PHYSICS- MODULE A
Module A is devoted to Classical Mechanics and Fluids. The contents of the Course can be summarized as follows:
- Basic tools
The concept of measurement in Physics. Vector calculus. Scalar product and vector product.
- 1-D particle Kinematics
Speed, velocity and acceleration. Motion along a straight line. Motion in 2 and 3 dimensions. Projectile motion and circular motions. Relative kinematics.
- 1-D particle Dynamics
The principle of inertia. Newton’s laws. Friction forces. Fictitious forces.
- Conservation laws
Work and energy. Conservative forces. Impulse and linear momentum. Angular momentum and torque. Center of mass for a system of particles. Newton’s laws for a system of particles. Elastic and inelastic collisions.
- Mechanics of rigid body
Moment of inertia. Rotation of a rigid body. General motion of a rigid body. Statics of rigid bodies.
- Gravitation
Universal gravitation law. Kepler’s laws.
- Fluid mechanics
Pressure. Fluid statics. Fluid dynamics.
The topics presented within the Course can be found on the e-learning platform. On the same platform the students can also find some solved exercises and the past exams (including solutions).
The suggested text is:
D. Halliday, R. Resnick, J. Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Wiley.
The text is available in 1 volume, but it can be also found in two volumes. The teacher uses the seventh edition.
Module A (40 hours) is held during the first term. It is based on lectures, in which the theoretical aspects of the course are introduced and explained. During the lessons, the teacher presents the topics by making calculations and supporting all the statements with practical examples. When it is possible, the teacher introduces practical examples and exploits ordinary objects to make the theoretical concepts clearer. During lessons, the teacher uses the blackboard.
Moreover, 20 hours of exercises are delivered by a tutor in order to help students in the preparation of the exam. The tutor will summarize the main theoretical concepts and, using the blackboard, will solve some problems from the textbook.
For further information, please send an e-mail to: alessia.allevi@uninsubria.it