These are notes from a class I taught at Syracuse to pre-"intro Physics students". The idea was to highlight the inter-relationships between physics and the mathematics that this group of students was learning concurrently.

You might find this helpful in reviewing mathematics.

...back to Rob Salgado

PHY 209
Space and Time in Elementary Physics

"Physical questions" are denoted by a (PHY).

SEPTEMBER: GEOMETRY AND ALGEBRA

Tu Aug 29
The Getting to Know You Quiz/Questionnaire
Preview to the Internet. Get to know your calculator.
Th Aug 31
Introduction to the Internet and the World Wide Web
Tu Sep 5
Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry
What is pi?
(PHY) How do we know the earth is not flat?
Th Sep 7
Euclidean geometry: Angles, Lengths, Areas, Volumes
Basic measurements. Basic units of the metric system.
Tu Sep 12 QUIZ
Cartesian geometry and graphing functions.
Basic graphing of simple functions and taking data from physical situations.
(PHY) Introduction to kinematics: linear motion with the Sonic Ranger. Galilean gravity.
Th Sep 14
Equation Solving
Algebraic and geometric interpretations. Mathematically formulating the physical problem.
(PHY) Kinematics of the falling body.
Tu Sep 19 QUIZ
More Equation Solving
Th Sep 21
Welcome to the Carrier Dome
(PHY) A measurement of the speed of sound.
Tu Sep 26 QUIZ
The Triangle and Trigonometry (triangles, p 1-3)
Exploiting scaling symmetry (proportions). The Pythagorean Theorem.
(PHY) How tall is that building? Introduction to geometrical optics (the law of reflection).
Th Sep 28
The Triangle and Trigonometry (trigonometry, p 4-6)
What does sine, cosine, and tangent mean?
(PHY) More geometrical optics (the law of refraction).

OCTOBER: TRIGONOMETRY AND VECTORS

Tu Oct 3 QUIZ
Polar Coordinates and Periodic Functions
Th Oct 5
The Vector I (algebra)
What is a vector? Basic algebraic operations and geometrical interpretations.
Tu Oct 10 QUIZ
The Vector II (dot-products)
Th Oct 12
The Vector III (components)
Tu Oct 17 QUIZ
The Vector IV (application: force)
(PHY) The inclined plane
Th Oct 19
The Vector V (application: Newton's Law of Motion)
(PHY) Dynamics of the falling body
Tu Oct 24
The Vector VI (cross-products, Application: torque)
(PHY) Statics and Stable Configurations. Center of Mass. The hanging sign.
Th Oct 26
Large Numbers, Fundamental Constants of Physics
The Powers of Ten (video).
(PHY) Some constants of nature (e.g. the speed of light, the Avogadro number, the Gravitation constant).

NOVEMBER: CALCULUS

Tu Oct 31
The Exponential function
What is e? Growth and decay.
(PHY) How far does a basketball bounce back up? The capacitor.
Th Nov 2
Linear Approximations
Intuitive introduction to limits and series expansions
Tu Nov 7
Differential Calculus I
What is differential calculus about?
(PHY) Average speed vs. Instantaneous speed.
Th Nov 9
Differential Calculus II
First and Second Derivatives.
(PHY) Linear motion revisited.
Tu Nov 14
Differential Calculus III Optimization.
(PHY) Projectile Motion revisited. Fermat Principle of Least Time.
Th Nov 16
Energy and The Harmonic Oscillator and a Glimpse of Integral Calculus
Tu Nov 21
Energy and The Harmonic Oscillator and a Glimpse of Integral Calculus (continued)
What is integral calculus about?
(PHY) Linear and projectile motion re-revisited.
Th Nov 23
Thanksgiving
Tu Nov 28
Momentum and Energy
Th Nov 30
Newtonian Gravitation
(PHY) The Moon is Falling!

DECEMBER: FUN STUFF

Tu Dec 5
Fun stuff
(PHY) Why is there no air on the Moon?
Th Dec 7
Exam
Rob Salgado