Explore

Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

Approx. 29 hours to complete

Save Course

Go to Course

Course Summary

Learn about the fundamental concepts of mechanics, including motion, forces, and energy, through real-life examples and applications in this course.

Key Learning Points

Understand the basic principles and laws of mechanics
Solve complex problems related to motion, forces, and energy
Apply concepts to real-life situations and applications

Learning Outcomes

Develop problem-solving skills related to mechanics
Gain a solid foundation in the principles and laws of mechanics
Apply concepts learned to real-life situations and applications

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic algebra and trigonometry
Familiarity with basic physics concepts

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online self-paced
Video lectures
Assignments and quizzes

Similar Courses

Introduction to Classical Mechanics
Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Dr. Michio Kaku
Neil deGrasse Tyson

Related Books

Description

Most of the phenomena in the world around you are, at the fundamental level, based on physics, and much of physics is based on mechanics. Mechanics begins by quantifying motion, and then explaining it in terms of forces, energy and momentum. This allows us to analyse the operation of many familiar phenomena around us, but also the mechanics of planets, stars and galaxies.

This on-demand course is recommended for senior high school and beginning university students and anyone with a curiosity about basic physics. (The survey tells us that it's often used by science teachers, too.) The course uses rich multimedia tutorials to present the material: film clips of key experiments, animations and worked example problems, all with a friendly narrator. You'll do a range of interesting practice problems, and in an optional component, you will use your ingenuity to complete at-home experiments using simple, everyday materials. You will need some high-school mathematics: arithmetic, a little algebra, quadratic equations, and the sine, cosine and tangent functions from trigonometry. The course does not use calculus. However, we do provide a study aid introducing the calculus that would accompany this course if it were taught in a university. By studying mechanics in this course, you will understand with greater depth many of the wonders around you in everyday life, in technology and in the universe at large. Meanwhile, we think you'll have some fun, too.

Outline

Introduction and Basic Tools
Course Welcome
Lesson 1.1: Introduction and Context
Lesson 1.2: Units and Significant Figures
Lesson 1.3: Vectors and Scalars
Lesson 1.4: Estimating
Course structure and grading
Week 1 Study Aids
Start of course survey
Introduction and Context
Units and Significant Figures (Important skills in this course!)
Vectors and Scalars
Estimating
Week 1 Test

Velocity and Acceleration
Lesson 2.1: Graphing Displacement and Velocity
Lesson 2.2: Acceleration
Lesson 2.3: Relating Velocity, Acceleration and Displacement
Lesson 2.4: Relative Motion
Week 2 Study Aids
Graphing Displacement and Velocity
Acceleration
Relating Velocity, Acceleration and Displacement
Relative Motion
Week 2 Test

Motion in Two Dimensions
Lesson 3.1: Projectiles, Falling Vertically Under Gravity
Lesson 3.2: Combining Vertical and Horizontal Motion
Lesson 3.3: Trajectories and Range
Lesson 3.4: Uniform Circular Motion
Week 3 Study Aids
Projectiles, Falling Vertically Under Gravity
Combining Vertical and Horizontal Motion
Trajectories and Range
Uniform Circular Motion
Week 3 Test

Newton's Laws of Motion
Lesson 4.1: Newton's Laws of Motion
Lesson 4.2: Inertial and Non-inertial Frames
Lesson 4.3: Newton's Third Law
Lesson 4.4: Calculating Total Force
Lesson 4.5: Practice Problems
Historical Interlude
The Syllogism
Week 4 Study Aids
Newton's Laws of Motion
Inertial and Non-inertial Frames
Newton's Third Law
Calculating Total Force
Practice Problems
Week 4 Test

Weight, Friction and Spring Forces
Lesson 5.1: Weight versus Mass
Lesson 5.2: Springs and Hooke's Law
Lesson 5.3: Normal and Frictional Forces
Lesson 5.4: Friction Problems
Week 5 Study Aids
Weight versus Mass
Springs and Hooke's Law
Normal and Frictional Forces
Friction Problems
Week 5 Test

Work, Energy and Power
Lesson 6.1: What is Work?
Lesson 6.2: Work and Kinetic Energy
Lesson 6.3: Work and Potential Energy
Lesson 6.4: Energy Conservation
Lesson 6.5: Energy, Work and Power
Week 6 Study Aids
What is Work?
Work and Kinetic Energy
Work and Potential Energy
Energy Conservation
Energy, Work and Power
Week 6 Test

Momentum and Collisions
Lesson 7.1: Momentum and Collisions
Lesson 7.2: Impulse and More About Collisions
Lesson 7.3: Centre of Mass, Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
Lesson 7.4: Problems Involving Collisions
Week 7 Study Aids
Momentum and Collisions
Impulse and More About Collisions
Centre of Mass, Elastic and Inelastic Collisions
Problems Involving Collisions
Week 7 Test

Gravity
Lesson 8.1: Gravity, Orbits, Planets, Stars...
Lesson 8.2: g Varies with Latitude and Altitude; Gravitational Potential Energy
Lesson 8.3: Orbits
Lesson 8.4: Gravity and Other Forces
Another Historical Interlude
Week 8 Study Aids
Gravity, Orbits, Planets, Stars...
g Varies with Latitude and Altitude; Gravitational Potential Energy
Orbits
Gravity and Other Forces
Week 8 Test
End of course survey

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the Mechanics of Particles and Planets with this comprehensive online course. Students have given positive feedback on the course, with many users praising the hands-on approach to learning.