1. PHY 211: 002/004/006/008/010 General Physics I
Lecturer: Dr. Brad Plaster
Assistant Professor of Physics
Office: 281 Chemistry-Physics Building
Office Tel:
Office Hours:
Tuesdays, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesdays, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
and by appointment (send )

2. Why Study Physics ?
Physics principles underlie many facets of modern life as we know it !

3. Why Study Physics ?

4. What is PHY 211 ?
Goal of PHY 211: Deepen your understanding of physics
+ Develop your analytical-thinking, problem-solving,
and quantitative-reasoning skills  MCAT success !!
PHY 211 will focus on the branch of physics known as mechanics: Study of the physical laws of motion.
Galileo, Newton, Einstein, …
Mathematics is the language of physics.
Will use algebra and trigonometry frequently throughout this course.

5. What is PHY 211 ? Course divided roughly into 4 topical areas
Topic 1: Basics of Mechanics
Velocity, Acceleration, Gravity, Newton’s Laws of Motion

6. What is PHY 211 ? Course divided roughly into 4 topical areas
Topic 2: Energy, Momentum, Centripetal Acceleration
Kinetic and Potential Energy, Power, Collisions,
Rocket Propulsion, Gravitation, Planetary Motion

7. What is PHY 211 ? Course divided roughly into 4 topical areas
Topic 3: Rotational Motion
Torque, Moments of Inertia, Angular Acceleration,
Angular Momentum
Figure Skater: (3:40 – 3:55)

8. What is PHY 211 ? Course divided roughly into 4 topical areas
Topic 4: Buoyancy, Fluid Motion, Simple Harmonic Motion, Waves

9. Course Structure: Lectures
Lectures: TR, 11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Discuss and expound upon material in the textbook.
Textbook
College Physics (Eighth Edition)
Serway/Vuille/Faughn
Webpage: Blackboard
Syllabus with complete Course Schedule posted there.
View your grades.

10. Course Structure: Homework
Ten (10) homework assignments (see Course Schedule).
15 – 25 problems on each HW assignment.
WebAssign: Register ASAP !! (First HW due Sept 1)
Class Key: uky
10 attempts at each individual problem.
Numerical tolerance of ±2%.
Due at 11:00 p.m. on indicated dates.
Late homework will NOT be accepted.

11. Course Structure: Recitation Sections
Recitation Time
Instructor
002
W 9:00 a.m.
Mr. Hao Zhang
004
W 10:00 a.m.
006
W 11:00 a.m.
Dr. Wolfgang Korsch
008
W 12:00 p.m.
Dr. Michael Kovash
010
W 1:00 p.m.
Mr. Pratik Dhuvad
Develop your problem-solving skills. Bring questions on the HW !! (more useful if start HW before class)
Short quiz (5–10 minutes) given at beginning of recitation on dates indicated (11 total) May be similar to part(s) of a current HW problem.
No make-up quizzes.

12. Course Structure: Laboratory Sessions
Section
Laboratory Time
Instructor
002
W 9:00 a.m.
Mr. Andrew McNamara
004
W 10:00 a.m.
Mr. Weihua Zhu
006
W 11:00 a.m.
Mr. Jin Xu
008
W 12:00 p.m.
Mr. Mathias Boland
010
W 1:00 p.m.
Mr. Pratik Dhuvad
Administered independently of the lectures and recitations. Information sheet posted on Blackboard. Please read ASAP (info on lab manual, calculators, etc.).
Labs start the week of September 13th.

13. Course Structure: Exams
Date
Points 1
Thurs Sept 23
100 2
Thurs Oct 21 3
Thurs Nov 18
Final
Thurs Dec 16
200
All exams will be closed-book/closed-note.
Formula sheet will be provided (posted in advance).
Will be allowed to use a scientific calculator.
Final exam will be comprehensive.

14. Your final letter grade will be no lower than indicated here
Grading Policy
Homework
100
Recitation Quizzes
Laboratory Sessions
200
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Final Exam
Total
900 A
90.00% – % B
80.00% – 89.99% C
65.00% – 79.00% D
50.00% – 64.99% E
0% – 49.99%
Your final letter grade will be no lower than indicated here
Each recitation quiz will be 10 points.
11 quizzes  Can earn “bonus points”.
Thus, no make-up quizzes.

15. Other Items Course Evaluation: You get to evaluate me !
Details in syllabus, also reminder later in semester
5 point bonus to final grade for completing evaluation
Classroom and Learning Accommodations
Disability Resource Center, , Room 2 Alumni Gym
Academic Honesty
Cheating on exams will absolutely not be tolerated
Please silence your cell phones/PDAs during lectures

16. Need Help ?
If you are having difficulties, don’t wait to ask for help until it’s too late !
Office hours: Lecturer, Recitation/Lab Instructors
Can attend any of these office hours (posted on Bb)
Physics Resource Room (staffed M-F, 9-5)
Room 310J of the M.I. King Science Library
Graduate students in physics paid to assist
all walk-in students with physics questions
Department maintains list of private tutors. See syllabus for webpage link.

17. PHY 211

18. SI Units: Length, Mass, Time
Laws of physics involve physical quantities such as Forces, Velocity, Acceleration, Momentum, Energy, Volume, …
In mechanics, all of these can be described in terms of the more fundamental quantities:
Length Mass Time
Standard system of units for these fundamental quantities:
SI: Système International
Quantity
SI Unit
Length
meter
Mass
kilogram
Time
second
Distance traveled by light in 1/ second
Mass of a specific platinum-iridium alloy cylinder in France
 109 times the period of oscillation of radiation
emitted from Cesium atom (“atomic clock”)

19. Dimensional Analysis
Physics: “Dimension” denotes the physical nature of a quantity.
Example: Distance (length) between UK and the U. of Louisville
can be measured in miles, kilometers, feet, etc.
Use symbols L, M, and T to denote dimensions of length, mass, and time.
Use brackets […] to denote the dimensions of a physical quantity.
Examples of variables with dimensions:
Time t: [t] = T
Length x: [x] = L
Velocity v: [v] = L / T
Acceleration a: [a] = L / T2

20. Dimensional Analysis
Dimensions can be treated as algebraic quantities.
Useful for checking whether or not your answer makes sense !
Suppose you derived an equation on an exam:
v = at2
Can this be correct ?

21. Conversion of Units
Sometimes it is necessary to convert from one system of units to a different system of units. [Example: Driving in Europe, kph !]
Extensive list of conversion factors in front cover of textbook.
Units can be treated as algebraic quantities that cancel each other.
Example: Driving in Germany on the Autobahn at speed of 50 m/s. How fast are you going in mph?
Front Cover
1 m = ft mile = 5280 ft h = 3600 s

22. Coordinate Systems
Many aspects of physics deal with locations/positions in space. This requires the definition of a coordinate system which is used to specify locations in space.
A coordinate system must consist of the following:
Fixed reference point “O” (the origin)
Set of specified axes (or directions), with scale and labels on the axes
Instructions on labeling a point in space relative to the origin and axes

23. Cartesian (Rectangular) Coordinate System
y (m)
An arbitrary point is labeled with its coordinates (x,y)
(x,y)
(−3, 4)
origin O = (0,0)
x (m)
(−6, −2 )
(2,−2)

24. Polar Coordinates r θ Points located in space by coordinates (r, θ)
r : distance from origin, O
θ : angle between a reference line and a line drawn from O to the point y r
r > 0 : always ! θ
θ > 0 : counter-clockwise from x-axis x
θ < 0 : clockwise from x-axis
reference line
(positive x-axis)

25. Review of Trigonometry
(opp)
(hyp)
(adj)
(hyp) y
(opp)
(adj) r y
Pythagorean Theorem ! θ x x

26. Example: Problem 1.41 (a) Length of unknown side? θ 6.00 m
(b) tan of θ = ?
(c) sin of φ = ? θ
6.00 m
9.00 m φ

27. Reading Assignment
For today’s class: 1.1 – 1.9
Next class: 2.1 – 2.4