pHYSICAL science. Learn it now and have fun.

"Introduction to Physics" is a fundamental course that provides a broad overview of the basic concepts and principles that govern the physical world. Here’s a general outline of what an introductory physics course typically covers:

### 1. **Introduction to Physics**
- **What is Physics?**
- Definition and scope of physics
- Importance and applications in everyday life
- **Branches of Physics**
- Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Quantum Mechanics, etc.

### 2. **Basic Physical Quantities**
- **Length, Mass, and Time**
- **Units of Measurement**
- SI Units, Metric system
- Converting between different units
- **Dimensional Analysis**
- **Vectors and Scalars**
- Difference between vector and scalar quantities
- Vector addition and subtraction

### 3. **Kinematics**
- **Motion in One Dimension**
- Distance, Displacement, Speed, Velocity, Acceleration
- **Equations of Motion**
- Uniform and non-uniform acceleration
- **Motion in Two Dimensions**
- Projectile motion, Circular motion

### 4. **Dynamics**
- **Newton’s Laws of Motion**
- First, Second, and Third Laws
- Applications of Newton's Laws
- **Friction, Tension, and Normal Force**
- **Work, Energy, and Power**
- Work-Energy Theorem
- Kinetic and Potential Energy
- Conservation of Energy

### 5. **Momentum and Collisions**
- **Linear Momentum**
- Conservation of Momentum
- Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
- **Impulse**

### 6. **Rotational Motion**
- **Angular Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration**
- **Torque and Moment of Inertia**
- **Rotational Kinematics and Dynamics**
- **Conservation of Angular Momentum**

### 7. **Gravitation**
- **Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation**
- **Gravitational Field and Potential**
- **Orbits of Planets and Satellites**
- **Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion**

### 8. **Thermodynamics**
- **Temperature and Heat**
- Heat transfer methods: Conduction, Convection, Radiation
- **Laws of Thermodynamics**
- Zeroth, First, Second, and Third Laws
- **Engines and Refrigerators**

### 9. **Waves and Sound**
- **Wave Properties**
- Frequency, Wavelength, Speed, Amplitude
- **Types of Waves**
- Transverse and Longitudinal Waves
- **Sound Waves**
- Speed of Sound, Doppler Effect, Resonance

### 10. **Electromagnetism**
- **Electric Charges and Fields**
- Coulomb’s Law, Electric Field, Electric Potential
- **Magnetic Fields and Forces**
- Biot-Savart Law, Ampère’s Law, Faraday’s Law
- **Electromagnetic Waves**
- Light as an Electromagnetic Wave

### 11. **Optics**
- **Reflection and Refraction of Light**
- **Lenses and Mirrors**
- **Optical Instruments**
- Microscopes, Telescopes

### 12. **Modern Physics**
- **Introduction to Quantum Mechanics**
- Photoelectric Effect, Wave-Particle Duality
- **Relativity**

1. Welcome to Regents
Physics!
Mrs. Patterson
Course Introduction

2. What is Physics?
Physics is the study of the physical or natural
world.
• It is the most basic science…
The study of motion, forces, energy, matter, heat,
sound, light, waves, and the composition of matter.

3. What will we investigate?
There are 5 basic units in physics:
-Mechanics
-Energy and Work
-Electricity and Magnetism
-Waves
-Modern Physics

4. Success Skills
• Conceptual (Why does this happen?)
• Problem Solving
• Data Analysis
• Lab design and Reporting
• Self-guidance
• Observation

5. SI (System International)
Base Units:
Fundamental units (also called base units)
• Length = meter (m)
• Mass = kilogram (kg)
• Time = seconds (s)
A base unit is independent of other units.

6. Derived Units:
Derived Units are combinations of
fundamental units.
Examples:
• Meters per second (m/s) used to measure _______?
• Kilogram * meter squared per second (kg*m
2
/s) is
used to measure energy (the joule).

7. Common Prefixes
Look at your reference tables – front
page, bottom left corner, “Prefixes for
Powers of 10”
Example:
1 ns = 1 x 10
-9
s
1 nm = 1 x 10
-9
m
• We can make conversion factors!

8. Practice:
How many seconds are in 1 picosecond?
Answer: 1 ps = 1 x 10
-12
s
What if we turn the question around?
• How many picoseconds are in one
second?
Answer: (1 ps/ 1x10
-12
s) = (1x10
12
ps/s)

9. Getting Conversion Factors from
Prefix Table
• We often need to change from one unit
to another… we can do this using
conversion factors.
• Here’s the key…Units are treated as
mathematical factors, and can be
divided out.

10. Let’s do it!
Let’s convert 365 meters to km. ________
Why can’t I just move the decimal place?
• You can, but only if you are going from
one metric unit to another.
• What if you need to convert a derived
unit, like km/hr to m/s?

11. Factor-Label method
a.k.a Dimensional Analysis
• FLM is a technique used to convert from
one unit to another using appropriate
conversion factors.

12. Let’s do it!
Let’s convert 100 km/hr to m/s.

13. Precision
Precision is the degree of exactness to
which the measurement of a quantity can
be reproduced.
Precision is linked to significant figures:
• Significant figures includes all known
digits plus one estimated digit.

14. Accuracy
Accuracy is the extent to which a
measured value agrees with the standard
or accepted value.
Accuracy is measured using percent error.
% error = measured value – accepted value x 100
accepted value
precision and accuracy

15. The Four Sig Fig
Rules:

16. Rule #1: Non-zero digits are always
significant.
• Example:
How many sig figs in 2.735 m?
• Answer:
Four sig figs

17. Rule #2: Zeros between two other
significant digits are significant.
• Example:
How many sig figs in the value
202.03 kg?
• Answer:
5 sig figs

18. Rule #3: All final zeros after the
decimal point are significant.
• Examples:
- 0.002 kg has one sig fig
- 0.020 kg has two sig figs
- 0.200 kg has three sig figs

19. Rule #4: Zeros used solely for spacing
the decimal point are not significant
(unless a decimal point is present)
• Examples:
- 63400 s has 3 sig figs
- 63400. has 5 sig figs

20. Try these examples:
1) 47.90 _____6) 50.0 ____
2) 235.45 _____7) 0.0204
____
3) 1000 _____8) 1.30000 ____
4) 0.0008 _____9) 12.004
____
5) 70. _____10) 500.009
____

21. Adding and Subtracting with
Significant Figures
The Rule: Perform the operation, then
round off to the least precise value
involved.
Examples:412.57 + 35 = ________
23.941 – 12.79 = ________
1309.75 – 1000 = ________

22. Multiplying and Dividing with
Significant Figures
The Rule: Perform the operation, then
round off the answer to the same number
of significant figures and the factor with
the fewest sig figs.
Examples: 24.0 x 30.00 = _______
45.79/2 = _______100./4.0 = _______
100./3 = _______7652 x .0040 = _______

23. Scientific Notation
Numbers expressed as: M x 10
n
Where:
•”M” is the “mantissa”, a number
between 1 and 10. The mantissa
must contain the correct number of
sig figs.
• “n” is the exponent, an integer

24. Let’s Practice
•Express 0.0000578 in scientific
notation. ________________
•Express 2900 in scientific notation.
________________
•Express 5.409 x 10
7
as an integer.
_______________
• Express 8.92 x 10
-5
as an integer.
________________

25. One more thing…
Use your calculator to perform the
following calculation:
(3.45 x 10
12
kg) x (4.3 x 10
-2
m/s)
Express your answer with the correct
number of significant figures, and with
the correct units.
____________________

26. “Order of Magnitude”
• “Order of Magnitude” is the power of 10
closest to a numerical quantity’s actual
value.Powers videopowers demo
Examples: powers demo
1693 kg has an order of magnitude of
10
3
kg.
8534 kg has an order of magnitude of
10
4
kg.

27. Estimating
Some questions will pop up from time to
time such as: How tall is a door? Or how
thick is a piece of paper? The choices will
force you to put all answers in one unit that
makes sense. Let’s practice:

28. How tall is a physics student?
a.1 x 10
-2
kmc. 1 x 10
2
m
b.1 x 10
2
cm d. 1 x 10
4
mm
The answer is “b”. This may seem a little
strange, but we are estimating here. If we put
all the answers into meters, we see choice “a”
is 10 m, “b” is 1 m, “c” is 100 m, and “d” is
10 m. Although most students are closer to 2
m, the only logical choice is “b”.