Schedule

Class time: MWF 9:05 – 9:55   Class location: Clough 423

Notes:

  1. This schedule is tentative and subject to change. See WebAssign for the actual Reading Assignments to be completed before class on the corresponding day.
  2. Seminars suitable for review (for bucket point credit) are listed here.

Week 1
8/21 1 1 Introduction to the class
1.1 The disciplines: Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Math
1.1.1 Science as making models
1.1.4 What Physics can do for Biologists
1.2 Thinking about Thinking and Knowing
1.2.1 The nature of scientific knowledge
1.2.3 Knowing-how-we-know icons		 Course Overview
8/23 2 2. Modeling with mathematics
2.1 Using math in science
2.1.1 How math in science is different from math in math
2.1.2 Measurement
2.1.3 Dimensions and units

2.1.3.1 Complex dimensions and dimensional analysis 
2.1.3.2 Changing units 
2.1.4 Estimation 
2.1.4.1 Useful numbers 

 

 Modeling. Estimations.
8/25 3 2.2.3 The idea of algebra: unknowns and relationships
2.2.3.1 Symbols in science
3.1.1 Coordinates
3.1.2 Vectors 
3.1.2.1 Adding vectors
3.1.2.1.1 Vector addition
3.1.2.1.2 Vector subtraction
3.1.3 Time 		 Dimensions and Units.           Vectors. Position.

Week 2
8/28 4 2.2.5 Values, change, and rates of change
2.2.5.1 Derivatives
2.2.5.1.1 What is a derivative, anyway?
3.1.4 Kinematics, Graphs
3.2 Kinematic Variables 
3.2.1 Velocity 
3.2.1.1 Average velocity 
3.2.1.2 Instantaneous velocity 
3.2.1.3 Calculating with average velocity		 Rate of change. Displacement. Velocity.
8/30 5 3.2.2 Acceleration
3.2.2.1 Average acceleration
3.2.2.2 Instantaneous acceleration
3.2.2.3 Calculating with constant acceleration
3.2.3 Kinematics graphs and consistency
3.2.3.1 Reading the content in the kinematics equations		 Acceleration.
Modeling motion with kinematics.
9/1 6 Modeling motion with Kinematics.

Week 3
9/5 LABOR DAY (no class)
9/6 7 4.1 Newton’s Laws
4.1.1 Physical content of Newton’s Laws
4.1.1.1 Object egotism
4.1.1.2 Inertia
4.1.1.3 Interactions
4.1.1.4 Superposition
4.1.1.5 Mass
4.1.1.6 Reciprocity 		Intro to Newton’s laws.
9/8 8 4.1.2 Formulation of Newton’s laws as foothold principles
4.1.2.1 Quantifying impulse and force
4.1.2.2 Newton 0
4.1.2.2.1 Free-body diagrams
4.1.2.2.2 System Schema Introduction 		Systems and Surroundings.
Free Body Diagrams.
Momentum-Impulse Theorem.

Week 4
9/11 9 4.1.2.3 Newton’s 1st law
4.1.2.4 Newton’s 2nd law
4.1.2.4.1 Reading the content in Newton’s 2nd law
4.1.2.4.2 Newton 2 as a stepping rule 		Newton’s first and second laws.
9/13 10 4.1.2.5 Newton’s 3rd law
4.1.2.5.1 Using system schemas for Newton’s 3rd law
4.1.2.5.1 Center of mass
4.2 Kinds of Forces 
4.2.1 Springs 
4.2.1.1 Realistic springs		 Newton’s third law.                     Kinds of Forces.                       Springs.
9/15 11 4.2.1.2 Normal forces 
4.2.1.2.1 A simple model of solid matter
4.2.1.3 Tension forces		 Forces: springs, tension, and normal forces

Week 5
9/18 12 Forces: springs, tension, and normal forces, Examples.
9/20 13  4.2.2 Resistive forces 4.2.2.1 Friction4.2.2.2 Viscosity 
4.2.2.3 Drag		 Resistive forces: drag and viscosity
9/22 14 No reading Review for test

Week 6: TEST 1 Mon. 09/25

9/25 15 4.2.3 Gravitational forces 
4.2.3.1 Flat-earth gravity 
4.2.3.1.1 Free-fall in flat-earth gravity 
4.2.3.3 The gravitational field		 Gravitational force
9/27 16 4.2.4 Electric forces 
4.2.4.1 Charge and the structure of matter 
4.2.4.2 Polarization
4.2.4.3 Coulomb’s law		 Electric force and polarization
9/29 17 4.2.4.3 Coulomb’s law 
4.2.4.3.1 Coulomb’s law — vector character 
4.2.4.3.2 Reading the content in Coulomb’s law		 Coulomb’s law

Week 7
10/2 17 4.2.4.4  The Electric field The electric field
10/4 18 4.3 Coherent vs. random motion
4.3.1 Linear momentum
4.3.1.1 Restating Newton’s 2nd law: momentum 		Coherent motion: momentum
10/6 19 No reading

Week 8
10/9 FALL BREAK (no class)
10/11 20 4.3.1.2 Momentum conservation Momentum conservation
10/13 21 1.1.3 Reductionism and emergence
4.3.2 The role of randomness: Biological implications
4.3.3 Diffusion and random walks 		Random motion and emergence

Week 9
10/16 22 4.3.3.1 Fick’s law
4.3.3.1.1 Reading the content in Fick’s fist law		 Diffusion and Fick’s law
10/18 23 5. Macro models of matter
5.1.1 Density-solids
5.1.2 Young’s modulus
5.1.6 Soft matter
5.1.6.1 Mechanical properties of cells		 Solids and gels
10/20 24 No reading Review for test

Week 10: TEST 2 Mon. 10/23
10/23 25 5.2 Fluids
5.2.1 Pressure
I-2 The micro-macro connection
7.1 Kinetic theory: the ideal gas law 		Basics of fluids: pressure
10/25 26 5.2.2 Archimedes’ Principle
5.2.3 Buoyancy
5.2.5.2.1 Surface tension		 Fluid statics: buoyancy
10/27 27 5.2.6 Fluid flow
5.2.6.1 Quantifying fluid flow
5.2.6.2 The continuity equation		 Fluid flow

Week 11
10/30 28 5.2.6.3 Internal flow — the HP equation Fluid flow with resistance
11/1 29 6.0 Energy: The Quantity of Motion
6.1 Kinetic energy and the work-energy theorem
6.1.1 Reading the content in the Work-Energy theorem		 Kinetic energy and Work
11/3 30 6.2 Energy of place — potential energy
6.2.1 Gravitational potential energy		 Potential energy: gravity

Week 12
11/6 31 6.2.2 Spring potential energy
6.2.3 Electric potential energy		 Potential energy: spring and electric
11/8 32 6.3 The conservation of mechanical energy
6.3.1 Interpreting mechanical energy graphs		 Mechanical energy: conservation
11/10 33 6.3.2 Mechanical energy loss — thermal energy
6.3.3 Forces from potential energy
 Loss of mechanical energy

Week 13
11/13 34 6.4.1 Energy at the sub-molecular level
6.4.2 Atomic and Molecular forces
6.4.2.1 Interatomic forces
6.4.2.1.1 The Lennard-Jones potential
6.4.2.2 Chemical bonding		 Electric potential energy and molecular forces
11/15 35 Practice with energy
11/17 37 No reading Review

Week 14: TEST 3 Mon. 11/20
11/20 38 5.3 Heat and temperature
5.3.2 Thermal properties of matter
5.3.2.1 Thermal energy and specific heat
5.3.2.2 Heat capacity
5.3.2.3 Heat transfer 		Thermal energy and heat flow
11/22 No reading Thanksgiving break
11/24 no reading Thanksgiving break

Week 15
11/27 39 Interlude 2: The Micro to Macro Connection
7. Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
7.1 Kinetic theory: the ideal gas law
7.2 The 1st law of thermodynamics		 First law
11/29 40 7.2.1 Organizing the idea of energy
7.2.2 Enthalpy
7.2.3 Thermodynamic equilibrium and equipartition
7.2.3.1 Example: Degrees of freedom		 Building up to Enthalpy
12/1 41 Why do we need a 2nd Law?
7.3.1 The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: A Probabilistic Law
7.3.2 Implications of the Second Law of Thermodynamics: Entropy 		Energy Sharing and Distributions

Exam Week
12/5 42 No reading Review
12/13 FINAL EXAM Time: 6:00-8:50 PM Location: TBD