PHYS 203 - General Physics I (Non-Engineering)

(NSLD)

Fundamental concepts and laws of physics with emphasis on principles and development of scientific methods applied to physical relationships. Less emphasis is placed on mathematics than in PHYS 161-PHYS 262-PHYS 263, and concurrent enrollment in calculus courses is, therefore, not required. This course includes topics such as mechanics, heat, sound, electricity and magnetism, light, and modern physics. Credit is given for the successful completion of PHYS 203 whether PHYS 204 is taken or not. PREREQUISITE(S): Knowledge of trigonometry, or consent of department. Assessment Level(s): ENGL 101 /ENGL 101A , MATH 093 /MATH 096 , AELR 930 /READ 099 . Three hours lecture, four hours laboratory/discussion each week. Formerly 203.

4 semester hours

Course Outcomes:
Upon course completion, a student will be able to:

Use both English and metric units.
Convert between Cartesian and polar coordinates.
Recognize prefixes for powers of ten used with metric units.
Use geometry, algebra, and trigonometry to solve problems.
Plot data and interpret graphs.
Demonstrate understanding of the scientific method of laboratory investigations of physical concepts.
Write a laboratory report.
Solve word problems.
Distinguish between scalar and vector quantities.
Calculate vector components and use vector properties to solve problems.
Demonstrate understanding of the physical relationships expressed by equations.
Describe the motion of objects in one and two dimensions in terms of displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time.
Draw force diagrams and apply Newton’s laws to solve problems involving several forces acting on a system.
Explain the relationship between work and energy.
Solve problems using the laws of conservation of energy and momentum.
Explain the condition for equilibrium.
Mathematically describe the relationship between linear and angular quantities.
Solve problems involving rotational dynamics.
Apply Archimedes principle and Bernoulli’s equation to solve fluid problems.
Explain the kinetic theory of gases.
Solve problems that involve temperature changes, thermal expansion, calorimetry theory, and heat transfer.
Explains the laws of thermodynamics.
Compare the simple harmonic motion with circular motion.
Describe the characteristics of oscillating systems.
Understand the superposition and interference of waves.
Describe the sound waves in terms of their frequency, wavelength, sound level, and velocity.

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