course Syllabus

• Charge
• Electric Field
• Gauss’s Law
• EXAM

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 22 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

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10. Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy, and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

This course is offered by the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), a university that has consistently remained one of Australia’s top leading research and teaching universities and is dedicated t providing students with an outstanding educational experience that both reflects their strong traditions of excellence, innovation, and social justice as well as building on their strength in scientific, technological and professional disciplines.

This course I specifically designed for students who are curious to learn about basic physics as well as senior high school and beginning university students. Science teachers too.

The course offers key experiments and worked examples of problems in physics using rich multimedia tutorials and animations. By the end of this course, the participants would have understood the many wonders around them in their daily lives, in technology as well as in the universe at large.

Course Syllabus

• Introduction and Basic Tools
• Velocity and Acceleration
• Motion in Two Dimensions
• Newton’s Laws of Motion
• Weight, Friction, and Spring Forces
• Work, Energy, and Power
• Momentum and Collisions
• Gravity

In addition, this course comes with shareable certificate participants are awarded upon course completion.

Course Provider: Coursera

Duration: Approximately 29 hours

Cost: Free

Certificate: Yes

Conclusion

We hope you found the courses helpful. Also, it’s important to note that you can take as many courses as you deem fit.

FAQs

References

• Coursera.org