Responsible person: Marian Wittmann, associate professor, Dept. of Physics
2025/2026 Spring semester
Lecturer: István László Lagzi, associate professor, Dept. of Physics
Method of education: 4 hours weekly,
2 lectures (Monday 14:15-16, Ch 307) and 2 problem solving (Tuesday 14:15-16, Ch 304)
Requirements of accomplishment of the subject:
In the semester: At least 70% presence on the lectures and on problem solving. Writing two midsemester tests consisting of numerical problems. Requirement for the signature is minimum 40% of the available score from both midsemester tests.
In the examination period: written exam.
50% of the final grade comes from the midsemester tests, 50% from the written final exam.
The final grade is based on the total score: 2: > 40%; 3: > 55%; 4: > 70%; 5: > 85%.
Additional possibilities of accomplishment:
One of the two midsemester tests can be made up.
Recommended reading:
R. A. Serway – J. W. Jewett: Physics for Scientists and Engineers
A. Hudson – R. R. Nelson: University Physics
Detailed program of the subject:
LECTURES:
Introduction. Models, theories and laws. Units, standards, SI system. Reference frames. Coordinate systems. Vectors and scalars.
KINEMATICS: Motion in one dimension. Motion in two dimensions. Position vector. Average velocity, instantaneous velocity. Average acceleration, instantaneous acceleration. Position, velocity and acceleration in Cartesian and polar coordinates. Projectile motion. Circular motion. Curvilinear motion, tangential and radial accelerations.
THE LAWS OF MOTION: Inertial frames. Newton's laws. Force, mass. Normal force, tension, spring force, gravitational force, static and kinetic friction. Free body diagrams. The 1st cosmic speed.
WORK AND ENERGY: Work of a varying force. Kinetic energy and the work-energy theorem. Power.
POTENTIAL ENERGY: Work done by a spring. Work done by gravity. Work done by kinetic friction. Conservative and non-conservative forces. Potential energy. Conservation of mechanical energy. Changes in mechanical energy in the presence of non-conservative forces. Energy diagrams and the equilibrium of a system. The 2nd cosmic speed.
LINEAR MOMENTUM AND COLLISIONS: Linear momentum. Conservation of momentum. Elastic and inelastic collisions in 1D, 2D and 3D. Center of mass. Rocket propulsion.
ROTATION OF A RIGID OBJECT ABOUT A FIXED AXIS: Angular velocity vector, angular acceleration vector. Rotational kinetic energy. Moment of inertia. The parallel axis theorem. Torque. Work, power, energy.
ANGULAR MOMENTUM: Angular momentum of a particle and a system of particles. Conservation of angular momentum. Gyroscopes. Analogy between translational and rotation motion.
KEPLER'S LAWS OF PLANETARY MOTION.
STATIC EQUILIBRIUM: Conditions of equilibrium for a rigid object.
ACCELERATING FRAMES: Inertia forces: the translational inertia force, the centrifugal force, the Coriolis force, the Euler force. Discussion of motion in the rotating frame of the Earth.
OSCILLATORY MOTION: Simple harmonic motion, amplitude, phase constant, angular frequency. Mass attached to a spring. Energy of a simple harmonic oscillator. The simple pendulum. The physical pendulum. The torsional pendulum. Damped oscillations. Forced oscillations. Resonance.
BASICS OF CONTINUUM MECHANICS. Elastic properties of solids. Stress and strain, Young’s modulus, shear modulus, bulk modulus. Pressure. Fluids at rest, hydrostatic pressure. Pascal’s principle. Bouyant forces and Archimedes’ principle. Fluid dynamics. Flow rate and equations of continuity. Laminar flow. Bernoulli’s equation. Viscosity. Turbulent flow. Drag force. Dynamical lift.
PROBLEM SOLVING:
1. Vectors, functions. Choosing a reference frame.
2. Kinematics: position, displacement, velocity, acceleration in Cartesian coordinates.
3. Dynamics: projectile motion.
4. Normal force, tension, spring force, gravitational force, static and kinetic friction.
5. Circular motion in horizontal and vertical plane.
6. Center of mass. Conservation of momentum; elastic and inelastic collisions.
7. Harmonic oscillations. Drag force.
8. Work of a varying force. Conservative forces, potential energy.
9. The work-energy theorem. Conservation of mechanical energy.
10. Moment of inertia, the parallel axis theorem. Torque. Conservation of angular momentum.
Rotating and rolling motion.
