Lecturer: Daniela Grando  

Course name: Physics
Course code: 501080
Degree course: Ingegneria Industriale
Disciplinary field of science: FIS/03
L'insegnamento costituisce attività di base per: Ingegneria Industriale
University credits: ECTS 9
Course website: n.d.

Specific course objectives

This course provides grounding in classical physics, spanning from kinematics, dynamics, fluid dynamics and thermodynamics. The students are expected to achieve a better understanding of theories and concepts through practical classes. Beside developing problem solving ability, practical classes are of fundamental importance for mastering the acquired knowledge and discovering its links to everyday life.

Course programme

The course covers a range of topics in classical mechanics and thermodynamics. Topics are introduced by following a logic and analytical framework. Sessions of exercises are proposed for every topic.

Mechanics

• Physical quantities; international system of units for mass, time and length.
• Vectors, vector addition, scalar and vector product
• Kinematics: position and displacement vector, velocity and acceleration vectors, the inverse problem of kinematics; rotational motion, angular velocity and acceleration, normal and tangential acceleration; relative motion.
• Definition of force; inertial reference systems and Newton’s laws; weight, elastic force, contact force and friction; inertial forces.
• Work of a force and kinetic energy; power due to a force; work-energy equation; conservative forces; potential energy; mechanical energy; principle of conservation of mechanical energy.
• Impulse of a force; momentum; the impulse-momentum equation; moment of momentum or angular momentum; moment of force or torque; moment of force-moment of momentum equation; central forces.
• Systems of particles; internal and external forces; center of mass; Newton’s second law for a system of particles; conservation of momentum and of moment of momentum; plastic and elastc collisions.
• The rigid body; center of mass and moment of inertia of a rigid body; the Huygens-Steiner or parallel axis theorem; the motion equations for a rigid body; moment of momentum for a rigid body; rotation about an axis and kinetic energy of a rigid body: Koenig theorems; the rolling motion; rigid body collisions; the gyroscopic effect.
• Elements of statics.
• Vibrations; kinematics of oscillatory motion; spring-mass harmonic oscillator, mathematical, physical and torque pendulum; damped vibrations; forced vibrations and resonance.

Fluid Dynamics

• Pressure; density and specific weight.
• Pascal’s law, Archimedes’ principle, and Stevino’s law.
• Definition of ideal fluid; volumetric flux and mass flux; Bernoulli’s equation

Thermodynamics

• Thermodynamic variables; thermal equilibrium and the zeroth law of thermodynamics; temperature, thermometers and temperature scales; thermal dilatation.
• The ideal gas and the state equation; kinetic theory of the ideal gas; internal energy.
• Heat and work in thermodynamic systems; heat transfer and calorimetry; the first law of thermodynamics; transmission of heat; thermodynamic transformations.
• The second law of thermodynamics and thermal machines; Carnot theorem and Carnot cycle; Clausius theorem and entropy.

Course entry requirements

Elementary algebra, Euclidean and analytical geometry, trigonometry, derivatives and integrals. It is well recommended to take 'Fisica I' after ‘Geometry and Algebra’ and ‘Mathematical Analysis I’. Students with a curricular debt in Maths must first pass these two exams before attempting Fisica I.

Course structure and teaching

Lectures (hours/year in lecture theatre): 68
Practical class (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0
Practicals / Workshops (hours/year in lecture theatre): 0

Suggested reading materials

Serway, Beichner. FISICA Per Scienze e Ingegneria. EdiSES.

Halliday, Resnick, Krane. Fisica, vol. 1. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

P.A. Tipler, G. MoscaCORSO DI FISICA. Vol 1- Meccanica Onde Termodinamica. ZANICHELLI. . CORSO DI FISICA. Vol 1- Meccanica Onde Termodinamica. ZANICHELLI.

Testing and exams

Written and oral. During the written examination the students will be asked to solve simple problems on classical physics. The oral examination is a discussion on the written examination and the principles of classical physics.