FY400 Introduction to Physics

Contents and structure

The course covers mechanics including circular and straight line movement in one and two dimensions with constant acceleration, forces, newtons laws, energy and work, conservation laws, potential energy, conservative forces, collisions, momentum, rotational dynamics, stress and strain. The course also covers the physics of waves including oscillations, resonance, interference, standing waves, sound waves, diffraction and reflection of waves. The course gives an introduction to radioactivity, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. 

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

Students aquire knowledge about:

• laws and underlying conservation rules that govern mechanics
• types of waves and their interactions
• electricity and radioactivity
• laws of fluid mechanics and statics
• laws of thermodynamics

Skills

Students can:

• calculate the motion of one or several point masses with constant acceleration, in circular motion and in collision
• calculate the effect traveling from one medium to another has on a wave
• use simple fluid mechanics to calculate mass transport
• solve problems related to heat transport and thermal expansion
• solve problems related to simple parallel and series circuits and simple radioactive decay

General competence

Students will have a basic competence to describe physical systems and solve related problems with respect to the relevant physical laws.

Entry requirements

None

Recommended previous knowledge

None

Teaching methods

Lectures and problem solving.

Compulsory learning activities

None

Assessment

Written examination under supervision, 4 hours.

Grading: A-F.

Examination support material

Calculator

More about examination support material