Page 16 - CatalogNEP-PS

PHYSICS

(DISCIPLINE – A)

DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC COURSES:

Phys.111 Mechanics 3+1

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

The primary objective of this course is to:
 review the concepts of mechanics learnt at school from a more advanced perspective and
goes on to build new concepts.
 learn the collisions in the centre of mass frame, rotational motion and central forces.
 be able to apply the concepts learnt to several real world problems.
 In the laboratory part of the course, the students will learn to use various instruments,
estimate the error forevery experiment performed and report the result of experiment along
with the uncertainty in the result up to correct significant figures.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to,
 Learn the Galilean invariance of Newton‘s laws of motion.
 Understand translational and rotational dynamics of a system of particles.
 Apply Kepler‘s laws to describe the motion of planets and satellite in circular orbit.
 Understand Einstein‘s postulates of special relativity.
 Apply Lorentz transformations to describe simultaneity, time dilation and length
contraction
 Use various instruments for measurements and perform experiments related to
rotational dynamics, elastic properties, fluid dynamics, acceleration due to gravity,
collisions, etc.
 Use propagation of errors to estimate uncertainty in the outcome of an experiment and
perform the statistical analysis of the random errors in the observations.

THEORY(45 Hours)

UNIT 1 (14 Hours)
Fundamentals of Dynamics: Inertial and Non-inertial frames, Newton's Laws of Motion, and their
invariance under Galilean transformations. Momentum of variable mass system: motion of rocket.
Dynamics of a system of particles. Principle of conservation of momentum. Impulse.
Determination of Centre of Mass of discrete and continuous objects having cylindrical and
spherical symmetry. Differential analysis of a static vertically hanging massive rope
Work and Energy:Work and Kinetic Energy Theorem. Conservative forces and examples
(Gravitational and electrostatic), non-conservative forces and examples (velocity dependent forces
e.g. frictional force, magnetic force), Potential Energy. Energy diagram. Stable, unstable, and
neutral equilibrium. Force as gradient of the potential energy. Work done by non-conservative
forces.
Collisions:Elastic and inelastic collisions between two spherical bodies. Kinematics of 2 → 2
scattering in centre of mass and laboratory frames.

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