Academic year: 2023-24
Course: Foundation Course Science
Credits: 9
Period: First and second semester
Number of hours: 72
Teacher(s): Giorgio Carelli ( giorgio.carelli@unipi.it)
Language of instruction: English
Learning Outcomes
The students who successfully complete the course will have the necessary methodological bases in the Physics field to face the study of scientific subjects at a university level.
Prerequisites
Elementary Mathematics (Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry).
Teaching Methods
Lectures, exercises in class, homework will also be discussed during class.
Syllabus
Kinematics, dynamics and motion description, Acceleration and velocity, graphical representation of trajectory, angular and tangent velocity, angular acceleration, simple harmonic motion.
Motion on a straight line, gravitational acceleration, free fall motion.
Simple two dimensional motions (for example, circular motion at a constant speed, and the motion of a bullet); centripetal acceleration.
Newton laws of dynamics. Equilibrium of a rigid body (forces and
torques) with applications: inclined plane, lever, pulley, winch; Hooke’s law; Friction forces; Motion of the center of mass of a rigid body. Harmonic motion Period, frequency, amplitude.
Momentum, force impulse, Newton’s second law as a momentum change.
Work. Power. Kinetic Energy.
Conservative forces. Gravitation potential energy, elastic potential energy. Conservation of energy and momentum. Elastic and an elastic scattering (simple scattering, scattering from a wall)
Theory of Gravitation, forces and potential energy, acceleration at the surface of a planet, motion of planets and satellites.
Electrostatics,
Electrical currents, Electric charge. Coulomb’s law and the electrical
field: electric flux, Gauss theorem (for example: point charge, charged sphere, charged plane).
Motion of point charges in a constant electrical field. Electrical conductors and electrical induction. Electrostatic potential, equipotential surfaces. Potential energy of a uniform electric field and of two point charges. Charge distribution, field and potential for conductor in electrostatic equilibrium.
Electrical capacitance, condensers (parallel and series condensers).
Electrical current, charge motion, Ohm laws. Electric resistance, resistors (parallel and series). Electromotive force, internal resistance. Joule effect.
Waves: amplitude, frequency, wavelength,speed. Superposition principle and interference for harmonic waves.
Bibliography
Serway -Physics for scientists and engineers
Assessment methods
Written and/or oral test