640-161 Physics: Principles & Applications A

• Students may only gain credit for one of 640-005, 640-121, 640-141, 640-151 and 640-161.

• Students who have completed VCE Unit 3/4 Physics or equivalent will not normally be permitted to enrol in this subject.

Some knowledge of physics and at least one secondary school final-year mathematics subject.

This subject is designed for students with a minimal background in physics. It aims to provide them with an understanding of a broad range of elementary physics principles together with applications of these principles to physical and biological situations. Simple mathematics is used throughout.

Students completing this subject will be able to:

• explain the basic principles of translational and rotational mechanics, waves and thermal physics;

• apply these principles, together with mathematical reasoning, to situations in the physical and biological sciences; and

• acquire and interpret experimental data.

In addition students will be able to:

• participate as an effective member of tutorial, laboratory and study groups;

• communicate their understanding of physics orally and in written form; and

• manage their time commitments to this subject in order to be prepared for regular lab and tutorial classes as well as tests and examination.

The subject provides an introduction to the following areas: translational and rotational motion: the motion of particles and rigid bodies, gravitation; properties of stationary and moving fluids; elastic properties of materials; motion and superposition of waves, including sound; and thermal properties of matter at both macroscopic and microscopic levels, energy transfer by heating.

A 3-hour end-of-semester written examination (65%); tests totalling up to two hours and/or written assignments during the semester, up to an equivalent of 2000 words (10%); laboratory work (25%). Students must complete both laboratory and assignment work satisfactorily to obtain a pass.

• D C Giancoli, Physics Principles with Applications. 5th edn, Prentice-Hall, 1998.