Announcements : Last updated 12/14/08 9:41 AM
12/14 - Problem Set 10 solutions posted
12/8 - Problem Set 9 solutions uploaded
11/17 - Problem set eight solutions uploaded
11/14 - Problem Set seven solutions posted
11/10 - Problem Set 10 uploaded
11/1 - Problem Set 9 uploaded
11/1 - Problem Set 8 uploaded
11/1 - Problem set six solutions posted
10/20 - Problem set five solutions posted
10/14 - Problem Set 7 uploaded
10/11 - Problem set four solutions posted
10/4 - Problem set three solutions posted
10/3 - Please note PS 4 due 10/10, not 10/17. PS 5 is due 10/17
9/25 - Bill of Rights Posted
9/22 - Apologies. Broken link for PSS2 fixed
9/18 - Problem Set two solutions posted
9/8 - problem set one solutions posted
8/21 - problem sets 1-6 uploaded
8/20 - online demonstrations updated
8/19 - sample exam questions updated
8/18 - schedule updated
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Homework Sample
The Physicist's Bill of Rights

We hold these postulates to be intuitively obvious,that all physicists are born equal, to a first approximation, and are endowed by their creator with certain discrete privileges, among them a mean rest life, n degrees of freedom, and the following rights which are invariant under all linear transformations:
To approximate all problems to ideal cases.
To use order of magnitude calculations whenever deemed necessary (i.e. whenever one can get away with it).
To use the rigorous method of "squinting" for solving problems more complex than the addition of positive real integers.
To dismiss all functions which diverge as "nasty" and "unphysical".
To liberally invoke the uncertainty principle when confronted by confused mathematicians, chemists, engineers, psychologists, dramatists, and other lower scientists.
To invent fictitious forces to delude the general public.
To justify shaky reasoning on the basis that it gives the right answer.
To cleverly choose convenient initial conditions, using the principle of general triviality.
To use plausible arguments in place of proofs, and thenceforth refer to these arguments as proofs.
To take on faith any principle which seems right but cannot be proved.
-- unknown
Schedule of Lectures and Assignments
Week 1: Aug 25 - 29
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to produce dimensionally consistent proportionality constants, conduct dimensional analysis to verify validity of solutions, identify and convert proper SI units, identify and solve for trigonometric quantities related to the right triangle.
Students should be able to differentiate between average and instantaneous quantities, differentiate between speed and velocity, and differentiate between distance and displacement.
Students should be able to correctly label and produce graphs and to interpret graphs to find various quantities.
Students should be able to identify the proper one-dimensional equation of motion (EOM) based on stated problem, and to solve the EOM for the appropriate quantity.
Students should understand the meaning of the unit vector and how to write a vector equation. They should also understand the difference between vectors and scalars, as well as vector product and scalar product operations.
 Book Chapters and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapters One and Two
Suggested Problems:
Ch1
Conceptual: 1, 2, 8, 9, 10
Calculation: 23, 24, 33, 40, 67
Ch2
Conceptual: 1, 6, 11
Calculation: 43, 49, 65
 Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: 1-D Kinematics
Problem Set: PS One
Problem Set Solutions: PSS One
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Introduction

Week 2: Sept 1 - 5 (Note: Sept 1 is a holiday)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to correctly select and solve one-dimensional equations of motion for constantly accelerated systems.
Students should be able to construct equations of motion for non-uniformly accelerated systems.
Students should be able to produce and interpret graphs representing uniformly accelerated objects.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapters Two
Suggested Problems:
Ch2
Calculation: 43, 49, 65, 69, 77, 83, 95, 103, 105
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Monday Laboratory Exercise : None (Holiday)
Wednesday Laboratory Exercise: Graphing data on regular and log paper.
Bring lab 1 data to class. Print several copies of the 'Graph Paper with Slope Calculations pdf Files: Cartesian, and Logarithmic' as well as the downloads titled 'How to Draw a Graph' and 'How to Graph on Log-Log'.
Problem Set: PS Two
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Two
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Definitions
Sample Exam Question: Sample Question 1
Graph Paper with Slope Calculations pdf Files: Cartesian, Logarithmic
Online Demonstration: Moving Man
Online Demonstration: Vector Addition

Week 3: Sept 8 - 12
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand two dimensional motion as the combined effect of two, one dimensional systems.
Students should be able to solve various projectile motion and two dimensional motion problems.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Three
Suggested Problems:
Ch3
Conceptual: 1, 5, 19, 31
Calculation: 41, 45, 53, 57, 61, 73, 77, 87, 89, 103
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Monday Laboratory Exercise: Graphing data on regular and log paper.
Bring lab 1 data to class. Print several copies of the 'Graph Paper with Slope Calculations pdf Files: Cartesian, and Logarithmic' as well as the downloads titled 'How to Draw a Graph' and 'How to Graph on Log-Log'.
Wednesday Laboratory Exercise: Projectile Motion
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Projectiles
Sample Exam Question: Sample Question 2 [Note: answer for B should read south of west]
Online Demonstration: Projectiles
Online Demonstration: Lunar Lander
Online Demonstration: 2-D Motion

Week 4: Sept 15 - 19 (Note: Quiz One on Friday, Chapters 1-3)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to demonstrate proficiency in the areas of unit and dimensional analysis, one and two dimensional systems with variable and constant accelerations.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Review Chapters One through Three
Suggested Problems: Review all conceptual and calculation questions in first three chapters
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Monday Laboratory Exercise: Projectile Motion
Wednesday Laboratory Exercise: None - use the time to prepare for quiz
 Supplementary Material:
Sample Exam Question: Sample Question 3

Week 5: Sept 22 - 26
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to differentiate between the ideas of applied force and net force as expressed in Newton's 'Laws'.
Students should be able to construct a clearly labeled free body diagram (FBD) based on information presented in the problem.
Students should be able to use Newton's Laws and the FBD to find the acceleration of an object or system of objects, then use the relevant EOM to obtain information related to displacement, elapsed time and velocity of the system.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Four
Suggested Problems:
Ch4
Conceptual: 3, 5, 13, 15
Calculation: 30, 35, 49, 59, 67, 75
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Newton's Second Law
Problem Set: PS Three
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Three
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Forces
Online Demonstration: 1-D Forces
Online Demonstration: Inclined Planes
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 4

Week 6: Sept 29 - Oct 3
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand the behavior of centripetally accelerated systems, and be able to identify the centripetal force in a circular motion problem.
Students should demonstrate understanding of the static and kinetic friction forces and be able to solve problems involving these forces.
Students should also be able to locate the center of mass for objects of uniform density, or of compound objects involving more then one density, or of objects with a variable density.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Five
Suggested Problems:
Ch5
Conceptual: 1, 3, 13, 19, 21
Calculation: 33, 35, 43, 49, 57, 71, 77, 81, 85, 91, 101, 105
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Frictional Force
Problem Set: PS Four
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Four
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Centripetal and Friction Forces
Online Demonstration: Friction
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 5

Week 7: Oct 6 - 10
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand the definition of work as it applies to the center of mass of a system.
Students should be able to define work as positive or negative and describe the effect of work done on or by a system.
Students should be able to determine net work done on an object and relate that to a change in the object's center of mass kinetic energy.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Six
Suggested Problems:
Ch6
Conceptual: 3, 7, 11, 15, 17
Calculation: 23, 25, 29, 32, 33, 35, 42, 52, 53
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Centripetal Force
Problem Set: PS Five
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Five
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Work-Energy Theorem (WET)
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 6

Week 8: Oct 13 - 17 (Note: Quiz Two held in your lab session, Chapters 4-6)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to identify conservative and non conservative systems according to the types of forces that are present in the system. Students should be able to use this information to solve work-energy theorem (WET) problems.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Seven
Suggested Problems:
Ch7
Conceptual: 1, 5, 9, 11
Calculation: 21, 23, 29, 37, 39, 43, 47, 55, 61, 65, 67, 71, 77
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Quiz held during lab session
Problem Set: PS Six
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Six
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Conservation and Potentials
Online Demonstration: Energy Conservation

Week 9: Oct 20 - 24
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand that forces that act internal to a system conserve momentum and that while the forces acting on the two bodies are the same, the resulting accelerations are not.
Students should be able to apply the laws of energy and momentum conservation to solve two body collisions, both elastic and inelastic.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Eight
Suggested Problems:
Ch8
Conceptual: 5, 11, 17, 23, 27
Calculation: 35, 39, 41, 43, 51, 57
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Range Prediction and Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Laboratory Download: How to use the Vernier Calipers
Problem Set: PS Seven
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Seven
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Momentum
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 7

Week 10: Oct 27 - 31
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand the meaning and use of the coefficient of restitution in collisions.
Students should be able to transform to the COM frame in order to simplify elastic collisions.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Eight
Suggested Problems:
Ch8
Calculation: 67, 79, 87, 91, 95
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Conservation of Linear Momentum
 Supplementary Material:
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 8

Week 11: Nov 3 - 7 (Note: Quiz Three held in your lab session, Chapters 7 & 8)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to produce dimensionally consistent proportionality constants, conduct dimensional analysis to verify validity of solutions, identify and convert proper SI units, identify and solve for quantities related to rotating systems.
Students should be able to differentiate between average and instantaneous quantities, differentiate between angular speed and angular velocity, and differentiate between rotations and angular displacement.
Students should be able to identify the proper one-dimensional equation of motion (EOM) based on stated problem, and to solve the EOM for the appropriate quantity.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Nine
Suggested Problems:
Ch9
Conceptual: 1, 9, 11, 19
Calculation: 29, 31, 37, 41, 47, 61
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: none - Quiz held during lab session
Problem Set: PS Eight
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Eight
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Rotations
Sample Exam Question: Sample Exam Question 9

Week 12: Nov 10 - 14
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should be able to identify and use correct units for rotating systems and perform dimensional analysis to establish validity of results.
Students should be able to correctly select and solve one-dimensional equations of motion for constantly accelerated rotating systems.
Students should be able to construct equations of motion for non-uniformly accelerated rotating systems, and understand the concept of a net torque acting on a system.
Students should be familiar with the moment of inertia and the role it plays in rotating systems.
Students should be able to convert quantities back and forth between linear and angular representations.
Students should be able to apply WET to rotating systems to predict the final system state.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Nine
Suggested Problems:
Ch9
Calculation: 65, 67, 71, 73, 79, 83, 89, 83, 101
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: TBA
Problem Set: PS Nine
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Nine
 Supplementary Material:
none

Week 13: Nov 17 - 21
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand the vector nature of torque and the vector nature of angular momentum.
Students should be able to use conservation techniques to predict the outcome of two body rotating collisions and to transform momentum back and forth between angular and linear systems.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Ten
Suggested Problems:
Ch10
Conceptual: 5, 7, 11
Calculation: 29, 37, 45, 49, 53, 81, 63
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Rotational Dynamics
Problem Set: PS Ten
Problem Set Solutions: PSS Ten
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Torque and Angular Momentum

Week 14: Dec 1 - 5
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand that conservative forces lead to periodic systems.
Students should be able to identify the amplitude, period and phase shift of a simply harmonic oscillating system by graphical analysis and calculation.
Students should be able to identify the solution to a simply harmonic oscillating system, and relate the periodicity to the mass-energy characteristics of the system.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Fourteen
Suggested Problems:
Ch14
Conceptual: 1, 5, 9, 13, 21
Calculation: 29, 31, 35, 39, 43, 45
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Angular Momentum
Problem Set: none
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Oscillations

Week 15: Dec 8 - 12 (Note: Quiz Four held Friday, Chapters 9, 10 & 14)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should understand that non conservative forces change the behavior of periodic systems.
Students should be able to identify the damping constant and characteristic time of a decaying oscillator.
Students should be able to estimate the quallity factor of a driven, damped harmonic oscillator by graphical analysis and calculation.
Students should be able to relate the quality factor to the damping constant in a system.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter Fourteen
Suggested Problems:
Ch14
Calculation: 57, 79, 85, 87
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: Torsion Oscillator and Ring Pendulum
Problem Set: none
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Driving and Damping Oscillators
Sample Exam Question:

Week 16: Dec 15 - 19 (Note: Final Exam held in your lab session)
 Desired Outcomes:
Students should demonstrate a strong conceptual grasp of the course material.
 Book Chapters and and Suggested Problems :
Book: Chapter One through Ten and Fourteen
Suggested Problems:
Review conceptual questions from all chapters.
  Laboratory and Problem Set Downloads:
Laboratory Exercise: none
Problem Set: none
 Supplementary Material:
Classical Mechanics Primer: Final Thoughts