Insegnamento a.a. 2022-2023

30537 - FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS I

Department of Computing Sciences

Course taught in English
Go to class group/s: 27
BAI (8 credits - II sem. - OB  |  FIS/02)
Course Director:
LUCA SAGLIETTI

Classes: 27 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 27: LUCA SAGLIETTI


Suggested background knowledge

Being familiar with elementary calculus and geometry will be of help for students to better understand the topics, and to solve problems.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

Scope of the course is to provide the basic methodological and conceptual tools which are instrumental for modelling physical systems. Starting from point-like systems in various coordinates systems, the course will cover the fundamental laws of mechanics and thermodynamics, oscillations and wave equations. An introduction to special relativity concludes the course. Students are expected to learn problems solving skills.

CONTENT SUMMARY

  •   particle kinematics
  •   particle dynamics
  •   work, potential energy and conservation of energy
  •   inclined plane, pendulum, harmonic oscillator
  •   linear differential equations
  •   kinematics and dynamics of particle systems
  •   universal law of gravitation
  •   kinematics and dynamics of rigid bodies
  •   fluid mechanics
  •   oscillations and wave mechanics
  •   basics of kinetic theory of gases and thermodynamics
  •   special theory of relativity

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...

 

  • Understand the basic laws of classical physics
  • Use mathematical tools for modelling systems
  • Understand the role of symmetries and conservation principles

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • Solve problems which require creative thinking
  • Use geometry and calculus for problem solving

Teaching methods

  • Face-to-face lectures
  • Online lectures
  • Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
  • Individual assignments

DETAILS

  • Exercises will be problem solving assignments to be done in class under the supervision of the Instructor and Teaching Assistants.
  • Individual assignments and group assignments will consist in more advanced modelling and problem solving assignments, which might require also the adoption of numerical techniques.

Assessment methods

  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
   x x

ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

  • The exam consists of a conceptual part and a problem solving  part.
    • The conceptual part will be formed by questions to be answered on paper, and it is used to asses the "knowledge and understanding" learning objectives. This contributes to 40% of the final grade.
    • The problem solving  part will be formed by  exercises to be worked out on paper. It is used to asses the "applying knowledge and understanding" learning   objectives. This contributes to the remaining 60% of the final grade.
  • The exam is not open-book: any material outside of what is provided by the instructors is forbidden.

Teaching materials


ATTENDING AND NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

Main references:

-Ramamurti Shankar - Fundamentals of Physics I _ Mechanics, Relativity, and Thermodynamics 1, Yale University (2019)

-Course handouts

Other suggested references:

-D. Kleppner, R.J Kolenkow - An introduction to mechanics,  Cambridge University Press (2010)

- D. Halliday, R. Resnick, Jearl Walker - Fundamentals of Physics,  Wiley (2010)

- Douglas C. Giancoli - Physics - Principles with Applications,  Prentice Hall (2004)

Last change 03/02/2023 14:36