Principles of Physics I – General Physics and Classical Mechanics - NFPL028

• Title: Principles of Physics I – General Physics and Classical Mechanics
• Guaranteed by: Department of Condensed Matter Physics (32-KFKL)
• Faculty: Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Actual: from 2023
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 5
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/2, C+Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Teaching methods: full-time
• Guarantor: doc. RNDr. Jiří Prchal, Ph.D.; doc. RNDr. Marie Běhounková, Ph.D.

Annotation

Last update: Mgr. Kateřina Mikšová (02.02.2022)

The Principles of Physics I is the opening course of physics series in the program Science. It provides a general introduction to the Physics as an essential pillar of natural sciences, and further focuses on concepts of classical mechanics with outreach to complex phenomena in chemistry and biology. The course set the knowledge base for all follow-up classes in physics. Also, it provides a guide to application of the mechanics and acoustics across the natural sciences.

Course completion requirements

Last update: Mgr. Kateřina Mikšová (11.05.2023)

The condition for completing the course is the successful passing of the exam, which is preceded by getting credit for the exercises. The exam itself is generally oral, but the solution - or outline of the solution - of a specific example can be one of the points discussed at the exam.

Literature

Last update: Mgr. Kateřina Mikšová (02.02.2022)

1. Basic Mechanics with Engineering Applications 1st Edition, J. Jones, J. Burdess, J.N. Fawcett, Routledge, 2017.

2. University Physics Volume 1, Jeff Sanny, Samuel Ling, OpenStax, 2016

3. Modern Classical Mechanics, T. M. Helliwell and V. V. Sahakian, Cambridge University Press, 2020

4. Classical Mechanics: From Newton to Einstein: A Modern Introduction 2nd Edition, M.W. McCall, Wiley, 2011

5. Classical Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum, G. Hrabovsky, L. Susskind, Penguin, 2014

6. Solutions for Physics: Principles with Applications, Douglas C. Giancoli, 7th edition, Pearson Higher Education, 2015.

7. Solutions for Physics Principle and Problems, Paul W. Zitzewitz, Todd George Elliott, David G. Haase, McGraw-Hill Education - Europe, 2013.

8. Lecture notes

9. Pre-recorded lectures

10. Set of problems (with solutions) for exercises

11. Visualizations of key experiments

Requirements to the exam

Last update: Mgr. Kateřina Mikšová (03.02.2022)

Final mark is based on the oral examination (67%) and results of tests taken during the course (33%). Oral examination takes place during the examination period and students must first obtain the credit for practical exercises. Credit for exercises is based on the solution of take-home problems (34%) and two tests (midterm and final, each 33%).

Syllabus

Last update: doc. RNDr. Jiří Prchal, Ph.D. (04.10.2023)

1. Physics - Definition, Branches of Physics, Outreach.

2. Units and Measurement; Vectors, Curvilinear coordinates.

3. Motion, space and time in classical mechanics. Limits of validity of classical mechanics.

4. Kinematics of a point mass: point mass, motion and path, rectilinear uniform and non-uniform motion, curvilinear motion, circle motion.

5. Dynamics of a point mass: Newton's laws of motion, composition and decomposition of forces, inertial forces, forces acting in a curvilinear motion, momentum, impulse, work, energy, power.

6. Newton's law of gravitation, gravity, motion in the Earth's gravity and gravitational field.

7. Rigid body: superposition of forces, center of gravity, equilibrium position; translational and rotational motion, kinetic energy of a rigid body, inertia, linear and angular momentum, friction.

8. Static Equilibrium and Elasticity: conditions for static equilibrium; deformation and stress, strain rate; continuum; deformation of solids: generalized Hooke's law, plastic deformation, and yield strength.

9. Fluid Mechanics: hydrostatics, Archimedes' and Pascal's law; hydrodynamics, continuity equation, Bernoulli's equation; motion of viscous fluids, Poisseuill's and Stokes' law.

10. Oscillatory motion: undamped oscillations, harmonic oscillator, mathematical and physical pendulum, damped and forced oscillations, superposition of oscillations.

11. Waves and Acoustics: Gradual transverse and longitudinal waves, wave interference, standing waves, wave reflection, Huygens principle, Doppler effect, wave equation, wave propagation.