Course Overview: PHY 221 Lecture and Lab Schedule

This schedule outlines the sequence of topics, laboratory activities, and assessments for a college-level introductory physics course (PHY 221) for Spring 2026. The course covers foundational concepts in mechanics, including motion, forces, energy, momentum, rotation, and gravitation, with integrated laboratory experiences to reinforce theoretical understanding.

Week-by-Week Topic Breakdown

Key Topics and Their Academic Context

Units, Physical Quantities & Vectors

• Physical Quantities: Measurable properties such as length, mass, time, and temperature. SI units are the standard (meter, kilogram, second, kelvin).

• Vectors: Quantities with both magnitude and direction (e.g., displacement, velocity, force). Operations include addition, subtraction, and multiplication by scalars.

• Example: Displacement is a vector, while distance is a scalar.

Motion Along a Straight Line (Kinematics in 1D)

• Displacement (): Change in position.

• Velocity (): Rate of change of displacement.

• Acceleration (): Rate of change of velocity.

• Key Equations:

• Example: A car accelerating from rest at for $5x = 0 + 0 \times 5 + \frac{1}{2} \times 2 \times 25 = 25\ \mathrm{m}$.

Motion in Two or Three Dimensions

• Projectile Motion: Motion under gravity in two dimensions; horizontal and vertical motions are independent.

• Key Equations:

  • Horizontal:

  • Vertical:

• Example: A ball thrown horizontally from a height lands at distance .

Newton's Laws of Motion

• First Law (Inertia): An object remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net force.

• Second Law:

• Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

• Example: A 5 kg object under a 10 N force accelerates at .

Applying Newton's Laws (Friction, Circular Motion)

• Friction: Force opposing motion between surfaces.

• Circular Motion: Centripetal force keeps objects moving in a circle.

• Example: A car rounding a curve of radius at speed requires friction .

Work & Kinetic Energy

• Work ():

• Kinetic Energy ():

• Work-Energy Theorem:

• Example: Work done to accelerate a 2 kg mass from 0 to 3 m/s: J.

Potential Energy & Conservation of Energy

• Potential Energy (Gravitational):

• Conservation of Mechanical Energy: (if no non-conservative forces)

• Example: A falling object converts potential energy to kinetic energy.

Momentum, Impulse, and Collisions

• Momentum ():

• Impulse ():

• Conservation of Momentum: Total momentum is conserved in isolated systems.

• Example: Two carts colliding on a track exchange momentum according to .

Rotation of Rigid Bodies & Dynamics of Rotational Motion

• Angular Displacement (), Velocity (), Acceleration (): Rotational analogs of linear motion.

• Moment of Inertia (): Rotational mass;

• Kinetic Energy (Rotational):

• Example: A disk of mass and radius has .

Equilibrium & Elasticity

• Translational Equilibrium:

• Rotational Equilibrium:

• Elasticity: Hooke's Law

• Example: A beam balanced on a fulcrum is in equilibrium if clockwise and counterclockwise torques are equal.

Gravitation

• Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:

• Gravitational Potential Energy:

• Example: The gravitational force between Earth and a 1 kg mass at the surface is N.

Fluid Mechanics

• Density ():

• Pressure ():

• Buoyant Force:

• Example: An object floats if its average density is less than that of the fluid.

Laboratory Activities

• Math Review and Graphing: Foundational skills for data analysis in physics.

• Velocity & Acceleration: Experimental determination using motion sensors or ticker tape.

• Projectile Motion: Measuring range and time of flight for projectiles.

• Forces and Friction: Investigating Newton's laws and frictional forces.

• Work & Energy, Momentum, Circular Motion, Torque, Gravitation: Labs reinforce theoretical concepts through hands-on experiments.

Assessments

• Unit Tests: Assess understanding of major topic blocks (e.g., motion, forces, energy, momentum, rotation).

• Cumulative Final Exam: Comprehensive assessment covering all course material.

Additional info: The schedule follows a standard calculus-based introductory physics curriculum, emphasizing both conceptual understanding and quantitative problem-solving. Laboratory sessions are designed to complement lecture topics and develop experimental skills.