An introduction to the basic principles of physics. Key topics are the physical description of motion, electricity and magnetism. The course focuses on the science of everyday phenomena and the understanding of important physical concepts. This course will equip students with little prior knowledge of physics to succeed in PHYSICS 120 or 160.
The “how-and-why” of the working of everyday objects from household appliances and television to the way electricity reaches our homes and how telephone calls are made. The inner workings of cars, ships, airplanes and spacecraft will also be studied. Prerequisite: open only to students with no previous college physics credit.
PREREQUISITES: None.
Course syllabi are provided as a guide only. Class timetables are released closer to program start date.
Pre-requisites: courses 1A or 1AH, 1B or 1BH. Corequisite: course 1C or 1CH.
Sound waves and electric circuits, taken by digital oscilloscopes and analyzed by Fourier transformation. Geometrical and physical optics. Conception, execution, and presentation of creative projects involving sound waves or electric circuits.
Pre-requisite: course 1A or 1AH. Corequisite: course 1B or 1BH.
Computerized measurements of uniform and accelerated motion, including oscillations. Analysis of data and comparison of results to predictions, including least-squares fitting. Conception, execution, and presentation of creative projects involving motion.
Pre-requisites: Life Sciences 30A, 30B, or Mathematics 3A, 3B, 3C (3C may be taken concurrently).
Statics and dynamics of forces, motion, energy, including thermal energy, with applications to biological and biochemical systems.
Pre-requisite: course 5A.
Thermal properties of matter, free energy, fluids, ideal gas, diffusion, oscillations, waves, sounds, light, and optics, with applications to biological and biochemical systems.
