PHYS 2325 Notes

This page is intended to list the principal concepts students are expected to learn about. They are listed by topics which correspond roughly to chapters in most University Physics texts. However, some topics will correspond to multiple chapters or to parts of a chapter, when compared with a textbook, in at least some cases.

Sometimes I merely list a concept; sometimes I add cautionary remarks. Headings and some listed items are boldface; this is usually because I see those items as common sources of mistakes. Eventually, I intend, many of the listed items will be links to web pages where I present comments on the topic. Parentheses indicate useful concepts that are not so essential.

Opening:
Science; validity; models
Physics vs. engineering
Standards and units
Unit consistency
Conversion of units; metric prefixes
Uncertainty; "propagation of errors", significant digits. (For propagation of errors, if you have no other source, see an Appendix in the PHYS 2125 or 2126 lab manuals by this department.)
Estimating

Vectors:
Addition, subtraction
Components; unit vectors
Scalar product or dot product or inner product of vectors
Vector product or cross product of vectors
(There is also the tensor product or outer product of vectors, but the only relation it has to this course is that if two vectors are written with no operation sign between, then this operation is understood; therefore writing such an expression will be wrong in this course.)

Motion: (Frequently a multi-chapter topic)
Displacement vs. distance
Average vs. instantaneous
Velocity vs. speed
Acceleration
Graphical relation of position, velocity, acceleration vs. time curves
Constant acceleration formulas
Projectiles and free fall (common special case)
Uniform circular motion (useful special case of nonconstant a)
Non-uniform circular motion
Relative motion

Forces and Newton's Laws:
Forces and how they combine
Force types: contact vs. action-at-a-distance types
Action-at-a-distance types include gravity, electric, magnetic. This semester, gravity is the only such type you need to remember the possibility of; the others will be specifically mentioned if they apply.
Contact types include friction and normal types, but these are not all nor are these always present. Further, there can be multiple forces of the same type.
Identifying forces vs. value of forces: "What is the value of the force?" is always an incomplete question; making it complete requires identifying (either implicitly, that is via context, or explicitly) which force.
Force identifying elements: On what, by what, what type? (Referring to "the force of" an object, signals sloppy thinking.)
Force value elements: Size, direction
Newton's First Law; inertial frames
Newton's Second Law; mass
Mass vs. weight; a problem can describe an object by giving either of these
Newton's Third Law
Systems of objects, treated as particles; in equilibrium, or not
Finding (identifying) (all) the forces

Using Newton's Laws:
Friction: static vs. kinetic
Uniform circles: horizontal, vertical
Apparent weight
(Atomic/subatomic picture: four fundamental forces)

Work and Energy
In modern physics energy has become more relevant than force; in elementary physics it is merely an alternative approach.
Definitions: work, kinetic energy, various potential energies
Basic Work-Energy Theorem: work and KE
Power
Generalized Work-Energy Theorem: non-PE work and (KE + PEs)
Conservation laws; conservation of energy
Conservative vs. Non-conservative

Momentum and Impulse:
Momentum also becomes more important than force.
Definitions: Impulse, momentum
Conservation of momentum
Elastic, inelastic, completely inelastic, superelastic
Center of mass
(Rockets)

Rotation:
Rotational motion: angle, angular velocity, angular acceleration
Constant angular acceleration formulas
Rotational to linear correspondence
Connecting rotational motion to linear motion expressions
Kinetic energy of rotational motion; moment of inertia
I depends on axis; (parallel axis theorem)
Torque: relation to force
'Newton's Second Law for Rotation'
(Work and power in rotational problems)
Angular momentum: conservation of angular momentum
(Examples of angular momentum importance, esp. sports)

Equilibrium:
For objects, requires net force = 0, and net torque = 0

Elasticity:
Stress: types
Strain: types
Elastic moduli
(Elasticity, plasticity, fracture)

Gravity
Gravity beyond Earth's surface: Newton's Law of Gravity
Gravitational PE beyond Earth's surface
(Satellites)
(Kepler's Laws)
(Apparent weight and Earth's rotation)
(Black holes)

Fluids:
Density, pressure
Fluids at rest:
pressure formula
Pascal's Principle
Buoyancy
Fluids in motion:
Equation of continuity
Bernoulli's Principle; Bernoulli's Equation

Temperature, Heat:
Thermal equilibrium; temperature
Thermometers; temperature scales: F, C, K, (R)
Thermal expansion
Calorimetry; heat capacity, specific heat capacity
Phase changes; latent heats
Heat transfer