20215 Mechanics
Credits: 6 intermediate credits in Physics
Prerequisites: none 1
Required: Differential and Integral Calculus I (or Infinitesimal Calculus I) and Fundamentals of Physics (or Fundamentals of Physics I + Fundamentals of Physics II)
The course is based on a translation of Mechanics (Berkeley Physics Course, Vol. I), by C. Kittel, W.D. Knight, and M.A. Ruderman (McGraw-Hill, 1973) and a supplementary text, Mechanics – 120 Exercises and Sample Solutions by Y. Shnitzer (The Open University, 1992).
The course is designed to introduce students to principles of classical mechanics, and the curriculum corresponds to the level of first year university Physics and Engineering courses in Israel and abroad.
Topics: Vectors; Newton’s laws; Motion in an electromagnetic field; Attribution systems – Galilean transformation; Energy conservation; Conservation of linear and angular momentum; The harmonic oscillator; Fundamentals of rigid body dynamics; The inverse square force; The special theory of relativity; Energy and mass in the special theory of relativity.
1Students who took 5-point high-school Physics and Mathematics and passed with high grades (within the last 5 years), are advised to contact a Physics advisor before enrolling.