College Physics Study Guide

Autumn Quarter

  1. On a graph of position as a function of time, the velocity at a point on the path of an object's motion is the slope of the line at that time.

  2. Know the usage of the following physical variables, and the units they are measured in:
    x, x0, y, y0, t, v, v0, vx0, vy0, a, g, m, F, P (both pressure and Power), A, E, K, U, p, m, q, w, a, t, I, L

  3. Which of course means that you have to know the following units: m, s, kg, N, J, W, Pa

  4. Know how to use the following equations (and their special cases when one or more terms are zero) to solve problems in one or two dimensions:

    • x = x0 + vx0 t + ax t2 / 2
    • vx = vx0 + ax t
    • F = m a
    • P = F / A
    • K = m v2 / 2
    • U = m g y
    • P = DE / Dt
    • p = m v
    • FF = m FN
    • I = m r2

  5. Know how to find the x and y components of any vector; how to add vectors; how to find the length of a vector, and how to find the angle a vector makes with the x axis.

  6. In the absence of dissipative forces, the sum of the potential and kinetic energies of an object is a constant.

  7. Know how to decompose vectors into components parallel and normal to an incline or lever arm.

  8. Know how to convert between degrees and radians.

  9. Know how to find the rotational analogue of any of the linear motion equations by substituting q for x, w for v, a for a, t for F, I for m and L for p.

  10. Know how to use the sums of forces and torques to find the conditions for equilibrium.

And of course, you must know how to solve a system of algebraic equations, and how to use the Quadratic Formula.

Winter Quarter

In addition to the above, you should know:

  1. At any given point on an equipotential color plot, the field points in a direction perpendicular to the equipotential passing through that point, and toward less positive (or more negative) potentials. The acceleration is either parallel or antiparallel to the field direction; for electrostatic problems, it points so that like charges repel and opposite charges attract; for gravitational problems it always points toward the sources, because gravity is always attractive.

  2. Know the usage of the following physical variables, and the units they are measured in:
    Q, V, E, I, R, C, t, Re, r, h, F, w, l, n, k, T, n

  3. Which of course means that you have to know the following units: C, V, A, W, F, P, Hz

  4. Know the following physical constants, their values and units: e, e0, c

  5. Know how to identify electrical components that are in series or parallel, and how to simplify a circuit using these concepts.

  6. Know how to use the following equations (and their special cases when one or more terms are zero) to solve problems in one or two dimensions:

    • Vq1 + q2 = q1 / 4 p e r1 + q2 / 4 p e r2
    • U = qt Vs
    • Eq1 + q2(x) = q1 (x - x1) / 4 p e r13 + q2 (x - x2) / 4 p e r23,
      Eq1 + q2(y) = q1 (y - y1) / 4 p e r13 + q2 (y - y2) / 4 p e r23 and
      Eq1 + q2 = (Eq1 + q2(x)2 + Eq1 + q2(y)2)1/2
    • F = qt Es
    • (the gravitational versions of the above equations)
    • V = I R
    • P = V I
    • Q = C V
    • U = C V2 / 2
    • Rseries = R1 + R2 and
      1 / Rparallel = 1 / R1 + 1 / R2
    • 1 / Cseries = 1 / C1 + 1 / C2 and
      Cparallel = C1 + C2
    • t = R C
    • Re = 2 r r v / h
    • F = DP p r 4 / 8 h l = p r 2 v
    • c = l n
    • nn = n c / 2 l or
      nn = n c / 4 l
    • v = c / n
    • d sin q = m l or
      d sin q = (m + 1/2) l

  7. Know how to find a scaling relationship between two variables in one or more equations.

  8. Know how to use the analogy between fluid networks and electrical circuits to find flows and pressure drops.

  9. Know how to locate the zeroes, maxima and minima of a sine or cosine wave using the phase.

  10. Know how to use the boundary conditions for a standing wave to compute wave characteristics such as fundamental frequency and the frequency and node locations for a given mode.

Spring Quarter

In addition to the above, you should know:

  1. How to use cross products to find the direction of the magnetic field due to a current element at a field point (l X r); how to find the direction of the force on a current element in an external magnetic field (l X B); how to find the direction of the magnetic moment of a current loop (normal to plane, times -1 if clockwise), and how to find the direction of the torque on a current loop caused by an external magnetic field (m X B).

  2. Know the usage of the following physical variables, and the units they are measured in:
    l, B, m, g, Z, n, A, N, r, T, D, C, Q, k, S, e

  3. Which of course means that you have to know the following units: T, eV, C, K

  4. Know the following physical constants, their values and units: m0, h, E0, NA, k, s

  5. Know how to use the following equations to solve problems:

    • B = m I l / 4 p r 2
    • F = I l B sin q
    • m = n I A
    • t = m B sin q
    • U = - m B cos q
    • E = h n
    • DE = | 2 g mN I B |
    • l = h / m v
    • En = - E0 Z2 / n2
    • U = k (Dq)2 / 2
    • U = k (Dx)2 / 2
    • l = (m / r)1/3
    • 3 k T / 2 = m v2 / 2
    • DN / Dt = D A DC / Dx
    • xavg = (D t)1/2
    • DQ / Dt = k A DT / Dx
    • DQ / Dt = 14.5 A v1/2 DT
    • DQ / Dt = e s A (Tb4 - Ta4)
    • DQ / Dt = (Dm / Dt) Lv
    • DQ = T DS
    • T DS = Greactants - Gproducts
    • e = Eoutput / Einput

  6. How to use c and the ratios e / e and G / c2 to figure out expressions for the Bohr radius, Rydberg energy, and the Planck mass, length, time and energy.

  7. What happens during alpha and beta decay, and how to compute the atomic number, mass and neutron number of the decay product.

  8. How to determine the number of mols of any given reactant or product in a chemical pathway given the number of mols of the reactant(s) entering the pathway.

©2007, Kenneth R. Koehler. All Rights Reserved.