Unit 1: Dynamics
Kinematics Equations
Circular Motion
Inertia
Torque
Terminal Velocity (k = drag constant)
Unit 2: Energy and Momentum
Energy
- K = spring constant
- x = spring extension / compression ME = PE + KE
Energy of Mass Oscillating
- k = coefficient
- A = amplitude
If amplitude is known:
If is known:
Speed of mass at any point:
Forces and Collisions
Conservative vs Nonconservative
- Conservative Force: doesn’t depend on path
- Nonconservative Force: depends on path
Elastic vs Inelastic
- Elastic collision: Kinetic Energy / Heat Conserved (pool ball)
- Inelastic collision: Kinetic Energy / Heat not Conserved
- perfectly inelastic collision: two objects stick together
Open vs Closed
- Open system: Momentum changes
- Closed system: Momentum doesn’t change
Momentum: How hard is it to stop something?
Momentum (kg * m/s)
Collisions with conserved momentum:
Angular momentum:
- L = angular momentum (kg m2 rad / s)
- I = moment of inertia (kg m2)
- w = angular velocity (rad / s)
Conservation of momentum (with no external force)
Elastic collision: Heat / Kinetic energy is not generated
- Eg. knocking a billiard ball, and the cue ball stops
Inelastic collision: Heat / Kinetic energy is generated
- Might go into heat/sound/potential
- Perfectly inelastic: Objects stick together and continue moving
Impulse: Change in momentum
- Measured in Ns because
- Is the area under a F-t graph
Impulse-Momentum Formula
2D and Elastic Collisions
Moving Mass
Non-Moving Mass
Unit 3: Gravitational, Electric, and Magnetic Fields
Kepler’s Laws
- First Law: The orbit of every planet is an ellipse, with the sun at one of the two foci
- Every orbit is an ellipse
- Every ellipse has 2 foci
- The sun is always one of the foci
- Second Law: Law of Equal Areas
- A line joining a planet and the sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time
- Planet moves slowly when far from the sun!
- Planet moves rapidly when close to the sun
- Third Law: The square of the orbital period of the planet is proportional to the cube of the semi major axis of its orbit
Escape Velocity Equation:
Gravitational Potential Energy = Binding Energy
- Same as activation energy of an electron
- It’s negative - “I’m this far below how much I need to leave”
Electricity
Resistance = Voltage / Current 1C =
Kirchhoff’s Junction Rule: The algebraic sum of the currents into (or out of) any junction in the circuit is zero.
Kirchhoff’s Loop Rule: The sum of the voltage changes across the circuit elements forming any closed loop is zero.
Resistivity and Electric Fields
Resistivity = 1 / conductivity
- R = resistance (ohms)
- p = resistivity (ohm * m)
- L = length (m)
- A = cross-sectional area (m^2)
Coulomb’s Law: Electrical Force between point charges
- F = electrostatic force (N)
- k = 9.0 * 10
- q1, q2 = charge 1, charge 2 (C)
- r = distance between charges (m)
Electric Field around a point charge
- E = electric field (N/c)
- k = 9.0 * 10
- q = charge of the point charge (C)
- r = distance from the point charge
Electric Fields
- Field lines must be tangent to the direction of the field at any point
- Greater line density = Greater field magnitude
- Go from + to -
- Electric Field Lines Never Cross
Magnetic Fields
- Go from N to S
- Inside a bar magnet, go from S to N
Unit 4: The Wave Nature of Light
Wavelength / Energy Equations
Wavelength
Energy
Light and Snell’s Law
Wave goes from deep → shallow water
- Speed (v) slows down
- Wavelength () gets smaller / shorter
- Angle () gets smaller
- Frequency (f) doesn’t change
Thin Film Interference (Rainbows)
- Soap Film Rainbows
- Eyeglasses
- Oil spills on water
How to calculate path difference (air → oil → water)
- wavelength in each medium
- indexes of refraction
Double Slit Equations
l = screen to slit, d = between slit
Single Slit Equations
w = width of slit
Sample Question:
- Single slit = use w equations
- First fringe = n = 1
- Dark fringe = use sin theta equation
Unit 5: Revolutions in Modern Physics
Special Relativity
Proper Length & Proper Time
- ”Proper” measurement comes from whoever is at rest with respect to both the start and the end time
- Ex: Spaceship moving away from Earth
- Observer = proper length
- Spaceship = proper time
Time Dilation Equation:
Length Concentration Equation:
Ex:
Alternatively, do it in reverse (find time, then use time dilation equation)