General Physics
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
Provide basic knowledge of Physics and methods to describe and analyse natural phenomena.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will learn to address physical problems using equations, based on the laws of classical physics, and solve them quantitatively:
1. knowledge and understanding: knowledge of basic physical laws and their application context
2. ability to apply the acquired knowledge and understanding: application of the abovementioned laws to solve simple problems, providing both a parametric solution (as a function of the quantities characterising the system under exam) and a numerical solution with measurement units
1. knowledge and understanding: knowledge of basic physical laws and their application context
2. ability to apply the acquired knowledge and understanding: application of the abovementioned laws to solve simple problems, providing both a parametric solution (as a function of the quantities characterising the system under exam) and a numerical solution with measurement units
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
REFERENCE FRAMES
Cartesian and angular coordinates
Position vectors and displacement vectors
Vectors in general: sum, difference, scalar product, cross product
KINEMATICS
Motion in space, trajectory, time aw
Average velocity and instant velocity
Acceleration, tangent and centripetal acceleration
Angular velocity
DYNAMICS OF MATERIAL POINTS
Law of inertia, uniform straight motion
Laws of dynamics (F=ma, composition of forces, action-reaction law)
Integration of the motion equation
Particular case: constant force, uniformly accelerated motion
Particular case: centripetal force, uniform circular motion
Momentum and conditions for its conservation
Torque, angular momentum, conditions for its conservation
INTERACTIONS IN NATURE
Force fields
Introduction on the fundamental interactions: gravitational, electromagnetic interactions, hints about strong and weak interactions
Examples of motion in electric and magnetic fields [mass spectrometer, circular accelerators...]
Macroscopic forces: constraint reactions, impulse forces, frictions, surface forces
SCALAR AND VECTOR FIELDS
Field lines
Line integral and circulation
Oriented surfaces and flux
Gradient of a scalar field
WORK AND ENERGY
Work, kinetic energy, power
Conservative forces, potential energy
Mechanical energy and its conservation
CENTRAL FORCE FIELDS
Conservation of angular momentum
Potential energy
Motion in a central field
ELASTIC FORCES
Elastic force in a spring
Harmonic oscillating motion
Elastic energy
Motion of a pendulum
Elastic forces in materials (hints)
A model for constraint reactions (hints)
Forced oscillator
FLUID DYNAMICS
Surface forces, pressure
Laws of Stevin, Pascal, Archimede
Law of Bernoulli
GRAVITATIONAL FORCES
Law of universal gravitation
Gravitational energy
Motion in a central gravitational field
Gauss theorem and field generated by an extended spherical mass
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Coulomb's law, Gauss theorem
Electrostatic potential
Electric dipole, hints about interactions among atoms and molecules
Electric current and current density
Conductors and microscopic conduction model, Ohm law
Properties of conductors, electrostatic screen
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
Maxwell equations
Some particular magnetic fields (wire, loop, coil)
Hints on magnetic dipole, hints on magnetization
Law of Faraday-Neumann-Lenz and non-conservative electric fields
Electromagnetic waves (plane and spherical)
EM waves in matter: dispersion
EM waves in conductors: absorption and electromagnetic screen
OPTICS
Electromagnetic spectrum
Huygens principle
Interference and diffraction
Fermat principle, optical ray
Reflection law
Refraction index, optical path
Refraction law
Thin lens
THERMODYNAMICS
Empirical temperature and law-zero
Thermal capacity, latent heat
Kinetic theory of thin gases
First law of thermodynamics and conservation of energy
Carnot's machine, thermal machines, efficiency
Second law of thermodynamics and entropy
Cartesian and angular coordinates
Position vectors and displacement vectors
Vectors in general: sum, difference, scalar product, cross product
KINEMATICS
Motion in space, trajectory, time aw
Average velocity and instant velocity
Acceleration, tangent and centripetal acceleration
Angular velocity
DYNAMICS OF MATERIAL POINTS
Law of inertia, uniform straight motion
Laws of dynamics (F=ma, composition of forces, action-reaction law)
Integration of the motion equation
Particular case: constant force, uniformly accelerated motion
Particular case: centripetal force, uniform circular motion
Momentum and conditions for its conservation
Torque, angular momentum, conditions for its conservation
INTERACTIONS IN NATURE
Force fields
Introduction on the fundamental interactions: gravitational, electromagnetic interactions, hints about strong and weak interactions
Examples of motion in electric and magnetic fields [mass spectrometer, circular accelerators...]
Macroscopic forces: constraint reactions, impulse forces, frictions, surface forces
SCALAR AND VECTOR FIELDS
Field lines
Line integral and circulation
Oriented surfaces and flux
Gradient of a scalar field
WORK AND ENERGY
Work, kinetic energy, power
Conservative forces, potential energy
Mechanical energy and its conservation
CENTRAL FORCE FIELDS
Conservation of angular momentum
Potential energy
Motion in a central field
ELASTIC FORCES
Elastic force in a spring
Harmonic oscillating motion
Elastic energy
Motion of a pendulum
Elastic forces in materials (hints)
A model for constraint reactions (hints)
Forced oscillator
FLUID DYNAMICS
Surface forces, pressure
Laws of Stevin, Pascal, Archimede
Law of Bernoulli
GRAVITATIONAL FORCES
Law of universal gravitation
Gravitational energy
Motion in a central gravitational field
Gauss theorem and field generated by an extended spherical mass
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Coulomb's law, Gauss theorem
Electrostatic potential
Electric dipole, hints about interactions among atoms and molecules
Electric current and current density
Conductors and microscopic conduction model, Ohm law
Properties of conductors, electrostatic screen
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS
Maxwell equations
Some particular magnetic fields (wire, loop, coil)
Hints on magnetic dipole, hints on magnetization
Law of Faraday-Neumann-Lenz and non-conservative electric fields
Electromagnetic waves (plane and spherical)
EM waves in matter: dispersion
EM waves in conductors: absorption and electromagnetic screen
OPTICS
Electromagnetic spectrum
Huygens principle
Interference and diffraction
Fermat principle, optical ray
Reflection law
Refraction index, optical path
Refraction law
Thin lens
THERMODYNAMICS
Empirical temperature and law-zero
Thermal capacity, latent heat
Kinetic theory of thin gases
First law of thermodynamics and conservation of energy
Carnot's machine, thermal machines, efficiency
Second law of thermodynamics and entropy
Prerequisites for admission
good knowledge of basic mathematics, trigonometry, exponential and logarithm functios, differential and integral calculus.
Teaching methods
Front lectures, on theory and exercises.
Students are strongly encouraged to attend.
Students are strongly encouraged to attend.
Teaching Resources
Handouts downloadable from the web page of the course
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam - oral exams not foreseen. The final mark will account for the ability of solving problems in the topics treated in the lectures.
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
upon request via email