Physics

Course summary

This course will provide you with knowledge and understanding of facts, principles and concepts from different areas of physics that are applied to real life situations. Unit 1 – Particles, quantum phenomena and electricity Topics include: - Particles and radiation (atom, stable and unstable nuclei, classification of particles and their antiparticles, photons and particle interactions particles) - Electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena (photoelectric effect, collisions of electrons with atoms, energy levels and photo-emission, wave-particle duality) - Electricity (charge, current, potential difference, resistivity, direct current circuits, alternating currents and use of oscilloscopes). Unit 2 – Mechanics, waves and materials Topics include: - Mechanical (scalars and vectors, moments, motion in a straight line, projectile motion, Newton’s laws of motion, work energy and power and momentum) - Waves (types of waves, refraction, superposition of waves, stationary, interference and diffraction) - Materials (density, stress and strain, Hooke’s Law and Young’s Modulus). Unit 3 – Fields and further mechanics Topics include: - Further mechanics (momentum, circular motion, simple harmonic systems, forced vibrations and resonance) - Fields (gravitational, electric and magnetic). Unit 4 – Nuclear and thermal physics Topics include: - Thermal physics (specific heat, ideal gas laws, internal energy and kinetic theory) - Nuclear physics (radioactivity, nuclear instability, mass and energy, fusion and fission) - Plus option from astrophysics, medical physics, applied physics, turning points in physics. A close reading of a specific philosophical text that incorporates all of the foregoing concepts and ideas.