Insegnamento a.a. 2024-2025

30537 - FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS I

Department of Computing Sciences

Course taught in English

Class timetable
Exam timetable
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, algebra, and geometry, will help the students better understand the topics covered in class, and solve the assigned problems. However, a quick (non-rigorous) recap of all the tools will be given in the lectures.

Mission & Content Summary

MISSION

The goal of the course is to provide the basic methodological and conceptual tools that are instrumental for modeling physical systems. Starting from point-like systems, the course will cover the fundamental laws of mechanics and thermodynamics. An introduction to special relativity will also be given. The students will get a chance to familiarise themselves more with the mathematical tools acquired from the other classes, and develop their problem-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
  •   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

  • Illustrative and advanced exercises will be solved in class under the supervision of the Instructor and/or Teaching Assistants.
  • Exercise Batches will also be assigned to the students every week, to help them with their preparation for the exam. 
  • Individual assignments and group assignments will consist in more advanced modeling 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 assess the "knowledge and understanding" learning objectives. This contributes to 40% of the final grade.
    • The problem-solving part will consist of exercises to be worked out on paper. It is used to assess 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 (a formula sheet) is forbidden.
  • The use of a calculator during the exam is allowed, smartphones and laptops are not. 

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)

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