The first semester of college physics introduces students to the basic principles, models, and theories of translational and rotational motion. The lectures and discussions emphasize conceptual understanding and problem solving in inquiry-based, student-centered formats. Students record, analyze and compare the possible motions for solid rigid objects (e.g. bicycles, cars, planets) and deformable objects (e.g. springs, fluids, human beings). The laboratories emphasize hands-on activities in which students collect and interpret motion data from handheld equipment (stopwatches, rulers, balances, etc.), data acquisition peripherals connected to a computer, or simulations. Throughout the course, connections between the studied phenomena and our everyday life experience are emphasized.
Connections to life experience set the stage for class discussions to which everyone feels welcome. Clashing opinions are valued. By surviving challenges from competing explanations, the most accurate understanding of a phenomenon eventually emerges. At the end of this course you will have a repertoire of strategies for tackling complex problems (those comprising a number of interdependent parts).
These elements of the course can appear in either the lecture section or the lab section, with the goals of:
1. exploring how physicists conduct research
2. explaining the fundamentals of experimental design
3. making observations, collecting and organizing data, and summarizing the data to support a conclusion
4. explaining the results of an experiment, in relation to the principles involved
5. communicating science both orally and in writing
6. reflecting on limitations of the experiment, and proposing ways to reduce its uncertainty
Examples:
All courses in the General Education Program aim to help you develop the qualities of a "self-confident, independent, lifelong learner." College physics promotes these qualities with regular "microinterventions" on the following topics.