Physics Chapter 1: Introduction to Physics

This homework page has some extra introductory material to help you get started.

Organizing your Work

The following list gives you a general idea of each task you need to complete for our meetings. You may want to copy it to another file or spreadsheet to help you keep track of your assignment completion.

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Getting to know the textbook

Take the time to get familiar with the organization of topics in the text, so that you understand the overall structure of the course. The first ten chapters deal classical mechanics, the study of matter (particularly solid objects or liquids) in motion. The study of simple motions is called kinematics; the study of motions and forces is called dynamics. The next two chapters (11 and 12) consider wave motion, especially that which produces sound. Three chapters (13-15) cover thermodynamics--the motion of particles which undergo temperature changes, primarily gas particles, and the laws that govern the flow of heat energy, including the laws of entropy and enthalpy. Chapters 16-21 cover electricity, including phenomena as charge, field forces, and current flow. We will also study magnetism during this section, since it is closely related to electrical force and current. After we finish studying electricity and magnetism separately, we look at the phenomena they produce together: light, and its properties as it moves through different media (optics). Finally, we look at topics of "modern" or twentieth century physics: relativity, which is the study of the relationship of space and time; and quantum mechanics, which covers the forces at work on the atomic level.

Homework problems: Homework assignments are posted in the Moodle. You will need to solve every problem assigned, and post one problem from each problem set for the enlightenment of your fellow students.

To practice posting, go to the Physics page and create and introduction for yourself (your name, some information about where you live, your hobbies, how long you've been doing online courses, why you want to learn physics, and what in particular you want to learn about physics) under the Introductions topic.

You should review the mathematical concepts listed in Appendix A of the textbook. Let me know if any of the topics mentioned there are not familiar from your previous math courses. Depending on which math texts you have been using, you may not have covered or feel comfortable with trigonometric functions or logarithms; that's okay, as long as you tell me so that I will know what I need to cover in class.

Be sure to read the page facing chapter 1, which explains the use of colors and symbols in the diagrams. Knowing these will make it much easier to identify forces and vectors in the early chapters. You should also read the preface, which tells you something about the author's approach and assumptions. All books have an agenda, no matter how objective the author tries to be; even the most politically neutral textbook writer still has to choose what of all the topics to include and what to exclude in order to produce a text you can actually lug home from the bookstore. Understanding why the author chose to put these topics in this particular order will help you organize the material in your own mind.

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Homework

• Reading Preparation
• WebLecture
• Study Activity
• Chat Preparation Activities
• Chapter Quiz
• Lab Work

Reading Preparation

Reading assignment: Giancoli, Physics - Principles with Applications, Text Preface; Appendix A; Chapter 1: Sections 1-8.

Study points

• To Students in the prefatory materials covers covers notes on format and problem solving. Review this section so that you understand the intent of different parts of the chapter and its layout.
• 1.1 - 1.3 Physics depends on theories that are summaries of experience. An event or object has an objective reality that does not depend on our perception or analysis of it, but our theories about patterns of events or components of objects is a construct, a summary of our experience with these things.
• 1.4 Counting operations can be exact, but all measurements are subject to error. The amount of error or uncertainty will have an influence on the reliability of any data analysis we perform.
• 1.5-1.6 Standard units are necessary to compare data. The international system of units used by most physicists is based on the metric system.
• 1.7 Orders of magnitude and scientific notation allow us to express numbers easily and without ambiguity about which numbers or a measurement are significant.
• 1.8 Examining units and their relationships can provide clues and approaches for analyzing complex situations where many factors affect the outcome.

Web Lecture

Read the following weblecture before chat: The Matters of Physics

Study Activity

Chat Preparation Activities

• Forum question: The Moodle forum for the session will assign a specific study question for you to prepare for chat. You need to read this question and post your answer before chat starts for this session. Your answer should contain the question and your method of analyzing it, following the guidelines in the Student Study Guide.

  Example:

  A typical atom has a diameter of about 1.0 * 10^-10 meters.

  • (a) What is this in inches?
  • (b) How many atoms are there in a 1.0cm line?

  (a) The conversion factors we need are 1 m = 100cm and 1cm = 0.394in. We set up the problem so that the units will cancel, recast everything in powers of ten, then do the math.

  1: Set up the units so that they will cancel:

  $$\mathrm{meters}\ast \frac{\mathrm{centimeters}}{\mathrm{meters}}\ast \frac{\mathrm{inches}}{\mathrm{centimeters}}=\mathrm{inches}$$

  2: Substitute in the values:

  $$1\ast {10}^{-10}\mathrm{meters}\ast \frac{100\mathrm{centimeters}}{\mathrm{meters}}\ast \frac{\mathit{0}.\mathit{394}\mathrm{inches}}{\mathrm{centimeters}}=$$

  3: Cancel units and verify that the resulting unit is appropriate:

  $$1\ast {10}^{-10}\ast {10}^2\ast 3.94\ast {10}^{-1}\mathrm{inches}=$$

  4. Gather the powers-of-ten to one side and combine the remaining numbers for the calculation:

  $$1\ast 3.94\ast {10}^{(-10+2-1)}\mathrm{inches}=$$

  5. Complete the calculation (and retain the units as part of the answer!): $$3.94\ast {10}^{-9}\mathrm{inches}$$

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  (b) We need a conversion factor of one atom per 10^-10 m. Then we can set up the problem so the answer comes out in atoms, and do the math:

  $$\begin{array}{l}\frac{\mathrm{atoms}}{\mathrm{meter}}\ast \mathrm{meters}=\mathrm{atoms}\\ \frac{1\mathrm{atom}}{{10}^{-10}\mathrm{meter}}\ast 1.0\mathrm{centimeter}\ast \frac{\mathrm{meter}}{100\mathrm{centimeters}}=X\mathrm{atoms}\\ \frac{1}{{10}^{-10}}\ast \frac{1}{{10}^2}={10}^{10-2}={10}^8\mathrm{atoms}\end{array}$$
• Mastery Exercise: The Moodle Mastery exercise for the chapter will contain sections related to our chat topic. Try to complete these before the chat starts, so that you can ask questions.

Chapter Quiz

• Required: Complete the Mastery exercise with a passing score of 85% or better.
• Go to the Moodle and take the quiz for this chat session to see how much you already know about astronomy!

Lab Work

If you want lab credit for this course, you must complete at least 18 labs; you may complete more if you are preparing for the AP exam. One or more lab exercises are posted for each chapter as part of the homework assignment. We will be reviewing lab work at regular intervals, so do not get behind!

• Lab Instructions:Calibrating Equipment: Making an Equal Arm Balance

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