HELP 2020 - 2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG] Print this Page Facebook this Page (opens a new window) Tweet this Page (opens a new window) Add to Portfolio (opens a new window)

PHYS 111 - Introduction to College Physics I

3 Credit: (2 lecture, 2 lab, 0 clinical) 4 Contact Hours: [Math Level 3  and Writing Level 2 , or departmental approval]

Goal 1:  Understand the nature and process of doing science. 

1. Distinguish observation from measurement and list their relative merits. 
2. Describe at length the methodologies used in science and the reasons for them. 
3. Indicate that mathematical models and computer simulations are used in studying evidence from many sources in order to form a scientific account of the universe. 
4. Compare and contrast science with religion, art, and technology. 
5. Distinguish physics from other sciences.  

Goal 2:  Use and explain Newton’s first law of motion-inertia. 

1. Explain why we don’t feel motion. 
2. Determine the relative amount of inertia between objects by experiment. 
3. Explain what a force is and how forces combine. 
4. State the conditions necessary for equilibrium and the consequences to an object’s motion (Newton’s 1st law).  

Goal 3:  Calculate and describe quantities of linear motion for a fixed or zero acceleration. 

1. Estimate the relative motion of objects. 
2. Differentiate and be able to calculate the instantaneous and average measures of motion quantities.
3. Differentiate and be able to calculate speed and velocity. 
4. Differentiate velocity and acceleration, with mathematical and graphical descriptions. 
5. Calculate the free-fall rate of speed and distance below the straight line path after a given time.  

Goal 4:  Understand the nature of forces and how they cause motion. 

1. Explain the microscopic source of the friction force and state the macroscopic factors on which it depends. Be able to calculate the friction force based on the coefficient of friction and the normal force. 
2. Distinguish the conceptual differences between mass and weight and explain under what conditions one can be determined from the other. Be able to perform this calculation. 
3. Calculate the acceleration, forces or mass using newton’s 2nd law. 
4. Explain qualitatively the effect of speed and surface area on air resistance.  

Goal 5:  Understand the interaction of forces between systems. 

1. Determine the reaction force from an action force. 
2. Define what is meant by a system. 
3. Compare the relative acceleration between objects that interact if their relative masses are known. 
4. Add vectors graphically and compare resultant qualitatively. 
5. Determine component forces graphically and compare qualitatively. 
6. Calculate resultant or component vectors using Pythagorean Theorem.  

Goal 6:  Understand the conservation of momentum and how it relates to impulse. 

1. Define impulse. 
2. Calculate the change in momentum from the impulse. 
3. Solve problems involving the impulse momentum theorem. 
4. Describe the conditions under which momentum is conserved. 
5. Solve 1-d collision problems. 

Goal 7:  Understand the nature of energy conservation and power. 

1. Explain the microscopic sources of friction. 
2. Calculate friction forces and be able to solve problems using these calculations. 
3. Calculate and explain work. 
4. Calculate power. 
5. Calculate kinetic and gravitational potential energy. 
6. Solve problems involving the work-kinetic energy theorem. 
7. Solve problems involving simple machines. 
8. Recite the types and calculate the efficiency of a simple machine.  

Goal 8:  Understand the relationship between torque and the rotational motion. 

1. Explain and calculate angular displacement and rotational speed. 
2. Relate angular motion quantities to linear motion quantities. 
3. Explain and determine the moment of inertia. 
4. Calculate the torque from applied force and lever arm. 
5. Qualitatively relate torque and moment of inertia to relative angular acceleration. (newton’s 2nd law again). 
6. Recite the revised conditions for equilibrium. 
7. Qualitatively describe the center of mass and the conditions for balance. 
8. Calculate centripetal force and explain which force is playing that role in a problem. 
9. Explain the conditions for angular momentum conservation. 
10. Calculate angular momentum and use conservation law in problems.  

Goal 9:  Understand the universal and inverse square nature of gravity. 

1. Calculate the forces between objects using the universal law of gravity. 
2. Explain the reasons for weightlessness. 
3. Calculate relative force using the inverse-square law.  

Goal 10:  Use vectors and conserved quantities to describe projectile and orbital motion. 

1. Define projectile motion and freefall. 
2. State the horizontal and vertical components of acceleration for freefall. 
3. Use the straight-line deviation method for calculating projectile’s height. 
4. Explain differences between idealized and realistic path of projectile. 
5. Explain why satellite’s orbit and don’t “fall”. 
6. State Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. 
7. Relate how kinetic energy, potential energy, speed, and angular momentum change for a satellite in elliptical orbit.  

Goal 11:  Know the states of matter and the properties of atoms that give rise to them. 

1. Define elements. 
2. Explain microscopic differences between phases of matter. 
3. Contrast compounds with mixtures. 
4. Use the periodic table to determine molecular mass.  

Goal 12:  Measure and calculate with properties of solids. 

1. Calculate density. 
2. Use Hooke’s law. 
3. Define tensile and compressive forces. 
4. Use scaling to determine calculate comparative ratios. 

Goal 13:  Measure and calculate with properties of fluids and plasmas. 

1. Define pressure.  
2. Explain the source of pressure. 
3. Define Archimedes’ principle. 
4. Calculate pressure on a submerged object. 
5. Define Pascal’s principle. 
6. Define Bernoulli’s equation. 
7. Calculate pressure and volume using Boyle’s law. 
8. Define plasma and identify common occurrences.  

Goal 14:  Determine the interaction of sound waves and how the measurable properties of sound change. 

1. Calculate Period from representation of vibrational motion. 
2. Define wave. 
3. Distinguish pulse from continuous wave. 
4. Distinguish longitudinal and transverse waves. 
5. Calculate wave speed frequency and wavelength from wave equation. 
6. Explain Interference and the superposition principle. 
7. Explain the Doppler Effect and correctly determine the frequency shift for approaching and receding observers. 
8. Know the speed of sound in air. 
9. Define Harmonics. 

Print this Page