Basic Physics Course on Energy and Momentum

Lesson 1 • Vector Mathematics for Physics

This introduces vector addition, subtraction, and component decomposition. These operations underpin force and momentum calculations in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Newton's Three Laws of Motion

This presents inertia, net force, and action-reaction pairs with quantitative examples. These laws are the causal engine behind energy and momentum principles.

Lesson 3 • Forces in Equilibrium and Dynamics

This analyzes static and dynamic equilibrium using force balance equations. It prepares students to identify conservative forces relevant to energy storage.

Lesson 4 • Kinematics: Describing Motion

This defines displacement, velocity, and acceleration with calculus-based and algebraic approaches. It builds the motion vocabulary needed before forces are introduced.

Lesson 1 • Defining Mechanical Work

This introduces work as force dotted with displacement, including angle dependence. It distinguishes positive, negative, and zero work with physical examples.

Lesson 2 • Kinetic Energy and Its Sources

This defines kinetic energy and derives its dependence on mass and speed. It links net work directly to kinetic energy change via the theorem.

Lesson 3 • Power: Rate of Doing Work

This defines average and instantaneous power and relates them to force and velocity. It connects power to real-world engine and motor performance metrics.

Lesson 1 • Energy Dissipation and Thermal Energy

This quantifies mechanical energy lost to friction as thermal energy. It extends the conservation framework to include non-conservative work terms.

Lesson 2 • Gravitational Potential Energy

This derives gravitational PE near Earth's surface and at large distances. It establishes reference level conventions used in energy conservation equations.

Lesson 3 • Elastic Potential Energy in Springs

This derives spring PE from Hooke's law and the work integral. It connects spring PE to oscillatory motion introduced in supplementary chapters.

Lesson 4 • Conservative vs. Non-Conservative Forces

This distinguishes path-independent conservative forces from dissipative ones. This classification determines when mechanical energy is conserved.

Lesson 1 • Linear Momentum Defined

This introduces momentum as a vector quantity equal to mass times velocity. It contrasts momentum with kinetic energy to clarify when each concept applies.

Lesson 2 • Impulse and Force-Time Relationships

This defines impulse as the integral of force over time and links it to momentum change. It analyzes variable force scenarios using impulse-momentum theorem.

Lesson 3 • Applying Momentum to Real Scenarios

This applies impulse and momentum conservation to sports, vehicle safety, and ballistics. It reinforces problem-solving strategy before collision types are introduced.

Lesson 1 • Two-Dimensional Collision Analysis

This extends momentum conservation to 2D using vector components. Students solve glancing collision problems with angle and speed unknowns.

Lesson 2 • Inelastic Collisions and Energy Loss

This applies momentum conservation to inelastic collisions and calculates kinetic energy lost. It connects energy loss to deformation and heat generation.

Lesson 3 • Centre of Mass in Collision Systems

This uses the centre-of-mass frame to simplify collision analysis. It demonstrates how CM velocity remains constant in isolated systems.

Lesson 4 • Elastic Collisions in One Dimension

This solves 1D elastic collisions using simultaneous momentum and energy equations. It derives closed-form velocity expressions for equal and unequal masses.

Lesson 1 • Angular Momentum and Its Conservation

This defines angular momentum and derives its conservation for systems with no net external torque. It applies conservation to spinning skaters and planetary orbits.

Lesson 2 • Rotational Kinetic Energy and Work

This derives rotational KE and the work done by torque. It combines translational and rotational KE for rolling objects.

Lesson 3 • Rotational Kinematics

This defines angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration with their linear analogues. It establishes the rotational equations of motion for constant angular acceleration.

Lesson 4 • Torque and Rotational Dynamics

This defines torque as the rotational analogue of force and derives Newton's second law for rotation. It analyses lever arms and moment arms in physical systems.

Lesson 1 • Second Law and Energy Quality

This introduces entropy and the second law to explain irreversibility and energy degradation. It connects thermodynamic efficiency limits to real engine performance.

Lesson 2 • Specific Heat and Calorimetry

This introduces specific heat capacity and latent heat for phase transitions. Students solve calorimetry problems using heat balance equations.

Lesson 3 • Heat Transfer Mechanisms

This covers conduction, convection, and radiation as energy transfer modes. It quantifies heat flow using thermal conductivity and Stefan-Boltzmann law.

Lesson 4 • First Law of Thermodynamics

This states energy conservation for thermodynamic systems as ΔU = Q − W. It applies the first law to isothermal, adiabatic, and isochoric processes.

Lesson 1 • Relativistic Energy and Momentum

This introduces special relativity corrections to energy and momentum at high speeds. It derives E = mc² and the relativistic momentum formula.

Lesson 2 • Energy Methods in Complex Systems

This applies energy conservation and work-energy theorem to systems with multiple interacting components. It emphasises choosing energy methods over force methods for efficiency.

Lesson 3 • Problem-Solving Strategy and Review

This synthesises a systematic approach to selecting and applying energy and momentum tools. Students practise timed, exam-style problems across all chapter topics.

Lesson 4 • Momentum in Multi-Body Interactions

This analyses momentum exchange in systems of three or more bodies. It covers sequential collisions and explosion problems requiring careful bookkeeping.