Category: Introduction to Physics
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Chapter 16: Kinetic Energy
16.1 Introduction to Kinetic Energy In this chapter, we will focus on kinetic energy, one of the two main types of energy we introduced in the previous chapter. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and it is directly related to an object’s mass and velocity. Understanding kinetic energy is crucial for solving various problems…
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Chapter 15: Introduction to Energy
Energy is a fundamental concept in physics that plays a crucial role in understanding how the world around us works. Simply put, energy is the ability to do work, and it can be found in many different forms. 15.1 From Work to Energy In the previous section, we discussed how work is defined as the…
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Chapter 14: Work
14.1 Introduction to Work Work describes the transfer of energy to or from an object when a force is applied over a distance. It is a scalar quantity (not a vector) and is measured in units of joules (J). Understanding the concept of work and its relationship to energy is crucial for analyzing various physical…
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Chapter 13: Friction
13.1 Introduction to Friction Friction is a fundamental concept in the field of physics that deals with the resistance encountered by two surfaces when they move relative to each other. It plays an essential role in various aspects of our everyday lives, from walking to driving a car. Understanding the nature of friction and its…
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Chapter 12: Uniform Circular Motion
12.1 Introduction to Uniform Circular Motion (UCM) Uniform circular motion describes the movement of an object traveling in a circular path with a constant speed. Although the speed remains constant, the object experiences acceleration due to the continuous change in its direction. This page will explore the basics of uniform circular motion. 12.2 Defining Uniform…
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Chapter 11: Projectile Motion
11.1 Introduction to Projectile Motion Projectile motion is a fundamental concept in physics that deals with the motion of an object under the influence of gravity while experiencing no other forces once set in motion. This type of motion is very familiar to us all as we often observe it in everyday life. Shooting a…
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Chapter 9: Newton’s Laws of Motion
9.1 Introduction to Newton’s Laws of Motion Newton’s Laws of Motion are the fundamental laws of Physics I. He originally wrote these laws in Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, more commonly known today as the Principia. The three laws can be stated in words as: or mathematically as: 9.2 Newton’s First Law The First Law is…
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Chapter 8: Force Diagrams (Free-Body Diagrams)
8.1 Introduction to Force Diagrams Force diagrams, also known as free-body diagrams, are visual representations that show the forces acting on an object. These diagrams are an essential tool in understanding and analyzing the behavior of objects under the influence of various forces. Drawing a force diagram is often step one in solving for the…
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Chapter 7: Forces
7.1 Introduction to Forces: Push and Pull Forces are an essential concept in physics. A force can cause an object to move, stop, speed up, slow down, or change direction. They do this via a “push” or “pull” action. Forces are typically measured in Newtons There are different methods of categorizing forces. One way is…
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Chapter 3: Vector Components
3.1 Introduction It is often necessary to break a vector into its components. In the cartesian coordinate system, this would mean breaking the vector into an x-component and a y-component. Figure 1 below demonstrates that there are generally two ways to do this as represented by the two different right triangles. It is important to…