PHYSICS- MODULE A
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
There are no prerequisites.
The exam will be held during the breaks between the terms, namely at the end of the first term and at the end of the second one. The exam will be a written test and it will consist of three exercises and three theoretical questions. The exam will last two hours and a half. At the end of the first term students can take the partial test concerning Physics part A. At the end of the second term, students who have passed the first partial test can take the last part of the exam, concerning Physics part B.
Students who failed one partial test can repeat the exam or they can choose to take one single test, concerning both the parts of the course. In this last case, the exam will last 3 hours. The single test will consist of 4 exercises and 4 theoretical questions, 2 for each part of the Course. The single test is considered passed only if both parts are sufficient.
To pass the exam, either the partial or the total test, the students have to solve the problems starting from a proper Physics contextualization and providing both a correct presentation of the required equations and all the steps adopted to solve them. Reporting only the final formula and the final result will be not considered enough.
For the evaluation of the exam the criteria that will be adopted are the following in decreasing order:
- The correctness and the explanation of the strategies used to solve the problems
- The correctness of the calculations and of the final results
- The clarity and completeness of the theoretical part (questions)
- The proper use of the technical language and of the units of measurements.
It is not possible to pass the exam without correctly solving one problem at least.
To obtain full marks with laude, the students have to provide a correct test with clear explanations.
The final mark is the average between those of the two tests.
There will be no oral examinations.
Objectives and RdA
The Physics course is aimed not only at introducing the fundamental elements of Classical Physics, namely Mechanics, Fluids and Electromagnetism, but also at providing student with a methodology based on the scientific method and at developing the critical thinking of students as they approach problems. In such a way, the Course contributes to the formation of the professional profile of the Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering for Work and Environment Safety, especially for what concerns the development of making judgments and of the analytical skills to solve complex problems. The Course is divided into two modules: module A is devoted to Mechanics and Fluids and is delivered by Prof. Allevi, while module B is devoted to Electromagnetism and is delivered by Prof. Santoro.
At the end of the Course, students will be able to:
- Identify the physical phenomena described by Classical Mechanics and Fluids
- Recognize the electromagnetic phenomena
- Properly apply the Classical Physics laws to explain and quantify the phenomena
- Critically evaluate the physical phenomena by applying the scientific method
- Independently solve Physics problems by clearly explaining the chosen Physics laws and all the adopted steps.
Contents
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.
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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