Below are concepts covered in General Physics I. These concepts are divided into units, and each unit lists topics covered along with video links we believe explain the concept well. Unit topics correspond with exam topics (i.e., Unit 1 topics are topics on Exam 1). Remember, our assessment of the videos is subjective and provided resources are supplemental and NOT meant to be comprehensive. Each semester is different and your semester may cover material faster or slower. Please do your own due diligence to find resources that best fit your needs. Also, watching the videos alone will often not be enough. DO PRACTICE PROBLEMS! We recommend:

1. Going to class (take good notes)

2. Watch the videos where you have a gap in understanding (take good notes)

3. Do as many relevant practice problems and practice exams as possible

4. Seek help through tutoring, office hours, etc. early (if necessary)

Unit 1 begins with the fundamentals with scalars and vectors. Understanding these concepts will require understand magnitude, direction and their combination. The combination of magnitude and direction enables examination of kinematics or motion.

Kinematics will be explored through an examination of position, velocity and acceleration. These can be through 1-d and 2-d kinematics. The unit ends with an introduction to Newton’s Laws which will be further detailed in the next unit.

NOTE TO STUDENTS:

1. It is crucial to be comfortable with the fundamentals. They will be used extensive throughout the course.

2. Don't get lost in the weeds. THINK BIG PICTURE! You are introduced to scalars which are magnitudes and then vectors with give you magnitude AND direction. Using these enables an examination of the concepts of motion such as position, velocity and acceleration.

3. Do not try to just memorize. UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPTS.

4. Practice! As in life, knowing is not the same as doing. It is not enough to understand. Apply your knowledge by doing as many relevant practice problems you can. This will most likely best prepare you for your exams.

• Fundamentals

  • SI Units

  • Scientific Notation Intro

    • Addition and Subtraction

    • Multiplication and Division

  • Significant Figures General

    • Significant Figures with Sig. 0's

  • Unit Conversions

  • Trigonometry Intro

    • Sine

    • Cosine

    • Tangent

• Vectors Intro

  • Notation

  • Vectors into Components

  • Adding Vectors

  • Subtracting Vectors

• 1-D Kinematics Intro - Vector and Scalar Quantities

  • Equations

  • Graphing Position

  • Graphing Velocity

  • Graphing Acceleration

  • Free Fall Intro

    • Problem Solving Approach

• Kinematics 2-D Kinematics Intro

  • Projectiles General

    • Projectiles with Upward Angle

    • Projectiles with Downward Angle

• Newton's Laws

  • First Law

  • Second Law

  • Third Law

  • Free Body Diagrams