PHYS 1020 - Physics Concepts

Credits: 4
Hours/Week: Lecture 3 Lab 2
Course Description: This course serves as an introduction to the basic concepts of physics: motion, force, energy, momentum, and rotations. Additional topics in physics may be included at the discretion of the instructor including (for example) fluid dynamics or the modern study of matter. The course is a problem-solving course, but the focus is on the concepts of physics rather than on detailed quantitative analysis. This course is intended for students who have not had a recent course in physics at the high school or college level. The laboratory associated with this course emphasizes measurement, interpretation of data, and synthesis of results.
MnTC Goals
3 Natural Science

Prerequisite(s): Assessment score placement in MATH 0070  or above or completion of MATH 0030  or MATH 0060  with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content

1. Circular Motion. Centripetal Force. Orbital Motion.
2. Kinematics. Basic Kinematic Quantities. One-Dimensional. Two-Dimensional
3. Momentum and Collisions. Definition of Momentum. Classes of Collisions. Conservation of Momentum
4. Newton¿s Laws of Motion. Inertia. Acceleration. Interactions Between Objects
5. Rotational Motion. Rotational Inertia. Torque. Rotational Energy. Angular Momentum
6. Work and Energy. Definition of Work. Kinetic Energy. Potential Energy. Conservation of Energy. Oscillatory Motion.
7. Additional Topics (Instructors might include one or more of the following) Fluid Dynamics. Fluid Pressure. Variation of Pressure with Depth. Buoyancy. Bernoulli¿s Principle. Matter. Basic Atomic Structure. Basic Nuclear Physics. Ideas in Quantum Physics

1. Explain one- and two-dimensional motion in terms of kinematic quantities such as position, velocity, and acceleration.
2. Analyze linear and circular motion of objects in terms of Newton¿s Laws of force.
3. Explain the motion of objects within the framework of work and energy.
4. Examine collisions and similar phenomena using the ideas of momentum and momentum conservation
5. Synthesize the concepts of basic physics in order to develop solutions to a wide variety of problems involving the motion of objects.

03. 02. Formulate and test hypotheses by performing laboratory, simulation, or field experiments in at least two of the natural science disciplines. One of these experimental components should develop, in greater depth, students’ laboratory experience in the collection of data, its statistical and graphical analysis, and an appreciation of its sources of error and uncertainty.

03. 03. Communicate their experimental findings, analyses, and interpretations both orally and in writing.

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