Overview
This lecture provides a comprehensive outline for an activity-based introductory physics course, covering foundational and advanced topics in mechanics, waves, optics, electricity, and magnetism.
Course Structure & Format
- The course is organized into 23 chapters, each focusing on a core physics topic.
- Each chapter includes sections for explanations, practice activities, references, and challenge problems.
- Activities and practice tasks are integrated throughout to promote active learning.
Core Topics Overview
- Vectors: introduction, operations, unit vectors, displacement, and applications in physics sensemaking.
- Motion: particle model, velocity, acceleration, relative motion, diagrams, and kinematics in one and two dimensions.
- Laws of Motion: Newton’s three laws, free-body diagrams, forces, symbolic equations, and challenge problems.
- Force Models: gravity, friction, spring forces, systems analysis, and special-case scenarios.
- Systems: action-reaction pairs, tension, pulleys, multi-body systems, and practice problems.
- Integrals in Physics: density, dot product, work, non-constant forces, and chop-multiply-add strategies.
Advanced Topics
- Kinematics: constant/non-constant acceleration, projectile motion, and related exercises.
- Energy: forms, transfer, system diagrams, work-energy theorem, kinetic/potential energy, conservation, and bar charts.
- Momentum: impulse-momentum theorem, collisions, 2D momentum, and vector diagrams.
- Rotational Motion: angular motion, centripetal/tangential acceleration, cross product, applications like rolling and orbital motion.
- Torque and Inertia: rigid-body model, torque, moment of inertia, parallel axis theorem, and practice challenges.
- Oscillations: simple harmonic motion, pendulums, spring systems, energy conservation, and damping.
- Waves and Superposition: wave basics, representations, sound, Doppler effect, interference, standing waves, and physical optics.
Electricity & Magnetism
- Electricity: charge, electric field, flux, Gauss's law, potential, conductors, capacitors, and circuit analysis.
- Circuits: components, Ohm’s law, series/parallel circuits, RC circuits, power, and capacitor combinations.
- Magnetism: magnetic fields, Biot-Savart law, Lorentz force, Ampere’s law, induction, Faraday’s law, inductors, and LC/LR circuits.
Optics
- Physical Optics: wave/light models, interference, diffraction, quantum model, and multiple-slit activities.
- Ray Optics: law of reflection, refraction, lenses, curved mirrors, summary activities, and ray diagram practice.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Vector — A quantity with both magnitude and direction.
- Particle Model — Treating objects as point masses for analysis of motion.
- Free-body Diagram — A visual representation of all forces acting on a body.
- Work-Energy Theorem — The work done on an object equals its change in kinetic energy.
- Impulse-Momentum Theorem — Change in momentum equals the impulse applied to the object.
- Gauss’s Law — The electric flux out of a closed surface is proportional to the enclosed charge.
- Capacitor — A device used to store electric charge and energy in circuits.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Choose chapter(s) to focus on based on current class progress.
- Complete the relevant activities and practice exercises for your chosen section.
- Review key term definitions before beginning each new topic.
- Prepare summary notes after each chapter’s activities.