Mechanics
Keywords |
Classification |
Keyword |
OFICIAL |
Physics |
Instance: 2015/2016 - 1S 
Cycles of Study/Courses
Teaching language
Suitable for English-speaking students
Objectives
This course aims to present the concepts and the basic principles of Classic Mechanics, and relativity, with emphasis on understanding and application in the analysis of real world situations . Students should have the ability to manipulate fundamental concepts and know how to apply them to solve problems. Students will be motivated to consider the principles of Mechanics in other areas of knowledge and in technology.
Learning outcomes and competences
Students should demonstrate good understanding of fundamental
mechanical concepts (description of motion,
mass,
force,
linear and angular momentum,
energy) and relativity (relativity of space
and time, space-time diagrams and relativistic momentum and energy)
by correctly solving problems of direct application of these concepts,
and by modeling and analysing, in
terms of mechanics concepts, real world situations.Working method
Presencial
Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)
Basic trigonometry, elementary algebraic manipulations.
Program
1. The Newtonian Mechanics in the context of Contemporary Physics.
2.
Magnitudes,
measurements,
units and dimensions.
Dimensional Analysis3.
Description of the motion. Vector concepts of displacement, velocity and acceleration.
Decomposition in normal and tangential acceleration.
4.
Newton's Laws4.1 First law and concept of inertial frame.
4.2 Second Law;
fundamental problem of mechanics.
Laws of Force. Equations of motion.
Reference to numerical integration methods.
4.3 Third Law:
forces as interactions.4.4 Examples of motuion:
constant acceleration, damped motion ,
simple harmonic oscillator,
curvilinear motion.
5.
Conservation laws,
energy and momentum.
5.1 Energy and Work.
Potential Energy.
motion with constratints.
5.2 Linear Momentum:
elastic, inelastic collisions , and
coefficient of restitution6. Many
Particle systems: the concept of
center of mass (CM).
Total momentum of a system.
Collisions in the CM reference.
Energy in the CM reference.
Variable mass systems.
7.
Angular momentum and moment of a force.
Central forces.
Angular momentum of a system of particles. Motions of a rigid body. concept of moment of inertia.
8.
Universal Law of Gravitation,
Newton's laws and Kepler's laws.
Orbits.
9. R
elativity9.1 Galilean Relativity9.2 Invariance of the speed light.
Space and time in relativity.
9.3 Velocity,
momentum,
energy and mass.
Addition of velocities.
Mandatory literature
Tipler Paul A.;
Physics for scientists and engineers. ISBN: 9780716743897 (Course textbook)
Complementary Bibliography
Feynman Richard Phillips 1918-1988;
The Feynman lectures on physics (Excelent, Peerless)
Ford Kenneth W.;
Classical and modern physics. ISBN: 0-536-00872-8 (Lucid text)
António Jorge Silvestre e Paulo Ivo Cortez Teixeira; Mecânica: uma introdução, Colibri/Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, 2013. ISBN: 978-989-689-295-1 (In portuguese)
Teaching methods and learning activities
Theory classes, exercise classes and computing exercise classes.
Evaluation Type
Distributed evaluation with final exam
Assessment Components
designation |
Weight (%) |
Exame |
50,00 |
Participação presencial |
20,00 |
Teste |
30,00 |
Total: |
100,00 |
Amount of time allocated to each course unit
designation |
Time (hours) |
Estudo autónomo |
|
Frequência das aulas |
|
Total: |
0,00 |
Eligibility for exams
Compulsory presence in 75% of the exercise and computing classes, for all students. Students who had attendance in previous years who show that they unable to attend TP classes cannot take part in the continuous assessment but will not be excluded of "frequência".
Calculation formula of final grade
Assessment has Theoretical/Practical componente(TP=20)
Component TP - Max 20 mark
Component TP: 2 alternatives
A- With continuous assessment
A1. [4 max] weekly group problem solving in TP,with individual solution delivery in the classroom. Half of the delivered problems, chosen randomly are corrected in the same week. In total each student is graded on no less 4 problems.
A2. [6 max] Two multiple-choice tests.
A3 . [10 max] Final Test (normal session) . Students must have a minimum of 3.50 val in the sum of A1 and A2 components to gain access to this component.
B- Without continuous assessment
[20] Exam in Second Recurso) session.
.
Classification improvement
Only for TP component in Exam.[20 val]