27996 - General Physics T-1

Learning outcomes

The student acquires and consolidates the basic concepts classical mechanics and thermodinamics, with applications and exercises.

Course contents

MECHANICS

Vectors. Directed line segment. Opposite vector and null vector. Vector addition and its properties. Vector subtraction. Scalar multiplication of a vector and its properties. Scalar products between two vectors and its properties. Square and magnitude of a vector. Versors (unit vectors). Orthogonal axis tern. Coordinate system. Cartesian, cylindrical and intrinsic coordinate systems. Versor bases. Cartesian, cylindrical and intrinsic (Frenet-Serret) versor bases. Cartesian, cylindrical, spherical and intrinsic representation of the vectors. Representation of position vectors. Vector operations in the cartesian representation.

Particle Kinematics. Point particle. Reference frames and Cartesian coordinate triads. Short history of the time unit. Short history of the length unit. The vector law of motion in a cartesian, cylindrical and intrinsic base. Average and instantaneous velocity. Instantaneous velocity in a cartesian, cylindrical and intrinsic base. Average and instantaneous acceleration. Instantaneous acceleration in a cartesian, cylindrical and intrinsic base. Change of reference frames. Translation and rotation. Transformation of the position vector. Poisson’s formula. Transformation of the velocity. Drag velocity. Transformation of the acceleration. Drag acceleration and Coriolis acceleration.

The Static Force. Dynamometer. The vector nature of a force. Force units in International System of Units. Weight-force. Calibration of a Dynamometer. Active and constraint forces. Friction forces. Sliding friction. Static and kinetic sliding friction. Limiting friction. Rolling friction.

Particle Dynamics. Dynamics and its principles. Frame of reference. Particle subject to null net force. Inertial and non-inertial reference frames. Approximatively inertial reference frame. The physics origin of the inertiality. Mach’s principle and strong equivalence principle. The Newton’s first law of motion (law of inertia). The Newton’s second law of motion. Dynamic measure of the force. Weight units and dynamics. Momentum and impulse. Impulse-momentum theorem. Weight-force. Elastic-force. Friction-force. Constraint-force. Gravitational-force: Kepler's laws. Newton's law of universal gravitation: Inertial mass and gravitational mass. Pseudo-forces: change of reference frame. Rectilinear uniform translating reference frame. Accelerated reference frame. Drag pseudo-force and Coriolis pseudo-force. Centrifugal pseudo-force and Euler pseudo-force.

Work and energy. Elementary work. Exact differentials and differential forms. Line integral of a vector field. Work done by a force on a point particle moving on a curve. Examples of work calculation. Kinetic energy. The work-energy theorem. Positional forces and conservative forces. Differential operators: gradient, divergence and curl. Properties of conservative force fields. Potential, potential energy and total mechanical energy. Conservation of mechanical energy.

Dynamics of particle systems and of rigid bodies. Action-reaction law. Resultant and resultant moment of internal forces. Closed systems. Angular momentum. Cardinal equations of dynamics. Conservation of momentum and of angular momentum. Centre of mass. Properties of the centre of mass. The centre of mass theorem. Rigid bodies. Angular momentum of rigid bodies: case of a rigid body rotating around a fixed axis and case of a roto-translating rigid body with the rotation axis parallel to itself. Moment of inertia. Moment of inertia of homogeneous bodies. Huygens–Steiner theorem. Dynamics of systems. König's theorem for a system of particle points and for a rigid body.

THERMODYNAMICS

The language of thermodymics. Thermodynamic systems, macroscopic and microscopic description. Intensive and extensive quantities. Thermodynamical equilibrium. Adiabatic and diathermic walls. Thermal contact. Thermal equilibrium between two thermodynamical systems. Thermometers: thermometric properties and thermometric functions. Zeroth law of thermodynamics. Thermometer calibration. Fixed points: normal melting point, normal boiling point and triple point. Ideal gas thermometer. Units of measurement of the temperature. International temperature scale. Thermodynamic transformations. Quasi-statics thermodynamic processes. Equation of state of an ideal gas. Mole and Avogadro’s number.

First principle of the thermodynamics. Average molecular kinetic energy. The work in a quasi-static transformations of a fluid. Adiabatic work. Internal energy. Amount of heat. The first principle of the thermodynamics. Heat capacity, specific heat and molar heat. Ideal gases. Property of ideal gases. Quasi-static adiabatic transformations of an ideal gas: Poisson's formulae.

Second principle of the thermodynamics. Reversible and irreversible transformations. Heat engines. Efficiency of a heat engine. Carnot's cycle. Refrigerating systems. Second principle of the thermodynamics: Kelvin-Planck and Clausius statements and their equivalence. The Carnot's theorem. Absolute thermodynamic temperature. The Clausius's theorem. Entropy. The law of the increase of the entropy. Example of calculations of entropy variation in a reversible or irreversible thermodynamic process.

Readings/Bibliography

Textbook in Italian language:

• Bertin, Poli, Vitale, Fondamenti di Meccanica, Progetto Leonardo, Esculapio, Bologna.
• Fondamenti di Termodinamica, Progetto Leonardo, Esculapio, Bologna.
  
• Focardi, Massa, Uguzzoni, Villa, Fisica Generale, Meccanica e Termodinamica, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano.
  

Basic textbook in English language:

• Douglas C. Giancoli, Physics for Scientists & Engineers, Vol. 1, Pearson.
• David Halliday, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Volume 1, (10th edition), Wiley.
• Randall D. Knight, Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (4th Edition), Pearson.

Books of exercises:

• Longhi, Nisoli, Osellame, Stagira, Fisica sperimentale. Problemi di meccanica e termodinamica, Esculapio editore, ISBN-10: 8874880588, ISBN-13: 978-8874880584.
• Poli, Esercitazioni di Fisica 1, Pitagora editore, ISBN-10: 883710023X, ISBN-13: 978-8837100230.

Teaching methods

Lectures on the blackboard and exercises.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of a final two hours written test and of a further oral exam. 

The written test consists of fifteen closed-ended questions for the most part consisting of numerical exercises (due to Covid19 prevention measures, it could become necessary to carry out the examinations remotely). In order to be admitted to the oral examination a score greater or equal to 18/30 must be achieved.

The oral examination aims to verify the student's basic knowledge and the understanding of the several theoretical aspects of the discipline acquired during the course.

Teaching tools

Tutor assistance.

Notices and communications to students and copies of the lesson slides will be posted on the on line IOL course platform teacher’s home page.

Office hours

See the website of Nicola Semprini Cesari