PHYS 211 - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 1

Credits: 5
Lecture Contact Hours: 5
Lab Contact Hours: 2
Description: This first semester, calculus-based course is designed for engineering students and science majors. Traditional topics of kinematics, dynamics, energy, fluids, heat and sound are investigated through lecture demonstrations, simulations and laboratory work.

Prerequisites: PHYS 123 or one year of high school physics. MATH 150 or high school calculus.
Corequisites: None.
Recommended: None.

Course Category: Liberal Arts | Science with Lab
This course counts toward Schoolcraft’s General Education Requirements.
This course counts toward a Michigan Transfer Agreement General Education Requirement.

This Course is Typically Offered: Winter, Spring, Fall
Check Course Availability

Course Competencies

Analyze the motion of an object in terms of its position, velocity and acceleration.
Analyze a system’s mechanics using Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Organize forces using a free body diagram.
Analyze a system’s mechanics using conservation of energy.
Analyze collisions using both conservation of energy and conservation of momentum.
Analyze simple harmonic motion.
Analyze orbital motion of satellites using Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation.
Use the principle of superposition to explain various wave phenomena.
Assign the appropriate SI unit to a physical characteristic.
Use significant figures when reporting calculated values.
Classify a physical quantity either as a scalar or a vector.
Change between polar and Cartesian vector notation.
Add two vectors graphically and algebraically.
Use computer simulation to model motion.
Use a Vernier caliper.
Use DataStudio for data acquisition.
Develop data tables and graphs to portray the results of experimental data collection.
Use curve fitting to analyze data.
Identify sources of experimental error.
Compare measured results from an experiment with calculated values derived from a mathematical model.
Develop a conclusion based on analysis of experimental data.