This is the first semester of a
three-semester, calculus-based physics sequence - Physics.
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.
Pre-requisite: MA 241
Required
Texts: Problems and Solutions in
Introductory Mechanics, by David Morin.
Introductory Physics I by Robert G
Brown
Recommended Hypertext: Hyperphysics
Lectures
on Physics by Feynman (ERAU library QC 23 .F47)
Recommended online texts: Simple
Nature by Crowell (online)
Understanding
Physics by Cassidy, Holton, and Rutherford
Recommended Print Texts: Physics
by Tipler (ERAU library QC 21.2 .T548),
Understanding Physics, by Isaac
Asimov - a great science fiction writer explains physics. (On reserve)
Cartoon Guide to Physics, by
Gonick and Huffman - physical principles in a visual format.
(On reserve)
3000 Physics Problems - lots and
lots of practice quantitative problems. (On reserve)
See the syllabus for more
detailed information.
Here is the schedule for Part 2
of the course - energy and momentum.
What is physics?
What is required to succeed in
physics?
What should you be able to do after
this course?
| How to study | by students | by Carl Wieman, Nobelist |
| How to read textbooks | Lang | Sivjee |
| How to solve problems | Hubsch | Reynolds |
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.
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
) ( the Eames
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
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
