DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS
PHYS*1000
An Introduction to Mechanics
Course Outline -- Fall 2013
Course website: http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/~pgarrett/teaching/PHYS1000
COURSE PROFESSOR
Paul Garrett
MacN220
pgarrett@physics.uoguelph.ca
TUTORIAL INSTRUCTORS
Calvin Tabert
MacN 403
ctabert@uoguelph.ca
Philippe Landry
MacN 402
plandry@uoguelph.ca
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an introductory, calculus-based course in mechanics, for students intending to major in
physics, theoretical physics, chemical physics, biophysics, mathematics, statistics, chemistry,
biochemistry, applied pharmaceutical chemistry or computing and information science.
The course covers the concepts of translational and rotational kinematics and dynamics,
equilibrium of rigid bodies, oscillations, and fluid mechanics. These concepts are illustrated with a
wide variety of examples and explanations of everyday phenomena. As well, there is an introduction to
analysis of experimental uncertainties (“errors”).
PREREQUISITES: 4U Physics (or PHYS*1020 or equivalent), 4U Calculus & Vectors MVC4U (or
MCB4U or equivalent)
RESTRICTIONS: IPS1500
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Development of:
1. analytical problem-solving skills
2. understanding of basic mechanics
3. ability to communicate (in writing) a logical problem solution
4. physical understanding of everyday phenomena
5. skills in data collection and analysis using electronic sensors and DataStudio software
6. expertise in determining experimental uncertainties in measured and calculated quantities
LECTURE TIMES: Mon., Wed., Fri. 11:30 – 12:20 p.m. Landscape Architecture 204
LAB/TUTORIAL TIMES
Lab 1000-01: Thurs. 2:30 – 5:20 p.m.
Lab 1000-02: Wed. 8:30 – 11:20 a.m.
Lab 1000-03: Thurs. 7:00 – 9:50 p.m.
Lab 1000-04: Fri. 8:30 – 11:20 a.m.
COURSE MATERIALS
***Textbook: University Physics, 13th Edition, by H. Young and R. Freedman (this will also be used in
PHYS*1010 in Winter 2014). This book is available in the University Bookstore.
LIBRARY REFERENCE MATERIAL
Available at the Reserve Desk in the Library, listed under Prof. P. Garrett (or Prof. M. Williams)
and course PHYS*1000 (or IPS1500), is a copy of the course textbook. Other material may be added as
the course progresses.
COURSE TOPICS
1. analysis of experimental uncertainties [Lab. manual, pg. Errors-1 to Errors-23]
2. Vectors; vector identities, vector products [text, Ch. 1]
3. Kinematics; 1d, 2d, and 3d, average and instantaneous velocity and acceleration, polar
coordinates, circular motion, angular velocity and acceleration, frames of reference [text Ch. 23, Ch. 9 (part)]
4. Dynamics; Newton's laws of motion, forces, inertia mass, gravitational force, friction, FreeBody Diagrams, terminal velocity and motion in resistive media [Ch. 4-5, Ch.13 (part)]
5. Work and energy; work done by forces, kinetic energy, Hooke's law, work-energy theorem,
power, conservative and non-conservative forces, potential energy, energy conservation,
gravitational energy [Ch. 6-7, Ch.13 (part)]
6. Momentum; definition of momentum, impulse, conservation of momentum, collisions, center of
mass, rocket propulsion [Ch. 8]
7. Rotational dynamics; moment of inertia, parallel axis theorem, torque, angular momentum,
work and energy, gyroscopes and precession, [Ch. 9-10]
8. Simple harmonic motion [Ch. 14]
9. Fluid mechanics [Ch. 12]
WEEKLY GUIDE
A Weekly Guide will be handed out and/or posted on the course website each week (usually on
Friday) to list the lecture topics for the next week. The Guide will also have a list of suggested textbook
problems, and will contain information about upcoming laboratory experiments, the midterm exam, etc.
However, not all announcements made in class will be posted in the weekly guide or on the website.
EVALUATION
The course grade will be calculated based on the following scheme:
Assignments (6 in number, 3% each)
Laboratory Experiments (5 experiments, 3% each)
Midterm Examination
Final Exam
Weighting
18%
15%
22%
45%
DETAILS RE: EVALUATION
Tutorials and Assignments: Assignments will be given throughout the course, and will be due at
the beginning of the Monday lecture following the tutorial periods, with the exception of the first and
fifth assignments (tentative due dates Sept. 16, 30, Oct.16, 28, Nov. 11, 25). The tutorials sessions held
in the week before the assignment due dates will be focused on the material that the assignments cover.
Tutorials will be held in MacN 401.
Laboratory Experiments: The laboratory experiments (schedule on next page) are described in
detail in the Laboratory Manual which is provided on the course website at
www.physics.uoguelph.ca/~pgarrett/teaching/PHYS1000 as a pdf file. Experiments are to be completed
and reports handed in during the laboratory period. The laboratory experiments will be done in MacN
301. If you miss a quiz or a lab, you must provide your TA with a written explanation for possible
academic consideration.
Midterm Examination: The midterm examination is tentatively scheduled for Friday Oct. 18,
6:00 – 8:00 pm. Please let the professor know of any scheduling conflicts well in advance.
Final Examination: The final examination (Fri. Dec. 13, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., location TBA)
will cover the entire course material.
TUTORIAL PERIODS
The Tutorial Periods will be devoted to the development of problem-solving skills, and
will supplement the course lectures. The tutorial periods will have the following format:
• 90 minutes for asking questions and solving problems focused on the current assignment with
the assistance of the tutorial/lab instructor; please remember to bring your textbook!
• 30 minutes of general questions, which may include detailed solutions of the previous
assignments.
TENTATIVE TUTORIAL/LAB SCHEDULE
Week
Dates (We,Th,Fr)
Tutorial/Lab
Location
1
Sept. 11 – 13
Lab. Error Anal.
MacN 301
2
Sept. 18 – 20
Lab. Motion sens.
MacN 301
3
Sept. 25 – 27
Tutorial
MacN 401
4
Oct. 2–4
Lab. Acc. due to g
MacN 301
5
Oct. 9 – 11
Tutorial
MacN 401
6
Oct. 16 – 18
Tutorial
MacN 401
7
Oct. 23 – 25
Tutorial
MacN 401
8
Oct. 30 – Nov. 1
Tutorial
MacN 401
9
Nov. 6 – 8
Lab. Torque and ang. mom.
MacN 301
10
Nov. 13 – 15
Lab. SHM
MacN 301
11
Nov. 20 – 22
Tutorial
MacN 401
12
Nov. 27 – 29
Tutorial
MacN 401
HELP!
1. Your best source of help is your tutorial/lab instructor during the tutorial/lab period.
2. In most of the tutorial periods, the activities are completed in the first 90 minutes, and hence the
lab/tutorial instructor will be available in the final 30 minutes to help students. Please feel free
to drop in during the final 30 minutes of any of the tutorial periods to obtain help. The course
professor will be available to provide help in his office (MacN 220), and has an open-door
policy; if his door is open, he is willing to see students. Short questions can often be handled in
the lecture room just before or after lectures.
3. Computer Tutorials: There are a number of physics tutorials available for you on the Physics
Department tutorial webpage (www.physics.uoguelph.ca/tutorials/tutorials.html). Of particular
usefulness in this course are the tutorials on:
Algebra (review)
Significant Digits
Unit Conversions
Free-Body Diagrams Graphing Log Paper Vectors (review)
Dimensional Analysis
Simple Harmonic Motion
Trigonometry (review)
Torque and Rotational Motion
CONFLICTS WITH MIDTERM EXAMS IN OTHER COURSES
Sometimes students will have a conflict between a midterm exam in another course and either a
lecture or a lab in this course. The University has a very clear policy to cover this situation: the
regularly-scheduled lecture or lab holds priority. In other words, it is the responsibility of the faculty
member who has scheduled the midterm exam to make special arrangements with students who have
conflicts. This policy is stated explicitly in the 2013-2014 Undergraduate Calendar
(http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/2013-2014/) in Section VIII-Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures under the heading “Examinations” (sub-heading
“Mid-Term Examinations”).
FORMULA CARD
Before the midterm examination and the final examination you will be issued a blank 5"x8"
card. You may write anything you want on one side of this card and take it with you into the exam. A
formula sheet will not be provided as part of the examinations.
ATTENDANCE: ILLNESS, ETC.
Attendance at the tutorial/lab periods is, of course, very important. If you miss a laboratory
experiment because of illness or for compassionate reasons, please see your laboratory/tutorial
instructor for possible academic consideration. If you miss the midterm exam, please see your course
professor. If you miss the final exam, please see your Program Counsellor. For more details, refer to the
Undergraduate Calendar: (http://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/2013-2014/)
-- go to “Section VIII Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures”, and click on the heading
“Academic Consideration, Appeals and Petitions.”
COLLABORATION
Collaboration and communication are essential for progress and advancement; much of modern
society is built upon them. However, mastering the problem-solving skills, and developing the
mathematical techniques, involves independent study which is irreplaceable. Collaborative teamwork is
useful after you have thoroughly studied the material and attempted the problems on your own. While
students are encouraged to share ideas and help each other, all material submitted for grading must be
each student's own work. Plagiarism is a form of academic misconduct, and will not be tolerated.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
The University of Guelph takes a serious view of academic misconduct and will severely
penalize students, faculty and staff who are found guilty of offenses associated with misappropriation
of others' work, misrepresentation of personal performance and fraud, improper access to scholarly
resources, and obstructing others in pursuit of their academic endeavours. Each student is assumed to
be familiar with the regulations surrounding academic misconducts, as spelled out in the Undergraduate
Calendar.
COURSE FEEDBACK
The Department of Physics requires student assessment of all courses taught by the
Department. These assessments provide essential feedback to faculty on their teaching by
identifying both strengths and possible areas of improvement. In addition, annual student
assessment of teaching provides part of the information used by the Department’s Tenure
and Promotion Committee in evaluating the faculty member's contribution in the area of
teaching.
The Department's teaching evaluation questionnaire invites student response both through
numerically quantifiable data, and written student comments. In conformity with University of Guelph
Faculty Policy, the Department’s Tenure and Promotions Committee only considers comments signed
by students (choosing "I agree" in question 14). Your instructor will see all signed and unsigned
comments after final grades are submitted. Written student comments may also be used in support of a
nomination for internal and external teaching awards.
NOTE: No information will be passed on to the instructor until after the final grades have been
submitted.
ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF CLASSES
The electronic recording of classes is expressly forbidden without the prior consent of the
instructor. This prohibition extends to all components of the course, including, but not limited to,
lectures, tutorials, and lab instruction, whether conducted by the instructor or teaching assistant, or
other designated person. When recordings are permitted they are solely for the use of the authorized
student and may not be reproduced, or transmitted to others, without the express written consent of the
instructor.