General Physics II Topics Supplements
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The materials are grouped according to "Unit", roughly covered by each of the
three hour exams in my courses. |
Unit 1
- Heat and calorimetry. Covers basic algebraic techniques
for solving the equation of heat conservation for the value of temperature
at thermal equilibrium.
- Net electrostatic force Shows how
to analyze the vector forces that two charges exert on a third, for the situation
of all three charges on one line. Includes a discussion of symmetry.
- Electric field and potential. Emphasis is on the
concepts of how to combine terms for vector electric field and scalar electric
potential, for point charges on a line.
- Capacitance. Describes what a capacitor is; with links to
two another page about problem solving with regards to storage of energy in a
capacitor.
- Resistance. Basic facts about the nature of electrical
resistance and the flow of electrons in conductors.
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Unit 2
- Resistor networks. Step-by-step instructions on how to solve
problems involving the simplification of resistor networks; including how to solve for
voltages and currents anywhere in the circuit (without the use of Kirchhoff's Rules).
- Voltage dividers. Emphasis is on the concept of voltage "drop" or
loss as current flows through the series resistor elements of a circuit.
- Capacitors in parallel and in series.
Animated images help convey the concepts behind the equations for capacitor networks.
- Magnetic field. Where magnetic field comes from and how
it is detected and mapped. A brief discussion about magnetic "media".
- Lorentz force. An animation showing how charged particles follow
circular paths within a uniform magnetic field perpendicular to velocity.
- Magnetic properties of current. A brief discussion
about solenoids, meters and motors.
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Unit 3
- Induction and inductance.
Emphasis is on the concept of energy conservation
for three situations: current induced in a wire loop by a moving bar magnet, A.C.
induced in the rotating armature of an "alternator", and
the reactance of a "choke" in an A.C. circuit.
- Resonance.
Many physics textbooks, including Giancoli's, use the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse
to illustrate mechanical resonance. Engineers now believe that resonance did not cause
the collapse-- read the debate for yourself. Whether or not resonance was involved,
watch the movie of the swaying bridge as an example of a system carrying a
torsional standing wave.
- Traveling waves. A brief discussion about how particles
in a medium execute simple harmonic motion, how this causes traveling waves, and
the various properties of a traveling wave. Includes a link to an animation.
- Standing waves. Instructions for and links to
an animation on how transverse traveling waves interfere in a stretched string.
- Beats. An animation which shows how two sound waves of slightly
different frequency interfere in time to produce loudness (amplitude) variation.
For a different version of the same thing,
try this-- about half-way down the page is a window with four
"still" images showing traveling waves and their interference combination; by dragging
the "balls" in the lower right image, you can change the appearance of the
"beat" pattern.
- Sound intensity. A brief discussion about intensity with
distance from a point source, and the decibel loudness scale.
- Dipole radiation. An excellent on-line version of the movie shown
in class of the production of electric and magnetic fields away from a dipole antenna.
The Web site in Taiwan is often turned off on weekends, however. For a less-desirable
alternative animation,
click here.
- E.M. spectrum. Here's a group of Web sites that tell the story of how the various
portions of the spectrum are produced, and how they are being studied:
- Refraction and reflection. An animation that allows you to change
the angle of incidence for a light beam in a system that allows for total internal
reflection.
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