Physics and Informatics

Computer science Unit:
The teaching is divided into a part of theory and a part of laboratory.

The theory part focuses on the following topics:
- Organization of information in computer systems
- Visual programming using Orange
- Reading, writing, and manipulation of tabular data
- Introduction to statistics and data visualization with Orange
- Introduction to artificial intelligence and machine learning
- Classification methods
- Clustering techniques

In the laboratory part, the student will have to familiarise himself with the use of spreadsheets to perform different types of data analysis. The following topics will be covered: the Excel spreadsheet, and the cells. Absolute and cell-related references, cell formats. Formulas and functions, data management, graphics, use of Excel for the application of statistical methods, pivot tables.

Physics unit:
The subject includes the presentation of basic physical principles, in particular of classical physics, with references to practical examples to highlight the relevance of matter in understanding natural phenomena. During the subject the fundamental laws of mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism are presented.
In particular, the following topics will be covered during the subject:
1. Introduction
The experimental method. Physics measurement. The International System of Units. Dimensional analysis and changes of units of measurement. Length. Time. Mass. Calculation of orders of magnitude and significant figures.
2. Mechanics
2.1 Kinematics
Definition of material point. One-dimensional motion. Reference systems. Change of position. Average and instantaneous speed. Time evolution. Uniform straight motion. Speed ​​as a derivative. Average and instantaneous acceleration. Uniformly accelerated motion. Integral of motion. Calculation of areas, in some simple cases. Scalar and vector quantities. Versor. Vector decomposition. Sum and products between carriers. Displacement, speed and acceleration in two and three dimensions. Composition of motions in two dimensions. Trajectory in two dimensions. Projectile motion. Range. Uniform circular motion. Relative motion. Change of reference systems.
2.2 Dynamics of the material point
Force definition. First law of dynamics. Inertial reference systems. Definition of inertial mass. Second law of dynamics. Some particular forces: weight force, constraint reaction, tension, elastic force. Static and dynamic friction forces. Apparent forces. Examples of centrifugal force. Third law of dynamics. Newton's law of gravitation. Gravitational mass.
2.3 Work and Energy
Definition of work. Kinetic energy theorem. Power. Conservative forces. Potential energy. Mechanical energy and its conservation. Gravitational and elastic potential energy.
2.4 Oscillatory and periodic motions
Motion equation of a spring. Harmonic oscillator. Definition of period, frequency and angular pulsation. Linear velocity and angular velocity. Uniform circular motion and harmonic motion. The simple pendulum.
2.5 Material point systems
Impulse of a force and momentum. The center of mass. Dynamics law for a point system. External forces and internal forces. Conservation of the total momentum. General information on collisions. Elastic and inelastic collisions.
3. Fluids and Thermodynamics
3.1 Fluids and their dynamics
States of matter: solid, liquid and gas. Extensive and intensive quantities. Definition of pressure and density. Forces in a fluid at rest. Stevin's law. Principle of communicating vessels. Pressure measurement. Torricelli experience. Pascal's principle. Archimedes' principle. Fluid dynamics. Ideal fluid. Flow lines. Continuity equation. Bernoulli's equation. Venturi principle.
3.2 Calorimetry and thermodynamics
Heat and temperature. Zero principle of thermodynamics. Measurement of temperature and thermometric scales. Thermal capacity and specific heat. Latent heat. Equilibrium temperature, as a function of thermal capacity. Thermodynamic system. State quantities. Thermodynamic transformations. Work. Joule's experiment: mechanical equivalent of calorie. First law of thermodynamics. Law of perfect gases. Avogadro's number. Clapeyron plan. Isobar, isochoric, isothermal, adiabatic transformations of a perfect gas. Free expansion of a perfect gas. Specific heat and internal energy of a perfect gas. Thermal machines, refrigerators and heat pumps. Second law of thermodynamics. Carnot cycle. Entropy. Entropy variation for irreversible processes. General entropy variation.
4. Electromagnetism
4.1 Electrostatics
Outline of the fundamental forces of nature. Electric charge. Coulomb's law. Hydrogen atom. Field concept. Electric field. Overlapping principle. Field strength lines. Field generated by a point charge. Electric dipole. Flow of a vector. Gauss theorem. Charge density of volume, surface, linear. Applications of the Gauss theorem: loaded wire, infinite loaded plane, uniformly charged sphere, cylinder.
Comparison between the gravitational field and the electrostatic field.
Conductors. Electrostatic introduction. Work done by the electric field. Electric potential. Equipotential surfaces. Potential of a point charge. Potential of many point charges. Electrical capacity of a conductor. Outline of capacitors (flat, series and parallel capacitor capacitors). Analogies and differences between the gravitational field and the field of a point charge.
4.2 Electric current and circuits
Conduction in metals. Electric current. Current density. Resistance and resistivity. Ohm's law. Energy and power in electrical circuits. Joule effect. Electromotive force. Real voltage generator. Series and parallel resistors. Simple circuits with series and parallel resistors.
4.3 Magnetic field
The magnetic field. Magnetic force on a current-carrying wire. Lorentz force. Motion of a charged particle in a magnetic field. Electric current and magnetic field. Biot-Savart's law. Field B generated by an infinite wire. Force between current-carrying conductors. Definition of the Ampere.