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Introductory Physics I, Section 1
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Welcome! This page provides some information for students starting on this course. All live course information will be posted on the Brightspace platform. Please follow the Brightspace page for announcements and updates.
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Please read these news, and the course outline, closely - do not just skim
through. There is a lot of information here, and most of your administrative
questions are probably already answered.
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The course uses a free online textbook from OpenStax (see the link on the left).
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For students struggling with math skills, do not forget to take a look at
topic-specific short tutorials, on the right-hand side of the Math section of
PPLATO. Topics such as Brackets, Fractions, Simple equations, Inequalities,
Simultaneous equations, Quadratic equations, etc. are well covered.
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The formula sheet will be revised and expanded with all relevant information
before the final. Be sure to download and print out an updated version before
the exam.
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Lectures: TWR 11:00-12:00hrs, starting Sept. 6,2023, in THSOS. [Check Timetable]
- Weekly test: M 14:00-15:00
- What Brock calendar entry says:
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Kinematics, Newton's laws and their applications to equilibrium and dynamics; conservation laws; oscillations, waves and sound.
Laboratory sessions are based on some concepts that are taught in the theoretical lectures including, but not limited to, kinematics, Newton’s laws, and oscillations.
This course is an introduction to physics at the undergraduate level. The course focuses on understanding the fundamentals of motion. Students taking this course will develop crucial mathematical tools and problem-solving strategies. In particular, these skills can be effectively carried to upper level physics courses.
- What do I need to bring into the course?
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This course is suitable for students with a high school science background. High school calculus or Physics are not required, but strong skills in elementary algebra, geometry, and trigonometry are necessary: the course is quantitative in nature. A scientific calculator is required.
 Textbook and other resources
- Textbook
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Our textbook is College Physics, second edition, by Urone, Hinrichs,
Dirks, and Sharma, published by OpenStax (Rice University). The book, a
solution manual, and other student
resources are available at https://openstax.org/details/college-physics.
- PPLATO
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PPLATO
a set of online resources organized as a full-scale Physics and Mathematics textbook.
There are two types of resources: in the left column there are FLAP (Flexible
Learning Approach to Physics), while on the right are supplementary self-assessment
modules. Think of the left-hand column as of the chapters of a complete
textbook, and of the right-hand column as of tutorials on a selection of
topics.
- Supplementary (paper) texts
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Some people like to have secondary sources to read in case they have
difficulty understanding the primary textbook in some places. This is not
required, but if you would like a secondary source, borrow one from a library,
or buy an inexpensive used algebra-based textbook from your favourite used
bookstore or internet source. Look for titles such as Physics or
College Physics. If your major subject is Physics or a related field,
and you would like a more advanced (say, calculus-based) textbook for
reference, look for titles that include "for Scientists and Engineers."
Topics to be covered
As time permits, some topics not listed below may be added, while some other topics may not be covered during lectures and tutorial sessions. The outline below is only an approximation.
- Introduction
- Scientific notation
- Errors, precision, and significant figures
- Physical Units and Dimentional Analysis
- Kinematics: Descriping motion in one and two dimensions
- Motion diagram in 1D
- Displacement vs distance (Vector and scaler quantities)
- Algebra of Vectors
- Speed, velocity, and acceleration
- Kinematics graphs (position vs time, velocity vs time)
- Kinematics in 2D
- Dynamics
- Newton's Laws
- Gravity
- Contact forces
- Applications of statics
- Rotational motion
- Kinematics of rotational motion
- Dynamics of uniform rotation
- Torque and moment of inertia
- Simple machines
- Work, energy, momentum
- Work and energy
- Linear momentum
- Collisions in 2D
- Rotational
- Conservation of angular momentum, gyroscopic effects
- Oscillations and waves
- Simple harmonic oscillator
- Sound waves
- Hearing
- Special relativity
- Experimental foundation of relativity
- Simultaneity and time dilation
- Length contraction
Tests and the grading scheme
| Component |
PHYS 1P21 |
PHYS 1P91 |
Comments |
| Weekly Quizzes |
60% |
40% |
11 50-minute tests, ( Tests will be done online through WeBWork Jan 17 and Jan 24, Starting Jan 31 tests will be in person every Monday. Two lowest test grades (but not zeros for tests missed without a medical/compassionate excuse) are dropped from the average. |
| Final Exam |
40% |
40% |
Details will be given prior to the final exam. You must pass the final exam (50% or more) in order to pass the course*. |
| Laboratories |
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20% |
Completing all labs, and submitting all written lab reports are required to complete the lab component of the course. Students receiving a lab grade that is lower than 60% overall average will be required to withdraw from PHYS 1P91, and will only be able to receive a grade in PHYS 1P21. |
**If you fail to obtain at least 50% on the final exam, and therefore do not obtain a credit in the course (regardless of your calculated final grade), the Registrar's Office will enter your final grade as the lower of your calculated final grade or 45F. To get a credit for the course after that, you would have to repeat it.
Expectations and responsibilities
Here is a summary of our expectations of you, which are your responsibilities. You are expected to:
- attend each scheduled lecture and laboratory session;
- do your work honestly and maintain
academic integrity;
Academic misconduct is a serious offence. The principle of academic
integrity, particularly of doing one’s own work, documenting properly
(including use of quotation marks, appropriate paraphrasing and
referencing/citation), collaborating appropriately, and avoiding
misrepresentation, is a core principle in university study. Students should
consult “Academic Misconduct” section in the Undergraduate
Calendar to view a fuller description of prohibited actions, and the procedures
and penalties. The University takes academic misconduct extremely seriously
and will follow its strict procedures to the letter in all cases. A
helpful website explains Brock's Academic Integrity
Policy. Please consult it, as all students are expected to know and abide
by its provisions.
- complete each test, using only the materials that have been authorized for use, such as a non-graphics calculator and writing instruments.
- attend labs (PHYS 1P91) having prepared in advance by reading relevant parts of the lab manual, and having completed the prelab problems.
And most important of all, you must take responsibility for your own learning.
The lectures are there to guide you and assist you, but only you can actually do
the hard work of learning the course material. To get the most out of the
course, work on it a little bit every day. Daily work is key for placing your
learning in long-term memory, where it will be readily available to help you to
advance your knowledge in second year and beyond - and acing the final exam, of
course. Cramming on the night before may place the material in your short-term
memory and you might even do fine on a weekly test, where the amount of new
material is relatively small, but this approach will fail miserably on the
final exam.
Your instructor will provide weekly textbook chapter references; read
through those section. The best way is to read them twice: once before the
lectures, just to orient yourself in the material, to identify those parts that
seem like they might need extra time and attention. Make a note of the questions that
arise in your mind. The lecture should answer some of them, and if it does not,
raise your hand and ask! It is likely that many others have the same
question. After the lecture, read the textbook again, with a pen and paper in
hand, repeating all derivations on your own, trying every solved example before
looking at the solution, then solving every follow-up questions at the end of
the section. Only one half of them have answers; you must learn to
have enough confidence in your skills to solve even those problems
where the answer is not known in advance. The odd-numbered problems will allow
your to make sure, and the even-numbered ones will allow you to test yourself.
Both are integral to the learning process.
Use your time effectively. Study smart, instead of hard.
Ask questions in class. Your instructor has an open-door
policy, so outside of a few restricted hours, you are always welcome to come
and ask a question one-on-one. Do not wait until you have a "worthy" pageful of questions -
that's too long to let them fester unanswered. There is also a Physics Help Desk,
with TAs available to help out. Find out where and when it is held, and come often.
It is better to come three times with one or two questions than once with a list
accumulated over the past several weeks, when things get too desperate. Asking
questions is a sign of active learning, not a sign of weakness.
PHYS 1P91 Labs
![[iOLab]](/images/iOLab.png)
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PHYS 1P91 students are required to purchase a laboratory device, called iOLab, available through the Campus Store. If you are purchaing through the Campus Store, Brock Physics accessory kit should be included automatically (it costs a symbolic $0.01, since it has been paid for from the course fees). If you obtained an iOLab from another source, contact the Senior Lab Demonstrator to arrange for pickup/delivery of your accessory kit. The same iOLab device will be used in PHYS 1P92, PHYS 1P94 and PHYS 2P20 this year.
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The recommended data analysis software is iOLab online, and you can read about some other options here. The lab reports will be submitted online through Sakai, where other lab-related materials are provided, such as lab report templates and instructional videos on how to use iOLab devices.
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Lab reports are submitted through Sakai and are automatically (the student does not have to do anything) processed through turnitin.com.
As a result, late submissions are not accepted and late labs receive zero grades.
Remember, there is never a penalty for an early submission.
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You must complete all labs and obtain an overall average of 60% or more to receive a grade in PHYS 1P91.
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