This textbook is designed to familiarize students with the concepts and problem-solving skills of physics. It is meant to fill a gap between a purely conceptual, “physics for poets” course (usually only one term long, with virtually no mathematics), and Continue Reading
Everything we do in physics is about describing the physical world; every number and letter that you write represents some real, physical quantity. There are two main ramifications of this: There are restrictions to the calculations that we can do. Continue Reading
1.1 Trig Functions Example Practice Practice Practice Practice 1.2 Inverse trig functions Practice
6.6 “Waste” When an object’s energy is converted from kinetic to potential (or vice versa), the object itself does not lose any energy. However, we know from experience that objects can lose energy. For example, when you apply brakes on Continue Reading
6.5 Problem solving steps 6.5.1 Problem solving in general We now have several different ways of determining the energy of some physical system—how do we actually use this knowledge to solve problems? Solving physics problems is not on simply memorizing formulas. Instead, Continue Reading
6.4 Potential energy While kinetic energy is energy that is associated with motion, potential energy is associated with an object’s position. It can be thought of as stored energy that has the potential to gain kinetic energy. We will focus on two Continue Reading
6.3 Kinetic energy The energy associated with motion is called kinetic energy. Since there are two kinds of motion (translational and rotational), there are two kinds of kinetic energy. 6.3.1 Translational kinetic energy For an object with a mass m, traveling Continue Reading
One of the most valuable tools that physicists use to understand the universe is to analyze what is happening to the energy of an object. Let’s start by looking at an example. If you set a coffee mug down your desk, you Continue Reading
5.2 Connecting translation and rotation 5.2.1 Tangential speed Example practice practice Practice 5.2.2 Rolling motion Practice
5.1 Angular position, velocity, and acceleration When we described the motion of an object moving in a straight line, we defined a coordinate system to refer to. We used the Cartesian system for translational motion. If you want to describe the motion Continue Reading