Introduction to Natural Science: Physics

The course is offered as preparatory education and cannot be included in a university degree.

The course is taken as part of the program Introduction to Natural Sciences (Z1BAN), but can also be taken as a stand-alone course.

The course aims to provide the knowledge in the subject area of Physics required for admission to university studies in the natural sciences. The course is divided into three equal modules and laboratory work.

Modules

1. Mechanics, 4.5 credits
Grading scale: Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

Quantities, units, unit conversion.
Force vectors in two dimensions, equilibrium of forces.
Torque and equilibrium of moments about a given axis of rotation.
Density and pressure, Archimedes' principle.
Newton's laws. Uniformly accelerated motion.
Energy and work, efficiency. Internal energy, heat and temperature.
Momentum and impulse. Linear collisions.
Projectile motion, central motion and introduction to harmonic oscillatory motion.

2. Electricity, 4.5 credits
Grading scale: Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

Electric charge and force, Coulomb's law.
Electric field strength, energy, potential, voltage and current.
Electric circuits, Ohm's law, resistance, series and parallel connections, Kirchhoff's laws.
Specific heat capacity, melting and solidification, evaporation and condensation.
Magnetic fields. Magnetic force on moving charges and on current-carrying conductors.
Electromagnetic induction.

3. Waves and modern physics, 4.5 credits
Grading scale: Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U)

Geometric optics.
Harmonic oscillatory motion. Mechanical waves. Sound waves.
Light. Electromagnetic waves, wave and particle properties.
Matter waves, atoms and energy levels.
Relativity. The atomic nucleus and radioactivity.

4. Laboratory class, 1.5 credits
Grading scale: Pass (G) and Fail (U)

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:

Knowledge and understanding

• have knowledge of particle and body mechanics, electricity, circuits, wave motion, optics and modern physics. The emphasis of the acquired knowledge should be on classical experimental physics.
• be familiar with the concepts of physical quantities, units and measurement values, have knowledge of different measurement systems and be familiar with experimental measurements.
• know how velocity and acceleration are defined in motion in a plane.
• understand what kinetic energy and potential energy are and understand the relationship between physical work and energy.
• understand the relationship between momentum and momentum.
• know what is meant by centripetal acceleration.
• be familiar with the concepts of internal energy, heat and temperature, and specific heat capacity.
• understand what phase transitions during melting and evaporation mean and that they require a certain amount of heat.
• understand the concept of electric charge and how its sign affects the direction of forces and fields.
• understand the concepts of electric field strength and electric potential and the relationship between them.
• understand how magnetic fields are generated and in which direction they are directed.
• be familiar with the concept of induction and understand how electromotive force is induced by motion or change in flux.
• know how light rays are reflected by mirrors and refracted by lenses and prisms.
• know what is meant by harmonic oscillations and waves.
• understand the concepts of wave velocity, frequency, period, angular velocity, wavelength, and the relationships between them.
• understand the concepts of superposition, standing waves, interference, and diffraction.
• know the main features of the structure of atoms and how atoms can interact with light.
• know that nothing can travel faster than light, according to the special theory of relativity, and understand what is meant by time dilation and length contraction.
• know the equivalence between mass and energy.
• know how the atomic nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons and understand the principles of radioactive decay.

Skills and abilities

• be able to perform a unit analysis of a physical expression and check that the units are consistent in a physical context. 
• be able to add force vectors in a plane.
• be able to describe Newton's three fundamental laws of mechanics.
• be able to isolate an object and determine the resulting force on it.
• be able to calculate the torque on an object when rotating around a fixed axis.
• be able to use Archimedes' principle to determine the buoyancy force on an object in a liquid or gas.
• be able to make calculations on projectile motion without air resistance.
• be able to make calculations on central motion at constant speed.
• be able to make calculations on the amounts of heat required for heating and during phase transitions for different substances.
• be able to use Coulomb's law to calculate forces between charges.
• be able to analyse simple electrical circuits using Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's laws.
• be able to calculate the forces on a charge moving in a combination of an electric and magnetic field.
• be able to calculate the induced electromotive force in simple cases.
• be able to construct and calculate ray paths in imaging with mirrors and lenses.
• be able to make calculations on interference phenomena and grating diffraction.
• be able to calculate resonance frequencies for oscillating systems.
• be able to make calculations on black body radiation and the photoelectric effect.
• be able to make calculations on atomic emission and absorption of light.
• be able to analyse and make simple calculations on nuclear reactions.

Judgement and approach

• understand that experiments play a central role and that knowledge is built up through interaction between observations and models/theories.
• be able to assess whether the result of a calculation is reasonable.

Lectures, calculation exercises and laboratory work.

Examinations are held at the end of modules 1, 2 and 3. Laboratory work is assessed on the basis of attendance and active participation. Students who do not pass the regular examination are offered additional examination opportunities.

The course is graded on a scale of Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G) and Fail (U).

To receive a Pass (G) for the entire course, students must pass all modules.

To receive a final grade of Pass with distinction (VG), the total written score from modules 1, 2 and 3 must also be at least equal to the total number of points required for a VG grade in each module.

Course evaluation is conducted via questionnaire after modules 1, 2 and 3.