Physics General
A.Y. 2023/2024
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 can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
1-dimensional kinematics: linear coordinate, speed, acceleration, time law, relation between traveleld space, speed and acceleration by means of derivatives and integrals. Uniform motion and uniformly accelerated motion.
Position in 3 dimensions: vectors, operations on vectors (sum, subtraction, multiplication by a scalar, dot product, cross product)
3-dimensional kinematics: trajectory, time law, velocity (vector) and speed (scalar), acceleration (vector, tangent, centripetal). Straight uniform motion, uniformly accelerated motion, circular motion.
Dinamics of a point mass: forces; the 3 laws of dynamics, tangent and centripetal force; static equilibrium; weight force, constraint forces, tension forces; elastic forces and harmonic oscillatory motion. Momentum.
Work and kinetic energy. Conservative forces and potential energy. Mechanical energy. Kinematically forbidden regions. Examples of conservative forces (uniform forces, central forces, elastic forces). Small oscillations about a stable equilibrium point.
Gravitational forces: Newton's gravitation law, its derivation from Kepler laws, Cavendish' G measurement; circular orbits in a central gravitational field.
Changing reference frame: transfroms of velocities and of accelerations; inertial frames and accelerated frames, apparent forces, centrifugal force.
Dynamics of fluids: density; volume forces and pressure forces; static liquids, Stevin's law, Pascal's and Archimedes' laws. Non-viscous liquids in steady motion: conservation of the flow rate, Bernoulli's theorem.
Thermodynamics: thermal expansion and empirical temperature, laws of ideal gases, absolute temperature, microscopic model of gases and equivalence between temperature and mean kinetic energy cinetica, mono-, bi-, tri-atomic molecules and degrees of freedom. Work made by a gas, adiabatic trasform. Isochoric, isobaric, isothermal trasforms. Heat. 1st law of thermodynamics. Heat capacity and specific heat. Dulong-Petit solids. Latent heat. Thermal cycles, Carnot's cycle. Clausius' and Lord Kelvin's laws, 2nd law of thermodynamics. Entropy.
Waves: wavelength and frequency. Speed and refraction index. Interference, reflection, refraction, diffraction through a lattice.
Basic statistical techniques for experimental data treatment, propagation of uncertainties and hypothesis test.
Position in 3 dimensions: vectors, operations on vectors (sum, subtraction, multiplication by a scalar, dot product, cross product)
3-dimensional kinematics: trajectory, time law, velocity (vector) and speed (scalar), acceleration (vector, tangent, centripetal). Straight uniform motion, uniformly accelerated motion, circular motion.
Dinamics of a point mass: forces; the 3 laws of dynamics, tangent and centripetal force; static equilibrium; weight force, constraint forces, tension forces; elastic forces and harmonic oscillatory motion. Momentum.
Work and kinetic energy. Conservative forces and potential energy. Mechanical energy. Kinematically forbidden regions. Examples of conservative forces (uniform forces, central forces, elastic forces). Small oscillations about a stable equilibrium point.
Gravitational forces: Newton's gravitation law, its derivation from Kepler laws, Cavendish' G measurement; circular orbits in a central gravitational field.
Changing reference frame: transfroms of velocities and of accelerations; inertial frames and accelerated frames, apparent forces, centrifugal force.
Dynamics of fluids: density; volume forces and pressure forces; static liquids, Stevin's law, Pascal's and Archimedes' laws. Non-viscous liquids in steady motion: conservation of the flow rate, Bernoulli's theorem.
Thermodynamics: thermal expansion and empirical temperature, laws of ideal gases, absolute temperature, microscopic model of gases and equivalence between temperature and mean kinetic energy cinetica, mono-, bi-, tri-atomic molecules and degrees of freedom. Work made by a gas, adiabatic trasform. Isochoric, isobaric, isothermal trasforms. Heat. 1st law of thermodynamics. Heat capacity and specific heat. Dulong-Petit solids. Latent heat. Thermal cycles, Carnot's cycle. Clausius' and Lord Kelvin's laws, 2nd law of thermodynamics. Entropy.
Waves: wavelength and frequency. Speed and refraction index. Interference, reflection, refraction, diffraction through a lattice.
Basic statistical techniques for experimental data treatment, propagation of uncertainties and hypothesis test.
Prerequisites for admission
Good knowledge of basic mathematics, trigonometric functions, logarithm, exponential, differential and integral calculus.
Teaching methods
Front lectures. Attendance is strongly encouraged.
Teaching Resources
Handouts provided by the lecturer, downloadable from Ariel platform since the beginning of the course.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written exam at the end of the course. It is also possible to undergo two two partial exams, equivalent to the final exam, if passed. The exam aims at checking whether students are able to develop the solution of given problems in a quantitative way, using the appropriate physics laws, and to reach the solution, both in an analytic and in a numerical form.
FIS/01 - EXPERIMENTAL PHYSICS - University credits: 9
Practicals: 36 hours
Lessons: 48 hours
Lessons: 48 hours
Professors:
Bonizzoni Letizia Maria Agostina, Fanti Marcello
Professor(s)