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Vanier College Physics Wiki
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IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Find your textbook, study guides and lab skills handbook here:
MECHANICS
Introduction
- Mechanics Concept Overview
- Stefan's Formulas for College Physics
- Stefan's Youtube Playlist for Mechanics
Math review
Theory
Measurement, Uncertainty, and Units
Videos
- Video: Introduction to uncertainties
- Video: Estimating the uncertainty of a measurement - Example: the length of a cat
- Video: Using the Min-Max Method to calculate the uncertainty of a measurement - Example: the length of a cat
- Video: Using the Average and Standard Deviation to calculate the uncertainty of a measurement - Example: the length of a cat
- Video: Accurate vs. Precise
- Video: Calculations with uncertainty - Simple cases
- Video: Calculations with uncertainty - Complicated cases
- Video: Unit Conversion with dimensional analysis
- Video: Unit Conversion example: km/h to m/s
- Video: SI-Prefixes
Theory
- Measurement and Data Analysis
- Uncertainties in Measurement
- Stefan's Lecture Note on Measurement and Uncertainty
Book References
Vectors
Videos
- Video: Drawing Vectors
- Video: Find the direction and the components of a vector
- Video: Adding Vectors Graphically : Head to Tail Method
Theory
Book References
- Openstax University Physics Volume 1 - Chapter 2:Vectors
- OpenStax College Physics - Chapter 3.2: Vector Addition and Subtraction: Graphical Methods
Kinematics
1 D Motion
Videos
- Video: Introduction to Position-Time graphs
- Video: Introduction to Velocity-Time graphs
- Video: Drawing the Position-Time graph from the Velocity-Time Graph
- Video: Kinematics Definitions, displacement, distance traveled, velocity and speed.
- Videos: Formulas for motion with constant acceleration
- Video: Example - v-t, a-t and s-t graphs
- Video: Example - Free-Fall
- Video: Example - Throwing an object in the air : Part 1
- Video: Example - Throwing an object in the air : Part 2
Theory
Simulation and practice
- Simulation: Graphs
- Geogebra: Create x-t and a-t graphs for various v-t graphs
- MathCelebrity: Kinematics Equations Calculator
Book References
- OpenStax University Physics Volume 1 - Chapter 3: Motion Along a Straight Line
- OpenStax College Physics - Chapter 2: Introduction to One-Dimensional Kinematics
2 D Motion
Videos
- Video: Introduction to 2D Kinematics
- Video: Constant acceleration in 2D Kinematics
- Video: Introduction to Projectile Motion
- Video: Projectile Motion Example - Angle and target location unknown
- Video: Projectile Motion Example - Maximal height and time to maximal height unknown
- Video: Projectile Motion - Range and trajectory
- Video: Uniform Circular Motion - Centripetal Acceleration
Theory
Book References
- OpenStax University Physics Volume 1 - Chapter 4: Motion in Two and Three Dimensions
- OpenStax College Physics - Chapter 3: Introduction to Two-Dimensional Kinematics
Rotational Kinematics
Videos
- Video: Rotational Motion
- Video: Equations for constant angular acceleration
- Video: Units of rotational motion (rpm)
- Video: Rotational Kinematics Example
Theory
Book References
- OpenStax University Physics Volume 1 - Chapter 10.1-10.3: Fixed-Axis Rotation
- OpenStax College Physics - Chapter 10.1-10.2: Rotational Motion
Dynamics
Videos
- Video: Introduction to Newton's Laws of Motion
- Video: Newton's 2nd Law of Motion
- Video: Newton's 3rd Law of Motion
- Video: Free Body Diagrams
- Video: Normal Forces Part 1
- Video: Normal Forces Part 2
- Video: Tension Force
- Video: Simple Newton's Laws Problem Example
- Video: Statics - Box on Surface
- Video: Simple Dynamics Example
- Video: Two-body dynamics problem
- Video: Two boxes pushed along a surface
- Video: Torque Shortcuts
- Video: Introduction to Rotational Equilibrium
- Video: Rotational and Translational Equilibrium - Beam with hanging mass
- Video: Ladder leaning on the wall
- Video: Neil deGrasse Tyson: Einstein vs Newton - Who Was Right?
- Video: Newton's Universal Law of Gravity: Introduction
- Video: Newton's Universal Law of Gravity: Calculating the mass of the earth
- Video: Newton's Universal Law of Gravity: Calculating the time it takes the moon to go around the earth
Theory
- What is Dynamics?
- The Concept of Inertia
- Newton's Laws of Motion
- Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
- Friction
- Dynamics of Circular Motion
- Static and Dynamic Equilibrium
- Torque
Book References
- OpenStax University Physics Chapter 5: Newton's Laws of Motion
- OpenStax University Physics Chapter 6: Applications of Newton's Laws
- OpenStax University Physics Chapter 10.6: Torque
- OpenStax University Physics Chapter 10.7: Newton's second law for rotation
Simulations
Laws of Conservation
Videos - Energy
- Video: Introduction to Laws of Conservation (Conservation of Energy)
- Video: Conservation of Energy in Mechanics
- Video: Mechanical Work
- Video: Work required to lift an object (Discovery of Potential Energy)
- Video: Work required to accelerate an object to velocity v (Discovery of Kinetic Energy)
- Video: Conservative Forces and Potential Energy
- Video: The potential energy of a spring
- Video: Energy Example: Two connected blocks and a spring
- Video: Energy Example: Calculating the escape velocity
- Video: Pendulum Lab with Photogates - Conservation of Energy - Instructions
Videos - Momentum
- Video: Introduction to Linear Momentum
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Inelastic Collision
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Example: 1D Inelastic Collision
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Elastic Collision
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - 2D Collision Example
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Explosions
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Rocket Equation (this is Rocket Science!)
- Video: Conservation of Linear Momentum - Linear Momentum and Newton
- Video: Conservation of Angular Momentum - Introduction
- Video: Conservation of Angular Momentum - Changing the rotational inertia
- Video: Conservation of Angular Momentum - A rotating platform
Theory
Book References
- Openstax University Physics Volume 1: Chapter 7 (Work and Kinetic Energy)
- Openstax University Physics Volume 1: Chapter 8 (Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy)
- Openstax University Physics Volume 1: Chapter 9 (Linear Momentum and Collisions)
- Openstax University Physics Volume 1: Chapter 11 (Angular Momentum)
Summary
STEFAN BRACHER'S LECTURES
Interesting Articles on Mechanics
- by Stephen Cohen
Felix Baumgartner's Sky Dive
Mechanical analysis of Baumgartner's sky dive
Mechanical analysis of Baumgartner's sky dive-part 2
WAVES AND MODERN PHYSICS
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM
SECONDARY 5 PHYSICS
REMEDIAL ACTIVITIES FOR SECONDARY 4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
KEVIN LENTON'S MECHANICS MODULES
KRESHNIK ANGONI'S LECTURES
LABS: USEFUL MATERIAL
- by Kreshnik Angoni
- by Kreshnik Angoni
- by Helena Dedic
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- The Exponential Function and Its Applications in Science
- by Don Hetherington
- Physics articles organized by course subject
- by Stephen Cohen
Career-Related Articles
- Things I wish I knew before my first job
- by Scott Redmond
- Choosing the Right Career Path
- by Scott Redmond
PHYSICS FUN
FOR TEACHERS