PHYSICS

The teaching of Physics contributes to the achievement of the educational objectives of the "Science" address of the "Foundation Year" course, a year-long propaedeutic programme that aims to provide students with the necessary requirements for enrolment at an Italian University. It bridges the gap for those students who do not have the number of years of schooling, or those students who do not have the exams or levels required for the enrolment.
The teaching of Physics, in particular, aims to transmit to students the essential elements of the scientific method, showing that physics is a quantitative science based on the measurement of physical quantities capable of describing natural phenomena by means of mathematical laws. During the course, basic knowledge will be provided on the topics of classical mechanics (kinematics and dynamics), properties and behavior of fluids, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and electric currents, waves and electromagnetic radiation. Elements for solving exercises and problems relating to these topics will also be provided.

At the end of the course, the students will have an adequate capacity for analysis and abstraction of physical situations typical of classical mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and wave phenomena. They will also be able to solve exercises and problems related to these topics.

The prerequisites of this course are the topics studied in the course Mathematics during the first semester.

The course will be organized in two parts: (A) mechanics and thermodynamics; (B) Electromagnetism and waves. The detailed program is described hereafter:
A) Mechanics and thermodynamics
- Definition of position, velocity, acceleration. Uniform linear motion. Linear motion at constant acceleration.
- Force. Newton's laws of motion. Mass and weight. Projectile motion. Pendulum motion. Elastic force.
- Work, energy, power. Energy conservation. Friction.
- Mechanics of systems. Rigid bodies, angular momentum and momentum of inertia, cardinal equations, equilibrium and dynamics, potential and kinetic energy.
- Theory of collision, elastic and inelastic collisions, conservation laws.
- Fluids. Pressure. Pascal's and Archimedes' principles.
- Temperature. Heat. Ideal gas law. Changes of phase. First and second laws of thermodynamics.
B) Electromagnetism and waves
- Electric charge. Coulomb's law. Insulators and conductors, electric field and potential.
- Electric field flux, Gauss law and applications. Capacitors, series and parallel of capacitors, energy of capacitors.
- Electric current. Ohm's law. Resistance, series and parallel of resistances. Electric power. Electric circuits. RC circuits. Kirchhoff laws.
- Magnetism. Static magnetic field. Lorentz law. Magnetic field generated by currents. Ampere’s theorem.
- Electromagnetic induction. Magnetic flux. Faraday and Lenz laws.
- Waves. D’Alambert equation and wave propagation. Amplitude, intensity and interference. Speed, wavelength, period, frequency. Light as a wave. Electromagnetic spectrum. Reflection and refraction laws, dispersion.

A useful English reference book for this course can be found online at the following link: https://openstax.org/details/books/college-physics
Other more in-depth texts are available on the same site: https://openstax.org/subjects

During the course, the open dialogue with students will ensure that all follow and understand the lessons. Exercises will also be proposed on a regular basis to the students, to be solved by their own or together with them. Therefore, the learning achievements will be validated continuously. The students final grade will consider the attendance and participation to the lessons (10% according to the regulations), as well as on a mid-term evaluation (35%) and a final exam (35%), organized with open questions, simple exercises and closed-ended questions. A final oral verification will follow these two written exams (20%).

The course is scheduled in person, with the possibility of recording the lessons. Under these conditions, it will be possible to use as a teaching method the carrying out of explanations, demonstrations and exercises on the blackboard in real time. This modality could possibly be supplemented by power point presentations or handouts.

English

written and oral