PHYSICS
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2022/2023
- Teacher
- LORIS GIOVANNINI
- Credits
- 9
- Didactic period
- Annualità Singola
- SSD
- FIS/01
Training objectives
- In the course of general physics we propose to introduce students to the “concrete” point of view of the physics approachs.
After a brief introduction and summary of the main concepts needed to fully understand the arguments treated in the lessons, the course consists of two sections: the first one related to the thermodynamics and the second one to the electromagnetism.
The students will gain knoledge on:
- Recognize that a measurement in physics is affected by uncertainties, so even in the calculation of the exercises, care is required also in the digit significance numbers.
- To understand the meaning of energy, and especially its conservation.
- Catch the laws which govern thermodynamics, and also understanding in this matter the physical quantities that are preserved
.
- Addressing electromagnetism, including the usefulness and necessity of the vector calculus, with a more elastic look at the capabilities of its use in situations of symmetry, in order to simplify the calculations, as well as to understand the meaning of the results obtained.
- Understand the basic physical laws of electromagnetism and the mathematical structure that governs them.
Main skills that will demonstrate the degree learning:
- Solve problems of thermodynamics, especially on a p-V diagram, understanding the principles of conservation, which govern the mathematical models, we build on observation.
- Solve problems in physics with basic mathematical tools, distinguishing appropriately simplify mathematics and understanding of the problem.
- Learn how to read a formula, especially honing dimensional analysis, understand its content and the its possible developments. Prerequisites
- The following knowledge are required:
- Trigonometric and analytical functions, analysis of functions .
- Differential and integral calculus . - Partial derivatives and developments in Taylor polynomials .
- Vector Calculus and its representations: Cartesian , cylindrical and spherical polar .
The purpose is to practice with mathematical tools, in order to understand the meaning of a physical law. Course programme
- INTRODUCTORY PART (2 hours)
The physical law and the importance of the scientific method.
Concept of energy (kinetic and potential), conservation principle.
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THERMODYNAMICS (22 hours of lectures, distributed as indicated below)
From mechanics to thermodynamics; from the principle of conservation of energy to the first law of thermodynamics (2 hours).
Thermal laws and thermometry (2 hours).
Thermodynamic processes and laws (8 hours).
First and second thermodynamics principles, thermal and refrigerating machines, definition of entropy (10 hours).
It will focus primarily on the model of ideal gases, which allows the introduction of a clear and consistent theoretical concepts of quantities, such as internal energy, heat, work and entropy.
We will try to elaborate the mathematical foundations of thermodynamics, in order to understand their basic concepts.
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ELECTROMAGNETISM, (48 hours of lectures, distributed as indicated below)
- Introduction to electrostatics (6 hours): Electric charge. Coulomb's law. Electrostatic field. Electrostatic field generated by point charges and continuous distributions. Millikan experiment.
- Work and electrostatic potential (5 hours): Electrostatic potential energy. Work and potential energy. Electrostatic potential. Circulation of the electric field and Maxwell's third equation. Equipotential surfaces and lines of force of the electric field. The electric dipole.
- Gauss's law, dielectrics and conductors (9 hours): Gauss's law. Maxwell's first equation. Poisson and Laplace equations. Conductors. Capacitor. Series and parallel connection of capacitors. Energy of the electric field. Electrical behavior of dielectrics. Capacitance of capacitors with dielectric. Breakage of the dielectric. Electrostatics in the presence of dielectrics.
- Electric current (6 hours): Electric current, current density. Ohm's law. Resistivity, conductance. Power dissipated in a resistor (Joule effect). Drude model (classical) of conductivity in metals. Series and parallel connection of resistors. Electromotive force generators. Charge and discharge of a capacitor. Electric networks. Kirchoff's laws.
- Magnetostatics (12 hours): Definition of magnetic field. Lorentz force. Work of the magnetic field. Laplace's second law. Force on a flat coil in a uniform field. Galvanometer. Instruments for measuring currents and voltages. Hall effect. Motion of a charge in a uniform magnetic field. Mass spectrometer. Cyclotron. Laplace's first law. Ampere-Laplace law. Biot-Savart law. Magnetic field of a circular coil. Magnetic dipole. The Earth's magnetic field; Van Allen Bands, Northern Lights. Ampere's law and Maxwell's fourth equation. Magnetic properties of matter. Diamagnetism, paramagnetism, ferromagnetism. Gauss's law for the magnetic field, Maxwell's second equation.
- Time-varying electric and magnetic fields (6 hours): Faraday's law. Time dependent third Maxwell equation. Alternating current generator. Self-induction. Inductors and inductance. RL circuit. Mutual induction. Ampere-Maxwell law. Maxwell's equations in integral and differential form. Maxwell's equations in material means. Equation of electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves in vacuum. Plane waves, wavelength, wave vector, frequency, speed. Plane electromagnetic waves in space; spherical waves.
- Optics (4 hours): Refractive index. Continuity conditions of the fields at the interface between two different materials. Snell's laws. Limit angle. Fresnel's laws. Total polarization. Didactic methods
- The course will be 72 hours of lectures, in which there will be addressed theoretical arguments and some basic exercises.
Other educational activities, related to the performance of other exercises as a support for students, will depend on the number of hours available as part of the assigned days throughout the semester teaching.
It will require conducting some exercises at home, the teacher for these businesses will be open to discussion, on request of the students and during the hours dedicated for the exercises. Learning assessment procedures
- The assessment will be done through a final written test and a successive oral test.
To access the oral exam, the student has to pass the written exam with a grade greater than or equal to 18.
The final grade will be based on the outcome of the oral examination, also taking into account the written test. Reference texts
- Thermodynamics:
- P. Mazzoldi, M. Nigro, C. Voci
Elementi di Fisica: Meccanica Termodinamica (Edises, Napoli, 2012) (some chapters)
- notes provided by the professor during the lectures.
Electromagnetism:
- Elementi Fisica: Elettromagnetismo Onde (Edises, Napoli, 2012)
The lectures are mainly prepared following these books.
Alternatively, you may consider the single volume:
- David Halliday- Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker - FONDAMENTI di FISICA – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
All the books are available in the University libraries.
