SFY0014 : Foundation Physics A2
- Offered for Year: 2021/22
- Module Leader(s): Dr Adrian Oila
- Lecturer: Dr Tiago Marinheiro
- Owning School: Engineering
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
Aims
To introduce the essentials of forces, energy, atomic and nuclear physics at foundation level without a requirement for A level physics.
Outline Of Syllabus
Mechanics
Kinematics: units, dimensions, scalar and vector quantities, velocity, acceleration.
Forces: momentum, impulse, conservation of momentum, collisions. Newton’s laws. Gravitational and inertial mass.
Energy: work, energy, power, potential energy, conservation of energy.
Circular motion: angular velocity and acceleration, centripetal and centrifugal forces. Rotation about centre of mass, moment of inertia, angular momentum.
Fields: gravitational fields, potential and potential energy in fields. Inverse square law.
Structure of the atom
Atomic physics: Rutherford scattering experiment. The wave/particle nature of light. The photo-electric effect. The photon and atomic structure. The Bohr model of the hydrogen atom. The spectrum of atomic hydrogen. Multi-electron atoms. The Periodic Table. X-rays. X-ray production. Spectra. Absorption. Applications
Nuclear Physics: Atomic number, atomic weight, isotopes. Stability of nuclei.
Natural radioactivity: alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Sources of radiation. Half-life. Equation of radioactive decay.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 22 | 1:00 | 22:00 | PiP sessions combined with non-synchronous online. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 8:00 | 8:00 | Preparation for Assessments |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 70:00 | 70:00 | Review lecture notes and recommended texts. |
| Total | 100:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| SFY0015 | Foundation Physics A |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The subject material is highly knowledge based and requires lectures to disseminate the material.
Plan B: In case of Covid-19 disruption:
• PiP lectures will switch to non-synchronous and synchronous online learning (delivered via Canvas and Zoom)
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer assessment | 1 | A | 60 | Online test |
| Computer assessment | 1 | M | 10 | Online test |
| Computer assessment | 1 | M | 10 | Online test |
| Computer assessment | 1 | M | 10 | Online test |
| Computer assessment | 1 | M | 10 | Online test |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The module is intended to provide a factual knowledge base. A formal written examination is most appropriate in this case and the in course assessment encourages a consistent approach to learning.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SFY0014's Timetable