Tag: Introduction to Physics
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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 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 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…
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Chapter 10: Free Fall Motion
10.1 Introduction to Free Fall Motion Free fall is a type of motion experienced by objects that are falling under the influence of gravity. It occurs when an object is dropped from a height or is projected upwards and then falls back to the ground due to the force of gravity. 10.1.1 Definition of Free…
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Chapter 6: Constant Acceleration
6.1 Introduction to Constant Acceleration Motion Constant acceleration is an important concept in physics that describes the motion of an object that experiences a steady (unchanging) increase or decrease in velocity over time. This type of motion is also known as uniformly accelerated motion, as the object’s velocity changes by a constant amount during each…
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Chapter 5: Constant Velocity
5.1 Introduction to Constant Velocity Motion Constant velocity is a term used to describe a situation where an object moves at a constant speed in a straight line. In other words, the velocity of the object remains unchanged, which means that its speed and direction do not change over time. In future chapters we will…