T. A.

MARRYSHOW COMMUNITY COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF ARTS, SCIENCES AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL & RELATED SCIENCES

COURSE OUTLINE

COURSE TITLE: Mechanics

COURSE NUMBER: PHY 143

SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS: 3

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is designed to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge of vectors,
linear kinematics, circular motion static equilibrium and forces.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

On completion students should be able to:

Understand Physical quantities and the S I system of units.

Solve problems of bodies at rest, in uniform motion, or uniformly accelerated motion under
the influence of forces in one or two dimensions.
Appreciate the effect of forces acting on a body.
Understand the principle of conservation of energy.
Design and carry out experiments to test relationships between physical quantities.

WEEK 1: Physical Quantities and SI units

Recall the fact that physical quantities consist of a numerical magnitude and unit
Distinguish between scalar and vector quantities and state examples
Combine and resolve vectors
State the base quantities and know their symbols and units
Use base quantities or units to obtain expressions for derived quantities

WEEK 2:

Use the concept of the mole as the quantity of substance containing a number of particles equal
to the Avogadro constant.
Use prefixes and their symbols to express multiples and sub-multiples of base and derived
quantities.
Use base quantities, units and dimensions to check the homogeneity of physical equations .

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WEEK 3: Relationships Between Physical Quantities

Measure physical quantities using appropriate instruments.

Construct and use calibration curves.
Distinguish between systematic and random errors and identify sources of each.
Estimate the uncertainty in a derived quantity from actual, fractional or percentage
uncertainties.

Linear motion
Define displacement, speed, velocity, and acceleration.
Use graphs to represent displacement, speed, velocity and acceleration in a single dimension.
Derive equations representing uniformly accelerated motion in a single dimension.
Solve problems graphically or otherwise on uniformly accelerated motion.
Derive and use equations involving bodies with projectile motion.
Show that projectile motion is parabolic.

WEEK 4: Forces

State Newton’s laws of motion.

Define linear momentum.
State the principle of conservation of linear momentum.
Apply the principle of conservation of linear momentum.
Distinguish between inelastic and perfectly elastic collisions.
Solve problems on collisions in one and two dimensions.
Define and use the concept of impulse of a force.
Draw and interpret F-t graphs.
Solve problems related to Newton’s laws of motion.

WEEK 5: Circular Motion

Express angular displacement in radians.

Apply the concept of angular velocity to problems involving circular motion.
Apply the equation V = ω r to problems involving circular motion.
Derive and use centripetal acceleration as a = ω2 r and a = v2/r to problems involving circular
motion.
Derive and use centripetal force as F = m ω2 r and F = v2/r to problems involving circular
motion.
State Newton’s law of gravitation.
Use Newton’s law of gravitation to solve problems involving attraction between masses and
circular orbits.
Explain the motion of geostationary satellites and their applications
Moment of inertia.

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Week 6: Effects of Forces

Explain the origin of the upthrust acting on a body wholly or partially immersed in a fluid and
use this knowledge to solve problems.
Explain the nature and cause of resistive forces.
Use the concept of terminal velocity to solve problems involving motion through a fluid.
Apply the principle of moments to solve problems and predict behaviours in other situations.
Use the concepts of static and dynamic equilibria to solve problems.
Explain the effect of forces in relation to moments, torques, equilibrium, work and energy.
Explain the effect of large natural forces on structures (earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes,
floods etc.)

WEEK 7: Conservation of Energy

Use the concept of work as the product of force and displacement in the direction of the force.
Derive the formula for kinetic energy Ek = ½ m v2
Distinguish between kinetic and potential energy
Distinguish between the different types of potential energy, such as , gravitational, electrical,
elastic and strain energy.
Derive and use the formula Δ Ep = mg Δ h.
Apply the concept of power as the rate of doing work.
Apply the concept of efficiency to problems involving energy transfer or conservation.
State examples of different forms of energy and describe examples of energy conversion.
Apply the concept of energy conversion to Caribbean situations.
Discuss critically mechanisms for the efficient use of energy in the Caribbean.

ASSESSMENT:

Course Work - 40%

Two (2) class exams and assignments
Laboratory grades
Final exam - 60%

CLASS EXAMS
Class exams will be given at the end of weeks 4,7

REQUIRED TEXT:

Understanding Physics by Jim Breithaupt Stanley Thorne Publishers 1999

A ‘Level Physics by Robert Muncaster

SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS:
Pacific Physics Volume 1&2 by Poh Liong Pan Pacific Publications PTE Ltd 1999
Advanced Physics by Tom Duncan, John Murray 1994
Physics by Robert Hutchings Nelson 2000
ISBN 0-17-438731-8