PHYSICS 2410                                                                             SUMMER SESSION I 2000

COURSE OVERVIEW

The textbook assigned for this course is Physics for Scientists and Engineers - Extended by Fishbane, Gasiorowicz and Thornton. It is used as a reference. Topics covered are chapters 1 to 16 included.

LECTURE NOTES, STUDYING METHOD AND WORK ETHICS

One covers in 4 weeks what normally takes 14. The presentation of the topics will be right to the point, while adding a perspective complementary to the textbook. Taking notes in class involves an extra effort to fill in the comments and explanation preceding every analytical or numerical step presented on the board. In doing so, one reaches the mastery required to do well on the tests. Equally important is the ability to explain and work out (closed notes) all the problems done in class. The only memorization required is that of the definitions and of the very few fundamental laws. Should an absence occur for a legitimate reason, a student is expected to acquire a copy of the notes taken during the missed period, and arrange for a meeting with the instructor to make sure that he/she has caught up on the missed material.

TESTS, FINAL EXAMINATION AND GRADING

There will be at least six equally weighted tests and a comprehensive final examination. The lowest grade received on the tests will be dropped. There will be no make-up. The final grade is composed of the tests (65%) and the final examination (35%).

                        85% < A– < 93%    ,        93% < A .

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

May 31    Attributes of matter and forces - Significant figures, scientific notation, order of  magnitude - Standards - Proportionality and inverse proportionality - Dimensional analysis

June 1 Small and large changes in a quantity depending on others - Rate of change - Error analysis

        2 Kinematics: Cartesian frame of reference, base vectors, displacements - Test 1

        5 Directions in space: Polar and azimuth angles - Instantaneous velocity

        6 Normal & tangential acceleration - Straightline & curvilinear motion - Slowing down, speeding up, and uniform motion - Constant velocity and constant acceleration motion

        7 Free fall and projectile motion - Uniform and non-uniform circular motion - Test 2

        8 Dynamics: Inertial frames, linear momentum, and Newton’s laws

        9 Newton’s universal law of gravitation - Contact forces - Conservative and non-conservative forces - Test 3

        12 Kinetic and potential energy - Energy conservation

        13 Planetary motion and Kepler’s laws

        14 Elastic & inelastice collisions - System of particles: center of mass - Test 4

        15 Rigid body and moment of inertia - Translational and rotational kinetic energy

        16 Torque and static equilibrium - Test 5

        19 Harmonic motion and damped oscillations

        20 Rotational dynamics: torque and angular momentum

        21 Fluid mechanics: statics

        22 Fluid mechanics: Bernoulli’s equation - Test 6

        23 Special topics