Learning Partnerships, Unit Catalogue 2008/09 |
AS00044 Physics 1 |
| Credits: 12 |
| Level: Foundation |
| Semester: 1 at City of Bath College |
| Semester: 1 at Wiltshire College |
| Assessment: CW 20%, EX 80% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: This unit aims to ensure that students have a foundation of underpinning knowledge and skills in Physics. The unit will draw upon core aspects of the 'A' level syllabus and will achieve an equivalent depth and standard in these aspects. The unit will offer opportunities for knowledge acquisition, theoretical problem-solving and the development of practical laboratory skills.
Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to: (i) demonstrate a knowledge of DC electricity, structures, balanced forces, dynamics, vibrations and waves. (ii) perform basic applied mathematical calculations. (iii) demonstrate competence in basic laboratory techniques. Skills: Key transferable skills, laboratory skills and theoretical problem solving. Content: D.C. circuits with resistance, e.m.f. and p.d. Electrical conduction, I/V characteristics and temperature effects. Combinations of resistors, circuit analysis. Source resistance and Kirchhoff; power = I2R; potential-divider and null methods. Materials/structures; Hooke's law and elastic behaviour. Elasticity. Scalars, vectors, resolutions, moments, torque, couples, centre of mass, equilibrium. Linear motion, v/t and s/t graphs, projectiles. Linear dynamics, force mass, momentum, N's laws, impulse friction, collisions. Work, energy, power efficiency, energy changes, internal energy. Circular motion and rotational dynamics. Moments of inertia. Simple harmonic motion. Capacitors, charge, energy and exponentials. Oscillating systems: SHM. Free and forced vibrations, resonance and damping. Waves, superpositions, coherence, interference. Diffraction, diffraction grating to measure wavelength. Stationary waves and sound, transverse and longitudinal, refraction T.I.R. and optical fibres, electromagnetic spectrum. Radioactivity, particles emitted, absorption, safety. Exponential decay, decay constant and half-life. The nuclear atom, Rutherford scattering: structure and nucleus. Photon and quantum phenomena. |