This document provides information about introductory physics courses for engineering and science students at a university. It describes three course sequences of differing difficulty levels: the 1400 sequence for less prepared students, the 1600 sequence for more theoretical students, and the 2800 sequence which combines the 1600 sequence into two semesters for advanced students. The document then focuses on the 1400 sequence, outlining topics covered, recommended textbooks, grading policies, and expectations for the introductory Physics 1401 course.

1. Introductory Physics Courses Designed for
Engineering and Science Students
Three different introductory sequences for people with
differing preparations, interests, and goals
1400 sequence: emphasizes basics, connections in the world,
and college level physics problem solving
1600 sequence: + more abstract and theoretical; approach
more mathematical; order of topics slightly different
2800 sequence: the three semesters of the 1600 sequence in
two semesters; specifically for students with advanced
placement in mathematics and strong background in physics
All courses incorporate calculus at early stage
You are now in Physics 1401(1) … if you are well
prepared in Physics, you are probably in the wrong
course

2. Science/Engineering
Sequences
Sequence Points
Recommended
Median Grade
Separate
Lab Course
Physics 1401-2-3 3.0 B/B+ 1493 or
1494
Physics 1601-2,
and
2601
3.5 mid B+
1493 or
2699
Physics 2801, 2802 4.5 B+
/A-
3081

3. 1400 Sequence
Three semester sequence (no labs included)
1401-Mechanics and Thermodynamics
1402-Electricity/Magnetism and Optics
1403-Wave motion and Quantum Mechanics
Each is worth 3.0 points
Recommended median grade at B-B+
interface
Separate Lab courses (when appropriate)
If 1401-02 only, take 1493 in 3rd
semester
If all 3 semesters, take 1494 in 4th
semester
Emphasizes basics, connections in the world,
and college level physics problem solving

4. Text and Topics
Text is Halliday, Resnick, Walker;
"Fundamentals of Physics", 6th ed.
(with metromedia CD)
Chapters 1-15, 19-21
Mechanics: includes linear motion, forces,
energy, rotations, thermodynamics
Note that chapters 16 – 18 are not
covered this semester.
These include topics on harmonic motion,
waves, …
These topics are part of the third semester
(1403) in the sequence

5. Mechanics of this Course
No handouts
All information transmitted on the web!
Grades (I hate them, but …responsibility to be FAIR!) …
detailed policy at website
you MUST be able to do problems in exams
homework, though only a small component of the final grade in
itself, is an ESSENTIAL tool to assure yourself you know the
concepts and how to do problems.
College course: assume all are mature adults
Check out the home page and links – all information that
I thought useful is written there …
http://www.nevis.columbia.edu/~sciulli/Physics1401/Ph1401.html
sorry for the pun!

6. History (Big Picture)

7. Physics – Matter and Forces
This course is meant to begin the study!!
Physics 1401

8. Predictive Nature of Physics Useful
And deadly if neglected !!!!

9. History (people oriented)
13 109
BCE Universe started
5 109
BCE Solar system & Earth formed
2 -1 106
BCE Man precursors with small brains
105
BCE Homo Sapiens with BIG brains
104
BCE Writing (for business)
1000 BCE Bible written down
400 BCE -400 Greeks, Romans … ideas … many wrong
1400-1650 DaVinci, Brahe, Copernicus, Galileo
1650-1900 Newton, … -- Classical Mechanics
1750-1900 Franklin,…Maxwell --Electricity&Mag
1900- "Modern" Physics

10. Mathematics
x=x0+vt
Every formula
carries a
concept!
Read them
that way
The math (algebra,
trigonometry, calculus)
are tools to ends!

11. Immediate Future
I assume you know (reviewed in text)
algebra and trigonometry well!!
vector familiarity (review elementals as we go.)
calculus simultaneously (know fundamentals!.)
All assignments and due dates are posted. See
website.
Chapter 1 (Measurement, numbers, ...) should
be a review of what you know. Read it and
make sure.
Chapters 2 (1D motion) and 3 (vectors) also
should be largely review.
I will go quickly through first few chapters (so
we have time to get through the topics
programmed for the semester).

12. Simple problem (like sample 1 – 4)
Earth spherical? Measure radius!
1. Mark lake level at location of ship
and place meter stick on ship side
2. Go to lake shore (d = 4.4km) and
sight along lake; find that sighting
is on ship side at h = 2.0m.
3. What is the radius, R, of the
earth?
θ
Eratosthenes (300 BCE) measured
radius of the Earth to 5% using
geometry, angle between Aswan
and Alexandria.
See NY Times, Sept 24,2002
Science’s 10 most beautiful expts.

13. Definitions of velocity and acceleration
Average velocity
Average acceleration
x
v
t
v
a
t
∆
≡
∆
∆
≡
∆

14. Velocity
Average velocity
Interval dependent
Instantaneous velocity
Limit of interval = 0
0
6
Case shown 2 /
li
3
m
∆ →
∆ = = = ∆
∆
= =
∆
=

=
i
avg
nst
t
x dx
v v
x
v v
t
m
s
t
v m s
dt

15. In the Beginning
Chapter 1: Units, Dimensions, powers of ten,
idea of mass. Should be mostly a review. Make
sure you can do the problems in the text. (None
assigned.)
Chapter 2: Position, velocity, acceleration in one-
dimension (1D). Should also be largely a review.
Some discussion here. Problems assigned.
Chapter 3: Vectors -- essential for discussion of
more than 1D. We will discuss.
Next lecture, review chapters 2 & 3. Read them
and start on assigned homework problems soon.
Finish the day with a pretty description of
the scales of physics … Phillip Morrison