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A Bridging Course to First Year Physics with Peter Eyland

This is a preparatory course for those taking University Physics who have not done Physics before. It gives an introduction to the language, style and techniques of Physics. This is done with some basic terms and thinking about how to describe motion and its causes.

Course Content

Memory and Study

Greek alphabet

 

The International System of units

Lecture 1

• Physics as the nature of things
• Knowledge and Belief (Zeno's paradox)
• Average and Instantaneous Speed
• Position/time graph to speed/time graph
• speed/time graph to position/time graph

Position and Speed

Lecture 2

• Average and instantaneous acceleration
• Speed vs time graph to acceleration vs time graph
• Acceleration vs time graph to speed vs time graph
• Constant acceleration graphs and equations

Speed and Acceleration  

Lecture 2a

The techniques of finding slopes (how quickly something changes in time or space) and finding areas (the effect of something through time or space) will now be applied to position, speed and acceleration.

Speed and Acceleration - examples. Fully worked answers are provided.

Speed and Acceleration examples

Lecture 2b

new 2b

More Speed and Acceleration - examples. Some practice questions for you to try.

More Speed and Acceleration examples

Lecture 3

• Descartes and Cartesian co-ordinates
• Vectors and scalars
• Polar co-ordinates
• Adding vectors sequentially and simultaneously
• Subtracting vectors
• Vector components and adding by components

Vectors and Scalars

Lecture 4

Vectors - example problems. Fully worked answers are provided.

Vector Examples

Lecture 5
• the viscous drag of the air it passes though,
• air density variations (buoyancy),
• the change of gravitational acceleration with height,
• the shape and rotation of the object

Projectiles

Lecture 6

• More projectile motion examples.
• Accelerations that change with time.


Projectiles and Variable Acceleration

Lecture 7

• Velocity and speed
• Momentum as the quantity of motion
• Newton's laws of motion
• Internal and external forces

Dynamics

Lecture 8

Dynamics - example problems. Try these for practice.

Dynamics Examples

Lecture 9

• The work done by a force
• Conservative forces
• Kinetic energy
• Potential energy
• Conservation of mechanical energy

Work and Energy

Lecture 10

Work and energy example problem. Try these for practice.

Work and Energy Examples

Lecture 11

• Power as the rate of doing work
• Engine power and speed
• Drag
• Efficiency
• Conservation of Momentum
• Inelastic and Elastic Collisions
• Explosions
• Rockets

Power and Momentum Conservation  

Lecture 11a

Power & Momentum - Example problems. Try these for practice.

Power and momentum examples

Lecture 12

• The force of static friction
• The force of kinetic friction

Friction

 

A few exam papers &/or tutorial questions with full worked solutions may be obtained for a small fee. Please email if you require assistance with this.


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