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Module

SFY0014 : Foundation Physics A2

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Adrian Oila
  • Lecturer: Dr Tiago Marinheiro
  • Owning School: Engineering
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

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
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion115:0015:00Preparation for Assessments
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture221:0022:00PiP sessions combined with non-synchronous online.
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study163:0063:00Review lecture notes and recommended texts.
Total100:00
Jointly Taught With
Code Title
SFY0015Foundation Physics A
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The subject material is highly knowledge based and requires lectures to disseminate the material.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1201A60N/A
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Prob solv exercises1M10Canvas quiz
Prob solv exercises1M10Canvas quiz
Prob solv exercises1M10Canvas quiz
Prob solv exercises1M10Canvas quiz
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessments, both summative and formative are designed to test knowledge and understanding as well as the ability to carry out simple calculations in physics.

Reading Lists

Timetable