PHYS 1401 - General College Physics I
Required Topics
All instructors must cover the following sections from
the approved text, College Physics, 6th edition by Wilson, Buffa
and Lou. These constitute the minimum course content. Any or all additional
sections in the textbook, or additional supplementary material not covered
in the textbook, may be added at the instructor’s discretion.
The Department strongly recommends that a review of basic
math ideas such as discussed in Appendix
I sections A, B, C, D and E be done either at the beginning of the semester
or when appropriate.
This document is available in
pdf format.
| Chapter 1: Measurement and Problem Solving |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 1.1 |
Why and How We Measure |
| 1.2 |
SI Units of Length, Mass, and Time |
| 1.3 |
More about the Metric System |
| 1.4 |
Unit Analysis |
| 1.5 |
Unit Conversions |
| 1.6 |
Significant Figures |
| 1.7 |
Problem Solving |
| Chapter 2: Kinematics: Description of Motion |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 2.1 |
Distance and Speed: Scalar Quantities |
| 2.2 |
One-Dimensional Displacement and Velocity:
Vector Quantities |
| 2.3 |
Acceleration |
| 2.4 |
Kinematic Equations (Constant Acceleration) |
| 2.5 |
Free Fall |
| Chapter 3: Motion in Two Dimensions |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 3.1 |
Components of Motion |
| 3.2 |
Vector Addition and Subtraction |
| 3.3 |
Projectile Motion |
| Chapter 4: Force and Motion |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 4.1 |
The Concept of Force and Net Force |
| 4.2 |
Inertia and Newton’s First Law |
| 4.3 |
Newton’s Second Law of Motion |
| 4.4 |
Newton’s Third Law of Motion |
| 4.5 |
More on Newton’s Laws: Free-Body Diagrams and Translational
Equilibrium |
| 4.6 |
Friction |
| Chapter 5: Work and Energy |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 5.1 |
Work Done by a Constant Force |
| 5.2 |
The Work-energy Theorem: Kinetic Energy |
| 5.3 |
Potential Energy |
| 5.4 |
Newton’s Third Law of Motion |
| 5.5 |
Conservation of Energy |
| 5.6 |
Power |
| Chapter 6: Linear Momentum and Collisions |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 6.1 |
Linear Momentum |
| 6.2 |
Impulse |
| 6.3 |
Conservation of Linear Momentum |
| 6.4 |
Elastic and Inelastic Collisions |
| Chapter 7: Circular Motion and Gravitation |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 7.1 |
Angular Measure |
| 7.2 |
Angular Speed and Velocity |
| 7.3 |
Uniform Circular Motion and Centripetal Acceleration |
| 7.4 |
Angular Acceleration |
| 7.5 |
Newton’s Law of Gravitation |
| Chapter 8: Rotational Motion and Equilibrium |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 8.1 |
Rigid Bodies, Translations and Rotations |
| 8.2 |
Torque, Equilibrium, and Stabiltiy |
| 8.3 |
Rotational Dynamics |
| 8.4 |
Rotational Work and Kinetic Energy |
| 8.5 |
Angular Momentum |
| Chapter 9: Solids and Fluids |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 9.1 |
Solids and Elastic Moduli |
| 9.2 |
Fluids: Pressure and Pascal’s Principle |
| 9.3 |
Buoyancy and Archimedes’ Principle |
| Chapter 10: Temperature and Kinetic Theory |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 10.1 |
Temperature and Heat |
| 10.2 |
The Celsius and Fahrenheit Temperature
Scales |
| 10.3 |
Gas Laws, Absolute Temperature, and the Kelvin Temperature
Scale |
| 10.4 |
Thermal Expansion |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 11.1 |
Definition and Units of Heat |
| 11.2 |
Specific Heat and Calorimetry |
| 11.3 |
Phase Changes and Latent Heat |
| 11.4 |
Heat Transfer |
| Chapter 12: Thermodynamics |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 12.1 |
Thermodynamic Systems, States, and Processes |
| 12.2 |
The First Law of Thermodynamics |
| 12.4 |
The Second Law of Thermodynamics and Entropy |
| Chapter 13: Vibrations and Waves |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 13.1 |
Simple Harmonic Motion |
| 13.2 |
Equations of Motion |
| 13.3 |
Wave Motion |
| 13.4 |
Wave properties |
| 13.5 |
Standing Waves and Resonance |
| Section# |
Topic |
| 14.1 |
Sound Waves |
| 14.2 |
The Speed of Sound |
| 14.3 |
Sound Intensity and Sound Intensity Level |
