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Urone, P. and Hinrichs, R. (2013) College Physics (OpenStax College)

This is a free open-source textbook that can be downloaded as a pdf, epub or viewed directly on the web from  

• Kirkup, L. (1994) Experimental Methods, (Wiley)
• OpenStax textbook home page:  
• Giancoli textbook home page:  
• School home page:  

MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website ().

This course will be delivered by the following means:

• 3 lectures of 1 hour per week
• 1 tutorial of 1 hour per week
• 1 practical of 3 hours per fortnight

A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

The course content will include the following:

Coursework Content

Mechanics (50%)

• Random and systematic uncertainties in measurements
• Kinematics overview: motion diagrams for linear motion; graphical representation of linear motion; representing motion in two dimensions
• Dynamics overview: force and Newton's laws of motion; some everyday forces; isolating the system of interest; constructing force diagrams.
• Vectors - adding, subtracting, resolving.
• Dynamics applications: linear motion of a simple object with constant acceleration; linear motion of connected objects with constant acceleration; circular motion with constant speed; projectile motion.
• Rotational motion and statics: centre of mass; torque; conditions for equilibrium; levers in the human body; applications of statics.
• Mechanics of solids: elasticity, stress and strain; loading and fracture.
• Work, heat and energy: transformation and transfer of energy; kinetic and potential energy; work, power, efficiency and metabolic rate; conservative and dissipative forces; collisions.
• Applications of mechanics (e.g. skeletal structure and animal/human movement)

Fluids (20%)

• Fluid statics: definition of a fluid; density and specific gravity; pressure (atmospheric, gauge, absolute); Pascal's principle; buoyancy; Archimedes' principle; floating objects.
• Fluid dynamics: streamlines; turbulence; continuity; Bernoulli principle and its applications; viscosity; Newtonian fluids; Poiseuille's equation; surface tension; cohesion; adhesion; wetting; capillarity; Laplace's law;
• Applications of fluids (e.g. wine in pipes, blood flow, blood pressure).

Thermal Concepts (16%)

• Atomic theory of matter: Brownian motion; phases of matter.
• Temperature: thermometers and temperature scales; constant volume gas; thermal equilibrium; thermal expansion; thermal stress.
• Gas laws: equation of state; Boyle's law; Charles's law; Gay-Lussac's law; ideal gas law; the mole and Avogadro's number.
• Kinetic theory: Maxwell distributions; real gases; phase diagrams; evaporative cooling; vapour pressure; boiling; partial pressure; relative humidity; diffusion.
• Heat, work, and energy: internal energy; temperature; heat capacity and specific heat; latent heat of fusion and vaporization; heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation.
• Applications of thermal concepts (e.g. climate change, diffusion of gases in biological systems)

Electricity (14%)

• Electrostatics: electric charge; polar molecules; conductors and insulators; the electric field.
• Electric potential: potential and potential energy; batteries; capacitors; dielectrics; storage of electric energy.
• Electric currents: electric cells; batteries; current; Ohm's law; resistance; resistivity; electric shock; electric power in resistors; fuses and circuit breakers; alternating current (AC); RMS voltage; RMS power.
• DC circuits: circuit symbols; resistors in a circuit; conservation of charge; resistors in series and in parallel; current through circuits; equivalent resistances; emf and internal resistance; capacitors in a circuit; RC Circuits; AC Circuits; Kirchhoff's rules.
• Applications of electricity (e.g. nerve transmission, electrical safety)

Practical Work Content

Computer based experiment, carried out individually:

• Reaction time

Experiments carried out in groups of three students:

• Conservation of energy
• Statics
• Fluid flow
  • Voltage divider

A Science Notebook, consisting of alternating lined and graph pages is required for the practicals. A 64 page book should be adequate.

To obtain a grade of Pass or better in this course, a student must achieve a result of at least 30% in each practical and an overall result of 40% for the practical component and attend the final examination.

Workshop preparation and participation (10% of the total course grade)
Workshops are held weekly, starting in the second week. The grade for the workshop is based on the student’s preparation and participation during the workshop. Poor workshop results can be partly replaced by a better performance in the final exam.

Practical work (20% of the total course grade)
All Practicals/experiments are compulsory and contribute equally to the practical component of the grade. For each laboratory practical, the student must obtain a satisfactory result in the preparatory work, attend the practical session and submit the logbook for assessment. A practical catch-up session is held at the end of the teaching semester to allow students to catch up any missed practicals.

In – Semester Tests (10% of the total course grade)
Up to 5 tests will occur throughout the semester. Poor results in the tests can be partly replaced by a better performance in the final exam. This is achieved by varying the contribution of this task towards the total assessment to optimise the final result for each student.

Examination (60% of the total course grade)
The end-of-semester examination is based primarily on lecture/workshop material.

Submission of Assigned Work
Coversheets must be completed and attached to all submitted work. Coversheets can be obtained from the School Office (room G33 Physics) or from MyUNI. Work should be submitted via the assignment drop box at the School Office.

Extensions for Assessment Tasks
Extensions of deadlines for assessment tasks may be allowed for reasonable causes. Such situations would include compassionate and medical grounds of the severity that would justify the awarding of a supplementary examination. Evidence for the grounds must be provided when an extension is requested. Students are required to apply for an extension to the Course Coordinator before the assessment task is due. Extensions will not be provided on the grounds of poor prioritising of time. The assessment extension application form can be obtained from:  

Late submission of assessments
If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply.  A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or  more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of  the marks available for that assignment.