Fall 2010 Registration Period
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N220 - Intermediate Physics Olympiad
The class prepares students to take the U.S. Physics Olympiad Preliminary Exam in February and AP Physics C Mechanics Exam in May.
Textbook
- Tipler, Paul A. and Gene P. Mosca. 2004. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 5th ed. New York: W.H. Freeman.
- Pelcovits, Robert A. 2002. How to prepare for the AP Physics C., Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Other reference books:
- Giancoli, Douglas C. 2000. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.
- Serway, Raymond A., Robert J. Beichner and John J. Jewett. 2000. Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 5th ed. Pacific Grove, Calif.: Brooks/Cole Publishing.
Fall 2008 Schedule
| week | Topic | Summaries |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Dimentional Analysis | Dimensions - Measurements - Dimensional Analysis |
| 1 | Kinematics in 1D | 1D Kinematics - Speed - Velocity - Acceleration |
| 2 | Kinematics in 3D | Vectors - Dot Products - Cross Products - 3D Kinematics |
| 3 | Projectile Motion | Projectile Motion - Free Falling Reference Frames |
| 4 | Circular Motion | Circular Motion - Reference Frames - Perceived Gravity |
| 5 | Newton's Laws | First, Second, and Third Law of Motion |
| 6 | Weight | Perceived Gravity - Weightlessness Free Fall - Zero Gravity in Orbit |
| 7 | Friction | Static and Kinetic Friction, Motion in Curved Road |
| 8 | Simple Harmonic Oscillations | Springs - Simple Harmonic Motion - Pendulum |
| 9 | Work-Energy Principle | Conservation of Mechanical Energy - Universal Gravitation |
| 10 | Non-Conservative Forces | Resistive Forces - Air Drag - Terminal Velocity |
Winter 2009 Schedule
| week | Topic | Summaries |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Potential Energy | Energy Considerations to Derive Simple Harmonic Motion |
| 12 | Power | Escape Velocities - Circular Orbits - Various Forms of Energy - Power |
| 13 | Momentum | Conservation of Momentum - Center of Mass |
| 14 | Collisions | Elastic and Inelastic - Center of Mass Frame of Reference |
| 15 | Impulse | |
| 16 | Physics Olympiad Review | Preliminary Exam |
| 17 | Rotating Rigid Bodies | Moment of Inertia - Rotational Kinetic Energy |
| 18 | Angular Momentum | Torques - Conservation of Angular Momentum |
| 19 | Torques | Torques - Oscillating Bodies - Hoops |
| 20 | Kepler's Laws | Elliptical Orbits - Satellites - Change of Orbits |
NOTE: All lectures are provided by Professor Walter Lewin of MIT via MIT OpenCourseware and YouTube. Students are required to view the video lecture before attending problem solving classes.
Important Dates:
- 2009 United States Physics Olympiad Preliminary Exam: Monday, Feb. 2, 2009. Time and Location TBD
- 2009 AP Physics C Mechanics Exam: Monday, May 12, 2009.
2010 US Physics Team Announced