This is the first semester of a
three-semester,
calculus-based physics sequence - Physics for Engineers. We will
cover
Vectors and scalar quantities, kinematics, Newton's
Laws of Motion, work, work-energy, conservation
of energy,
conservation of momentum, center of mass and its
motion; rotational motion; conservation
of angular momentum, gravity.
Corequisite:
MA 241
Required
Text: Principles
of Physics, 4th edition,
by Serway and Jewett.
Recommended Hypertext: Hyperphysics
Recommended online text: Simple Nature
by
Crowell (online)
Recommended Print Texts: Physics by
Tipler (ERAU library QC 21.2 .T548),
Lectures on Physics
by
Feynman (ERAU library QC 23 .F47)
Understanding
Physics, by Isaac Asimov - a great science fiction writer
explains
physics.
(On reserve - Mosca)
Cartoon Guide
to Physics, by Gonick and Huffman - physical principles in a
visual format.
(On reserve - Mosca)
3000 Physics
Problems - lots and lots of practice quantitative problems.
(On reserve - Mosca)
See
the
syllabus
for more detailed information.
What is physics?
What is required to succeed in physics?
What should you be able to do after this
course?
Coefficient of restitution greater than one!
Online stopwatch
MIT lectures by Walter
Lewin
More advanced text in library:
Elements of Newtonian Mechanics,
by
Knudsen and Hjorth - QC 125.2 .K48 2000
More details on the Big
Bang
Two interacting
galaxies
Powers of 10 ( movie
)
A collision
betwteen the Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy
Mass measurements
by NIST
fundamental
units in the System International (SI)
A guide for
metric practice
Aristotle's
PHYSICS (or here)
The
Galileo Project
Newton's "Absolute
Space
and Time
"
"Force"
by
Wilczek
The end of the world at
CERN? No.
Two projectile motion applets: here
and here
Basics
of Space Flight
( Gravity
& Mechanics
)
High-speed
photos - e.g., tennis ball
&
racket
Book
Stacking problem
Discovery of
Elements 116 and 118
Fundamental
particles
Problem:
The catapult of an aircraft carrier accelerates a jet fighter from rest
to takeoff speed of 173 mi/h in a distance of 307 ft. Assume
constant acceleration.
(a) Calculated the acceleration of the fighter in m/s2.
(b) Calculate the time required for the fighter to accelerate to
takeoff speed.
Solution
Note
that all work is shown, a description of the work is given, and
the final answer is boxed.
Problems are the cutting
edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call
forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and
our wisdom. It is only because of our problems that we grow mentally
and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human
spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve
problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our
children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting problems that
we learn.
- Morgan Scott Peck
