Physics I + Lab
Mechanics, Heat and Sound
Lab for Mechanics, Heat and Sound
4 College Credits (3 for lecture, 1 for lab) | UT Course Codes: PHY 302K, PHY 102M | TCCNS: PHYS 1301, PHYS 1101 | Core Code: 030
High School Course Prerequisites: Algebra I and Geometry required, Algebra II or Precalculus recommended
Explore central physics concepts firsthand through guided-inquiry lab investigations.
This algebra-based (non-calculus) course in mechanics fulfills a general physics requirement and lays important conceptual groundwork for STEM majors.
Students study topics such as Newtonian mechanics (motion, force, energy and rotation), solid and fluid mechanics, oscillations, waves, sound and heat. The lab component provides hands-on investigations to connect these concepts with real-world experience.
Course Structure
This course utilizes Peer Instruction and reinforces the general idea that the behavior of many systems in the world can be described precisely with simple mathematics.
Big Ideas
- Problem solving: conceptual problems using qualitative reasoning; single- and multi-step quantitative problems using physical, conceptual and mathematical models
- Mechanics: fundamentals of mechanics, including kinematics, Newton’s Laws, energy, momentum, gravity, rotational motion, statics, and solids and fluids
- Heat: storage and transfer of energy, including heat conduction, heat capacity, laws of thermodynamics and engines
- Waves and sound: Simple harmonic oscillation, traveling waves, standing waves, sound intensity, interference
- Experimentation: experimental design and planning, data collection, measurement of uncertainty, analysis and data representation
- Scientific inquiry: scientific reasoning, evaluation of concepts in physics, formulating hypotheses, and applications of models in physics
What Students Gain
- Foundational physics knowledge
- College-level scientific reasoning, data collection and analytical skills
- Scientific communication and collaboration skills
What Students Say
“It is a very challenging but also very motivational class. You will be able to adapt to new learning environments that you have not experienced before.”