Physics

ANDREA MESSINA
MATTEO BAUCE

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:
OF 1) To describe the fundamental laws of mechanics and their applications to real-world situations.
OF 2) To develop problem-solving skills using an approach which describes physical phenomena by combining methods and mathematical formulae on one hand, and physics intuition on the other hand.
OF 3) To develop mathematical skills required to derive accurate numerical solutions which can be directly compared to real-world situations and measurements.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
A - Knowledge and understanding
OF 4) To know the fundamental laws of mechanics
OF 5) To know the conservation laws in physics and their implications
OF 6) To understand the text of a physics problem
B - Application skills
OF 7) To formalise the solution of a physics problem from the mathematical point of view
OF 8) To solve a physics problem in a coherent way, both from a formal and a quantitative point of view
OF 9) To be able to evaluate the dominant effects in a physics problem
C - Autonomy of judgment
OF 10) To be able to establish whether a relation between physical quantities, or a physical law, is correct from the dimensional point of view
OF 11) To develop quantitative and analytical reasoning skills required to study, model and understand the fundamental principles of mechanics
D - Communication skills
OF 12) To be able to talk about physics using the appropriate terminology
OF 13) To know how to simplify a complex problem, by identifying its most relevant aspects.
E - Ability to learn
OF 14) To be able to consult a physics textbook

At the end of the course, the student will gain fundamental knowledge of mechanics with the respective limits of validity and applications. In particular, he/she will be able to solve simple problems related to the statics and dynamics of material points, systems of material points and rigid bodies.

It is required a basic knowledge of mathematical analysis: to be able to study and solve integrals and elementary and differential equations. It is also required to be familiar with vectorial algebra.

Part of the syllabus relative to the theory:

Physical quantities and scientific method

Review of vector calculus

Kinematics and relative motions.

The principles of dynamics and their applications.

Work and energy

Systems dynamics.

Gravitation.

Rigid bodies.

Fluids.

Waves.

Part of the syllabus relative to the exercises:

Kinematics exercises

Relative motion exercises

Mechanics of point particles exercises

Work and conservation of energy exercises

Systems dynamics exercises

Rigid bodies exercises

Teoria:

Mencuccini, Silvestrini "Fisica I" (Casa Editrice Ambrosiana)

Focardi, Massa, Uguzzoni -"Fisica Generale: Meccanica e termodinamica" (Casa Editrice Ambrosiana)

Esercizi:

Mazzoldi, Saggion, Voci "Problemi di Fisica Generale: Meccanica e Termodinamica" (Ed. Libreria Cortina)

The course consists of about 70 hours of lectures and about 50 hours of classroom exercises. The lectures provide the basis to understand the theory part which will need to be studied in greater detail using the textbooks. The classroom exercises allow the students to acquire the basic concepts and the strategy needed to solve mechanics problems. They also provide more insights about the theoretical part of the course. The main goal of these classes is to let the student pass the written exam

Non-compulsory attendance

There is a written exam and an oral exam. Passing the written exam (grade >14) is mandatory in order to take the oral exam.
The evaluation of the written exam takes into account the answers to the questions in the form of implicit equations as well as in terms of numerical results, with the appropriate units. In addition to the correctness of the procedure identified to solve the question, the adequacy of the proposed solution is also evaluated in relation to the skills that the student is expected to have acquired at the end of the course. The explanation of the solution is expected to be provided using an appropriate language.
The written exam can be replaced by ongoing tests (esoneri) on reduced parts of the syllabus.
The written exam usually lasts two hours, with two exercises on different topics of the course, while the tests (esoneri) last one hour and half, with one exercise.

In the oral exam evaluation, the following aspects are taken into account: the general preparation of the student, which must cover the entire syllabus, the reasoning skills and the explanatory accuracy. The oral exam lasts 45-60 minutes per student.

In the overall evaluation of the exam and for the determination of the final grade, the written and the oral exams have equal weight, i.e. 50% each.

Conservative forces and energy conservation
Theorem demonstration and application: Work-energy theorem, Koning theorem, Huygens Steiner etc.
The principles of dynamics and their applications.