Course
Outline
PHYSICS
SEMESTER ONE
NANSLO Biology Core Units and Laboratory Experiments
by the North American Network of Science Labs Online,
a collaboration between WICHE, CCCS, and BCcampus
is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License;
based on a work at rwsl.nic.bc.ca.
Funded by a grant from EDUCAUSE through the Next Generation Learning Challenges.
PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
SEMESTER 1 PHYSICS: COURSE OUTLINE
Welcome to the Principles of Physics I course. Principles of Physics I is a one-semester, first-year
calculus based course. This course is designed for students pursuing a degree in the sciences;
possibly a career in the physical sciences. Principles of Physics I includes the study of: Kinematics
(in one- and two dimensions), Dynamics, Work and Energy, Momentum, Rotation and
Equilibrium, Oscillations, Waves and Sound, and Thermal Physics. You may also study from a
variety of additional topics as assigned by your instructor.
Course Purpose
This course is designed to help students develop their understanding of several of the
fundamental laws and principles in Physics. Principles of Physics I also gives students an
excellent platform to hone their calculus and problem solving skills. The topics cover physical
analysis of common phenomenon, like projectile motion and the propagation of sound. The
laboratory portion of the course is designed to illustrate theoretical concepts and develop
laboratory skills.
Mathematical options in first-year Physics curriculum
Although the NANSLO Physics course can be adapted to non-calculus based delivery, it will be
developed with an expectation that calculus will be used to develop some of the theoretical
concepts and will be required to complete homework and explain some experimental results.
We note that "Calculus-Based Physics" is a somewhat general term & requires clear definition so
that students are informed about the level of mathematical preparation required in the course
& "receiving institutions" are informed about the student applicant's ability to use mathematics
in more advanced courses.
First-year undergraduate Physics courses may be categorized mathematically in the following
way:
1. No calculus required. This type of course requires a relatively strong background in
secondary school algebra but does not require calculus to understand the theory,
conduct laboratory experimentation or write-up, or complete homework assignments.
2. Awareness/exposure/rudimentary understanding of calculus required. This type of
course requires that the student is aware of what calculus can do and understands
mathematical representations such as v=dx/dt and a=dv/dt. However, other key
relationships (such as W=F(Delta x) will be presented primarily in an algebra-based form.
3. Understand concepts and results using calculus. In this type of course, calculus is used
extensively to derive results in class, but students are not required to actually *use*
calculus to do much more than take dx/dt to get v. A basic understanding of differential
calculus is expected.
4. Use calculus independently to solve problems. In this type of course, calculus is infused
throughout and used extensively in all types of assessments (homework, quizzes,
exams). Ability to apply both integral and differential calculus is expected.
We expect to incorporate a level of calculus at the 3.0 – 3.5 level in this NANSLO Physics course.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE MATERIALS

Student Manual and Course Notes.

Text:
o
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 8th edition, by Serway and Jewett
o
Fundamentals of Physics, 8th Edition, Halliday, Resnick, Walker; Wiley.
or

Laboratory Manual.

Principles of Physics I Lab Kit
ASSESSMENT (SUGGESTED)
Assignments and Quizzes
Laboratories
Midterm
Final (Comprehensive)
20%
20%
20%
40%
Total
100%
For any work you submit for assessment, be sure to show your work. Keep in mind that most of
the marks for a multi-mark problem in assignments and exams is allotted for the work that leads
to your final answer. The general problem solving method in which you define variables, state
the equations, solve and then state the solution with appropriate units and significant figures is
outlined in the Communicating Physics lecture notes.
A sample lab report is included in the Laboratory Manual.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
SCHEDULE
The following table suggests a schedule/weighting of weeks for completing this course within a
15-16 week period.
# of weeks
Unit
1
Introduction
1
Kinematics in 1 Dimension
1 – 1.5
Kinematics in 2 Dimensions
1 – 1.5
Dynamics
1
Work and Energy
1
Momentum
1
**Midterm Exam** covers up to and including Momentum.
1
Rotation and Equilibrium
1–2
Oscillations, Waves and Sound
1 – 1.5
Thermal Physics
0.5 – 4
Optional topics
0.5 – 1
Review
0.5 – 1
**Final Exam** covers the entire course with emphasis on second half of the
course.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
SUGGESTED READINGS
Unit
Serway and Jewett
Kinematics in 2
Dimensions
sections 3.1–3.4 and 4.1–4.5; section
4.6 (interesting but not compulsory)
Dynamics
sections 5.1–5.8, 6.1–6.3 and 13.1–
13.3 and 13.5
Work and Energy
sections 7.1–7.8 and 8.1–8.5;
sections 13.6 (13.5 GPE on big scale,
13.6 satellite physics) are
recommended but not required
Momentum
sections 9.1–9.6
Rotation and
Equilibrium
sections 10.1–10.9, 11.1–11.4, and
12.1–12.3
Oscillations, Waves
and Sound
sections 15.1–15.5, 16.1–16.5 (in
16.5 focus on equation 16.21 and
the following paragraph, not the
derivation), 17.1–17.4, 18.1-18.5,
and 18.7
Thermal Physics
sections 19.1–19.4, 20.1–20.3 and
20.5; section 20.7 (energy transfer)
is interesting but not compulsory
Optional topics
As assigned
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Halliday, Resnick, Walker
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
STUDENT PROGRESS CHART
You can expect to invest between 10 and 15 hours per week on this course, with the time
divided roughly like this:
 3 and 4 hours per week learning the new material (with the lecture notes provided or
other source),
 an average of about 2 hours per week performing the labs
 5 to 10 hours per week working on assignments, labs and textbook problems
This is a considerable chunk of time so it is important that you make that you plan your available
time carefully. The Student Progress Chart (below) should help you plan realistically.
Student Progress Chart
Week Unit(s)
Reading
assignment
Problem
assignment(s)
Lab
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE UNITS
Introduction
The course starts with a general welcome to the course, information about organization &
online delivery, review of any of the optional topics required for the specific learner audience,
explanation of the level of math used in this course (note that this course is calculus-based).
Additional topics may include: dimensional analysis, system of units, uncertainty, significant
figures, scientific notation, coordinate systems, solving problems with a mathematical approach,
communicating scientific results
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to be proficient in the following topics: (for some, this may be a review):
unit/dimension analysis, standard units, unit conversion, an introduction to error
analysis, scientific, notation, significant digits, problem solving, and order of magnitude
calculations.
Assignments:
Assignment #1
Laboratories:
Lab #1 Measurement and Experimental Error
1D Kinematics
Kinematics is the study of motion of an object without regard for the cause of the motion. The
analysis is limited to the wide range of cases where the object in motion has zero or constant
acceleration.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
kinematics in 1 dimension: frame of reference, distance, displacement, speed (average
speed, instantaneous speed), velocity (average velocity, instantaneous velocity),
acceleration (average acceleration, instantaneous acceleration), position-time graph,
velocity-time graph, acceleration-time graph
kinematics problems in 1 dimension: variable definitions, equations relating kinematics
variables, problems
Assignments:
Assignment #2
Laboratories:
Lab #2 One Dimensional Motion
Vectors and 2D Kinematics
The two dimensional kinematics is preceded by a section on Vectors (properties with both size
and direction) and Scalars (properties with just size). All physical properties within the course
are expressed as either vector (displacement, velocity, momentum) or scalar values (mass, time,
speed). Mathematical operations with scalars are just like working with numbers. Adding,
subtracting and, later, multiplying vectors is more complicated. It is very important that you
that you become skilled at working with vectors as they are used throughout the course. This
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
section extends the one dimensional kinematics principles with applications to special cases like
projectile motion and introduces circular motion.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
vectors: coordinate systems, vector addition and subtraction, multiplying a vector by a
scalar, vector components, conversion between magnitude-direction form
and component form of a vector
motion in 2 dimensions: velocity, displacement and acceleration in 2 dimensions,
scalar (dot) product of vectors, application of 1D relationships to vector components,
projectile motion, circular motion, radial and tangential acceleration, discussion of
motion in an accelerated reference frame
Assignments:
Assignment #3
Laboratories:
there are no 2D Kinematics labs
Dynamics
Dynamics looks at the interaction of forces that actually causes the acceleration of an object. In
both kinematics and dynamics, we will limit ourselves to motion in one or two dimensions. The
two dimensional analysis can be readily extended to three dimensions.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
force, Newton’s laws of motion and gravitation, normal force, friction, equilibrium, free
body diagrams (FBDs), dynamics problem solving
Assignments:
Assignment #4
Laboratories:
Lab #3 Resolving Forces
Work and Energy
Energy comes in many forms but we will initially limit the study to the kinetic energy of moving
objects, gravitational potential energy and elastic potential energy, along with the concept of
mechanical work. Conservation of Energy, where the total mechanical energy of a system is
unchanged unless work done on system, is an important tool in solving otherwise difficult
dynamics questions.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
work, energy, scalar (dot) product of vectors, work done by varying force, kinetic
energy, work-kinetic energy theorem, potential energy (gravitational, elastic),
conservation of energy, changes in mechanical energy, non-conservative forces, power
Assignments:
Assignment #5
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
Laboratories:
Lab #4 Conservation of Energy
Momentum
Momentum is the product of an object’s mass and velocity. Momentum is another important
quality that is conserved. Conservation of Momentum is often used to analyse collisions.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
momentum, conservation of momentum, impulse, 1D collisions (elastic, inelastic), 2D
collisions, systems of particles, centre of mass
Assignments:
Assignment #6
Laboratories:
Lab #5 Conservation of Momentum
Rotational Motion and Equilibrium.
Rotational Motion is very similar to one dimensional motion. Many of the concepts used in one
dimensional motion (displacement, speed, acceleration, force, kinetic energy, mass and
momentum) have equivalent terms in rotational motion (angle, angular speed, angular
acceleration, torque, rotational kinetic energy, moment of inertia, and angular momentum).
The study of Equilibrium is similar to the study of Dynamics. Where the Dynamics section
assumes forces on an object act on a single point, Equilibrium includes the location of the forces
in the analysis.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
rotation, angular speed, moment of inertia, torque, angular acceleration, rotational
kinetic energy, vector (cross) product of vectors, angular momentum,
conservation of angular momentum, static equilibrium
Assignments:
Assignment #7
Laboratories:
Lab #6 Torque and Rotational Equilibrium
Oscillations, Waves and Sound
Oscillations, Waves and Sound covers at the properties of oscillatory motion. This section looks
at the properties of objects under simple harmonic motion, waves, resonance, and the
behaviour of sound. Oscillations, Waves and Sound is also an introduction to the concept of
interference which is visited again in the Wave Optics section of Principles of Physics II.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
oscillatory motion: Hooke’s law, elastic potential energy, simple harmonic motion,
waves (position, velocity and acceleration), pendulum motion, circular motion
waves: frequency, amplitude, wavelength, wave speed, energy
sound: sound waves, speed of sound, Doppler effect, energy and intensity of sound
waves, spherical waves
interference: interference of waves, standing waves, beats, forced vibration and
resonance
Assignments:
Assignment #9
Laboratories:
Lab #7 The Simple Pendulum
Lab #8 Oscilloscope and Speed of Sound
Thermal Physics
Thermal Physics deals with heat and temperature. This section examines the changes of volume
with temperature, changes of temperature/state with when energy is added to/removed from
the system in the form of heat, and flow of energy (heat) through materials.
Learning Objectives
The student is expected to become proficient in the following topics.
thermal equilibrium, 0th law of thermodynamics, temperature, thermal
expansion, heat, internal energy, 1st law of thermodynamics, specific heat,
calorimetry, latent heat, calorimetry with latent heat
energy transfer mechanisms: conduction (thermal conductivity, R-values), convection,
absorption/emission
Assignments:
Assignment 10
Laboratories:
there is no lab for this section
Other topics
EXAMS
There is one midterm exam covering Kinematics, Dynamics, Energy and Momentum. The final
exam covers the entire course with emphasis placed on Rotational Motion and Equilibrium,
Material Physics, Oscillations, Waves and Sound, and Thermal Physics.
The exams are generally a set of problems that the student must solve. Marks are awarded for
the student’s problem solving process as well as the final answer. The final answer should be
expressed in with the appropriate number of significant digits, units and scientific notation
when necessary.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
Formula sheets are provided with the exams.
Graphing calculators are not allowed on the exams.
As this is a distance course, it is up to you to find an invigilator for your exams. Most colleges
and universities offer invigilation services at a cost to you. You can also get your exams
invigilated outside of a college or university if the invigilator is approved by the institution
delivering this course. Contact your instructor for guidelines for invigilators.
ABOUT THE LABS
The laboratory work is designed to illustrate theoretical concepts, and develop laboratory skills
and techniques. As this is a distance course, the labs are divided into those that can be done
safely and effectively at home, and those that will be done on-line in our interactive web-based
laboratory. At the time this was written, there are four home labs and four web-based labs
designed for the course. Each of the web-based labs is only available during a fixed set of dates.
You must schedule the time and date when you want to perform your experiment within the
dates when it is available.
Please see Lab Manual for other notes on the laboratories
CONTACTING YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Though it is probably easiest and fastest to communicate with your instructor via e-mail, but
feel free to phone, fax and mail information to her/him. Labs reports should be created using a
word processor with the files e-mailed. If you have access to a scanner, it is recommended that
you scan your assignments (and if necessary, your labs), and then e-mail the file to your
instructor. E-mailing files is probably the fastest way to get feedback on your work, though a
phone call may be faster for simple questions. Exams must be mailed.
Instructor:
E-mail:
Phone:
Fax:
Address:
...............................................
..............................................
..............................
..............................
.........................................................
.............................................................
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ADVICE THAT WILL HELP YOU COMPLETE THE COURSE
This course is set up somewhat like a regular first-year physics course with a set of lecture notes,
labs, assignments and exams. The suggested course schedule shows the approximate pacing of
the course as it is taught in a classroom setting. However, because this is a distance-delivered
course, you have somewhat more flexibility in the rate at which you proceed through the
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
material. It is strongly suggested that you set aside time each week for the course, just as you
would if you were attending scheduled lectures and labs.
The lecture material should not be used as your sole source of information for any particular
topic. Read the text, or search for more information about the topic online. Check out the
excellent MIT Open Courseware videos on the subject (http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Physics/801Physics-IFall1999/VideoLectures/). There are many other excellent sources of information
available and many ways to explain each topic. Find ones that you understand. Finally, don’t be
afraid to ask your instructor/professor questions.
This course presents several concepts to explain how objects behave in our world. The systems
and problems are often simplified (utilizing perfect springs ignoring air resistance …) to better
express the fundamentals of the concepts. Once mastered, these fundamental concepts form
the basis upon which more complicated ones can be built. Examples:
Kinematics and Dynamics often ignore air resistance and friction between surfaces in
contact. Both are forms of friction that can be added to the basic equations describing
the motion. In the case of friction due to contact, we can calculate the friction force
from its relationship with the normal force. Air resistance, is usually described as force
that is proportional to the square of the velocity. Inclusion of the air resistance in
problems, where the velocity is not constant, requires mathematics that is beyond this
course.
In Kinematics, Dynamics, Energy and Momentum, we treat items as if their masses are
concentrated at single points. All forces acting on an object are treated as acting on the
single point. The kinetic energy and momentum of an object are calculated with the
assumption that the entire object is moving at a single velocity. In Rotation and
Equilibrium, we expand this to a more realistic case where forces are applied at
different places on the object and different parts of the object can have different
velocities due to rotation. Rotation and Equilibrium also includes the concept of the
centre of mass; showing that an object can be treated as though all of its mass is located
at the centre of mass for some analyses. The original relations for Kinematics still apply
to the centre of mass, while the Dynamics, Energy and Momentum have new terms due
to the rotational motion that are added to the original terms that apply to the centre of
mass.
The fact that the concepts, once developed, can be extended to more complicated concepts has
more to do with the level of detail required than the need for a new theory. The basic concepts
are still valid.
Get in habit of using proper problem solving techniques. This may seem like extra work for easy
questions but the habit will help immensely in the long run when you have to solve complex
problems. The bulk of assignment and exam questions require problem solving skills. The acts
of reading and understanding a question, breaking the problem down to simpler parts,
recognizing which physical concepts are involved, and finding a solution are all important skills.
These problem solving skills apply to all sorts of problems within and outside of physics. These
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
skills will help you solve problems throughout not only your academic life, but your professional
and personal life as well.
Delay substituting values and use algebra as long as possible when solving problems. This
reduces problems with round off error and you may find that certain unspecified terms get
cancelled out. If you have to substitute values before the final solution, keep an extra significant
figure or two (not eight) to reduce the risk of round off errors.
The assignments and questions in the lecture notes should not be the only places in which you
practice your physics problem solving. Try problems in the text. Most texts have answers to
odd numbered questions and study guides with detailed answers. A list of suggested problems
is not provided, but you should generally work through several of the problems at the end of
each chapter or section. The low numbered problems are generally easiest, getting harder as
the problem number increases. Start with some low numbers and work your way up.
The labs delivered through the Remote Web-Based Laboratory (RWSL) are usually available only
during specific periods. If you fail to complete a lab during its scheduled period contact your
instructor. Some make up lab time may be available at the end of the course.
Ask questions. If you don’t understand something, often the act of forming a question helps you
with your answer. If not, the instructor or another person can provide an explanation. The
learning management system used to organize your course probably offers a bulletin board or
forum where you can post questions for your instructor and classmates. Answer bulletin board
questions, too. Answering questions helps you organize your thoughts on a particular topic.
Don’t be shy. You can even ask crazy or fun questions like “Why is the sky blue?” or “What
would happen if ...”. Science is built on people who ask questions and search for solutions.
Talk to people. The fact that you are working on your own doesn’t mean that you’re isolated
from your classmates and friends with some physics expertise. Discuss what you are learning.
Make suggestions for improvements (point out my typos). Online forums and bulletin boards
are excellent places to share ideas.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The lecture notes for this course were adapted from lecture-based course notes. The course
was based on the textbook Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 7th edition (2008), by Serway and
Jewett. Although there are several “classic” physics problems and examples, a concerted effort
was made to make the tone of the lecture notes, examples and problems unique. In this way,
the lecture notes complement instead of duplicate the textbook. This also renders the notes
adaptable to other textbooks.
The lecture notes have several links to Java applets from the University of Colorado’s Physics
Education Technology website, http://phet.colorado.edu/index.php. These applets provide very
detailed simulations of physical processes. I strongly recommend that you check these out and
play with the different variables for the simulations.
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PHYSICS SEMESTER ONE
COURSE OUTLINE
th
The labs and lab manual are based strongly on the 5 Edition of the North Island College Physics
100/101/120/121 Laboratory Manual, edited by Jason Diemer, and North Island College Physics
060 Laboratory Manual, On-line Edition by Dennis Lightfoot and Ron Evans.
Feedback about the distance course program and general feedback was provided by Ron Evans.
Tak Sato at Kwantlen Polytechnic University did a thorough job reviewing the notes and labs,
and provided excellent suggestions on both fronts. The technical wizardry in making the webbased courses and labs functional was done by Albert Balbon and Mike Valmorbida at NIC. Rick
Nowell at the College of the Rockies provided several very useful technical suggestions for the
labs. Patricia Davies did the editing and formatting work that makes this material presentable. I
also want to acknowledge Jason Diemer and Helena Higgs for their course supervision for my
lecture courses and overall help with physics at NIC.
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