66682 - Physics

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge of the main physical quantities and the relationships between them, and will know how to use the main units of measurement. They will understand the mechanics of a material point and of systems, the theory of electromagnetism. They will also be able to formulate and solve simple problems related to these topics.

Course contents

Prerequisites:

Students accessing this course must have a basic understanding of elementary functions (powers, roots, exponentials and logarithms), trigonometric functions, differential and integral calculus for functions of one or more real variables, and differential equations.

Contents:

One-dimensional kinematics. Mean and instantaneous velocity. Mean and instantaneous acceleration. Uniform linear motion. Uniformly accelerated motion

Scalar and vector physical quantities. Sum and difference of vectors. Decomposition of vectors with respect to the axes. Unit vectors. Vector components. Sum, difference and dot product of vectors using vector components

Motion in two and three dimensions. Projectile motion. Uniform circular motion. Relative motion in two dimensions.

Forces and the principle of superposition. The principle of inertia. Newton’s second law. Some specific forces: gravitational, normal, friction, tension in a rope, elastic force, centripetal force. Newton’s third law. Work done by a constant force. Definition of kinetic energy. Work done by the gravitational force. Work done by the elastic force. Power. Potential energy and work. Conservative forces. Gravitational potential energy. Elastic potential energy. Conservation of mechanical energy. Equilibrium positions of a system

Centre of mass of a system of particles and of an extended body. Newton’s second law for a system of particles. Momentum. Principle of conservation of momentum.

Explosions and collisions. Definition of the impulse of a force. Collisions between particles. Elastic and completely inelastic collisions. Vector product. Moment of a force. Equilibrium of a rigid body.

Rotational motion. Angular velocity. Angular acceleration. Rotational kinetic energy. Moment of inertia. Parallel axes theorem.

Moment of a force. Newton’s second law in angular form. Work and rotational kinetic energy. Rolling. Angular momentum. Conservation of angular momentum. A rigid body rotating about a fixed axis.

Simple harmonic motion. Harmonic oscillator. Harmonic oscillator with two masses.

Electric charge and electrical phenomena. Coulomb’s law. Coulomb’s law in vector form. Definition of an electric field. Electric field generated by a point charge. Field generated by a dipole. Field generated by a plane charge distribution.

Electric flux. Gauss’s law. Relationship between Gauss’s law and Coulomb’s law. Isolated charged conductor. Planar conductor.

Electric potential energy. Definition of electric potential. Calculation of electric potential from the electric field. Potential in a uniform electric field. Potential generated by a point charge. Calculation of the electric field from the electric potential.

Electric capacitance. Planar capacitor. Capacitors in series and parallel.

Definition of electric current. Current density. Drift velocity of charge carriers

Definition of electrical resistance. Ohm’s first law. Definition of specific resistivity. Ohm’s second law. Temperature dependence of resistance.

Thermal energy dissipation in a resistor. Resistors in series and in parallel. Direct current circuits. Electromotive force. Elementary single-loop circuit. Kirchhoff’s second law. Multi-loop circuit. Kirchhoff’s first law. Determining currents and potentials in a circuit. Real batteries and the internal resistance of a battery. Resistor-capacitor circuits. Charging and discharging a capacitor

Magnetic phenomena. Definition of a magnetic field. Motion of a charged particle in a uniform magnetic field. Lorentz force. Speed selector. Mass spectrometer. Magnetic force on a current-carrying conductor.

Torque on a coil. Definition of a magnetic dipole. Magnetic dipole moment of the electron and the proton. Biot–Savart law. Magnetic field generated by a straight wire carrying a constant current. Force between parallel conductors. Magnetic field circulation. Ampère’s law.

 

Readings/Bibliography

D. Halliday, R. Resnick, J. Walker

Fondamenti di Fisica

Meccanica Termologia Elettrologia Magnetismo Ottica

Settima e ottava edizione

Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

Teaching methods

Lecture-based teaching

Assessment methods

Two in-course written assessments are held during the course. The first takes place approximately halfway through the course and focuses on the concepts of Newtonian mechanics. The second is held at the end of the course and focuses on electromagnetism. In both assessments, students must solve numerical problems, which may be accompanied by theoretical questions. To solve the problems, students may use a scientific calculator and, where necessary, consult the textbooks and/or formulae provided by the lecturer. Generally, the average of the two marks obtained in the mid-term assessments is sufficient to determine the final mark. However, at the lecturer’s discretion, an oral examination may also be required to assess the student’s actual level of understanding. In particular, the oral examination will be required in the event of a serious failure in one of the two mid-term examinations.

Anyone who has not taken the continuous assessment tests or has not passed them with a sufficient mark must sit a written examination covering the entire course syllabus, to be conducted in the same manner as the continuous assessment tests. The written examination is considered passed with a mark of at least 16/30, which may be followed, at the lecturer’s discretion, by an oral examination, either during the same examination session or in subsequent ones, and in any case no later than the start of the physics course in the following academic year. The oral examination is, of course, compulsory if the mark in the written examination is below 18/30.

Students with specific learning difficulties (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: it is recommended that you contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it) in good time: the office will be responsible for proposing any necessary adjustments to the students concerned; these must, however, be submitted for the lecturer’s approval 15 days in advance, and the lecturer will assess their suitability, taking into account the course’s learning objectives.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, combined with exercises carried out on the blackboard.

 

OFFICE HOURS:

by appointment, to be agreed with the professor writing to: irene.conti@unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Irene Conti