Course Orientation
Welcome to Physics 210: Conceptual Physics, Revision 3. This online environment gives you access to all the course study materials. Here, you can also submit your quizzes and course project for marking and feedback using the online assignment drop boxes.
Before starting, please read the Student Manual. It outlines important information you need to complete this course successfully, such as the course contract, the MyAU portal, requesting examinations, and services for students. If this is your first Athabasca University course, complete the Moodle Orientation.
The Study Guide is the main body of your course. Each of the 18 course units provides learning outcomes, discusses the concepts covered in the unit, and identifies the learning activities you are expected to complete.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
- explain the differences between science and art and discuss the main features of scientific methods.
- discuss and formulate basic kinematics in one and two dimensions, including uniform rotation.
- state Newton’s three laws of motion and discuss the dynamics of moving objects.
- discuss the principles of conservation of energy, conservation of linear momentum, and conservation of angular momentum and give examples of their applications.
- state Newton’s law of universal gravitation and use it to explain ocean tides and satellite motion.
- discuss the atomic and molecular nature of matter and explain the periodic table of the elements.
- define the solid, liquid, gaseous, and plasma states of matter and discuss relevant concepts such as elasticity, buoyancy, capillarity, and Bernoulli’s principle.
- explain the notions of temperature, heat, specific heat capacity, thermal expansion, and heat transfer.
- describe the different types of phase changes and explain relevant phenomena such as the formation of clouds.
- state the first and second laws of thermodynamics and explain the concept of the heat engine.
Course Outline
There are 18 units in PHYS 210:
- Unit 1: About Science
- Unit 2: Newton’s First Law of Motion
- Unit 3: Linear Motion
- Unit 4: Newton’s Second Law of Motion
- Unit 5: Newton’s Third Law of Motion
- Unit 6: Momentum
- Unit 7: Energy
- Unit 8: Rotational Motion
- Unit 9: Gravity
- Unit 10: Projectile and Satellite Motion
- Unit 11: The Atomic Nature of Matter
- Unit 12: Solids
- Unit 13: Liquids
- Unit 14: Gases
- Unit 15: Temperature, Heat, and Expansion
- Unit 16: Heat Transfer
- Unit 17: Change of Phase
- Unit 18: Thermodynamics
Course Materials
eText
- Hewitt, P. G. (2021). Conceptual Physics (13th ed.). Pearson.
Important
Download your eTexts to the Bookshelf app NOW to ensure continuous access.
Downloading your eTexts will ensure you have offline access and avoid interruptions due to server outages, IT maintenance, or the end of your course contract.
- Click the eText link
on the course home page to accept the licence agreement. - Go to the VitalSource Bookshelf download page. Select your operating system.
- Download and install Bookshelf on your device.
- Log in to your Bookshelf app using your VitalSource username and password.
- Find the corresponding eText cover and click Download Book.
Additional information is available on AU’s eText Initiative site and the VitalSource Contact Support page.
Study Guide
In this revision of PHYS 210, the Moodle-based Study Guide merges relevant sections of the eText with AU-produced assignment questions and detailed solutions for problems selected from the end of each chapter in the eText. Unless otherwise noted, the questions in the “Questions” section of each Study Guide unit are adapted from Conceptual Physics (13th ed.) [Ebook], by P. G. Hewitt, 2021, Pearson.
In addition to static and dynamic diagrams developed using Mathematica, this course includes interactive activities that make use of free simulations from the PhET project. Through PhET, you can watch and interact with objects moving in real time.
The Study Guide also includes 3-D animation videos created using the text-to-speech technology software State, developed by Xtranormal, now known as Nawmal. These videos were originally created for PHYS 204; however, they cover the concepts presented in PHYS 210 and will enhance your learning.
Supplementary Resources
Mastering Physics is an online platform that accompanies your eText. It provides a variety of resources that may help you learn and practice the material presented in PHYS 210.
When you access Mastering Physics, you will be directed to a platform outside of AU. You will create a Pearson student account and use it to access the resources. Follow the instructions in the following document to gain access:
Mastering Physics Student Registration Instructions
To sign in later, go to https://mlm.pearson.com and log in.
Study Strategy
Approach
Each unit in PHYS 210 opens with a brief introduction and a set of learning outcomes outlining what you must be able to do to demonstrate your mastery of the unit material. Each unit specifies several learning activities, including assigned reading from the eText, solutions to selected problems, and exercises you are expected to attempt.
Work through the units carefully. You should begin by reading the learning outcomes and keep them in mind as you proceed through the unit. Next, read the assigned material from the eText and the additional reading material in the Study Guide. You may find it helpful to read all the material at least twice: once to familiarize yourself with it and a second time to make notes and work through the Check Points. Then answer the assigned questions (selected from the end-of-chapter review questions) and compare your work with the answers provided. Discuss with your tutor any discrepancies between your answers and those provided. For extra practice, work through the suggested exercises.
Problem solving is an important part of the learning process. Therefore, you should spend time solving (or answering) questions at various degrees of difficulty. This strategy provides a good test of your understanding of the main concepts and increases your efficiency in answering exam questions. Endeavor to independently answer the questions presented in the Study Guide before you read through the explanation provided.
Note
Although you are encouraged to answer the assigned questions clearly and concisely, you are also expected to show sufficient detail. This will help your marker to identify where you are having trouble with concepts or mathematical skills.
Schedule
Students who approach their studies in a systematic and organized manner are more likely to complete their courses successfully than those who do not plan their activities. Therefore, we advise you to develop and follow a study schedule to assist you in budgeting your time and scheduling your progress. When designing your study schedule, keep in mind that to complete the course within the contracted period, you should do at least one unit or assignment per week. However, it is best to aim for a shorter period in case an unforeseen circumstance arises. Remember that physics is like a heavy meal: you should “eat it” one plate at a time and allow your brain enough time for “digestion.”
Suggested Study Schedule
In the schedule below, we have indicated the approximate amount of time you should spend on each activity. You have six months from your contracted start date to complete this three-credit course, but you will note that the schedule provided below is based on an 18-week period. The suggested schedule allows you some leeway in case any unforeseen circumstance interferes with your study.
| Week | Unit | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–2 | Unit 1–2 exercises |
| 2 | 3–4 | Unit 3–4 exercises |
| 3 | 5 | Unit 5 exercises Plan your course project and prepare your thesis statement |
| 4 | Quiz 1 | |
| 5 | 6–7 | Unit 6–7 exercises |
| 6 | 8–9 | Unit 8–9 exercises |
| 7 | 10 | Unit 10 exercises Organize and read your resources for the course project |
| 8 | Quiz 2 | |
| 9 | 11–12 | Unit 11–12 exercises |
| 10 | 13–14 | Unit 13–14 exercises |
| 11 | Quiz 3 | |
| 12 | 15–16 | Unit 15–16 exercises |
| 13 | 17–18 | Unit 17–18 exercises |
| 14 | Quiz 4 Request to write the final exam |
|
| 15–16 | Complete and submit your course project | |
| 17–18 | Review Units 1–18 Write the final exam |
Evaluation
Your final grade in PHYS 210 is based on the marks you achieve in four quizzes, one course project, and a final examination. To pass the course, you must achieve at least 50% on the final exam and an overall course grade of at least 50%. Students who do not achieve a minimum passing grade on the final exam are allowed to write a supplemental examination. There is a fee for this service.
The following chart summarizes the evaluation activities and their credit weight:
| Activity | Credit Weight (%) |
|---|---|
| Quiz 1 | 10 |
| Quiz 2 | 10 |
| Quiz 3 | 10 |
| Quiz 4 | 10 |
| Course Project | 20 |
| Final Exam | 40 |
| Total | 100 |
Quizzes
During this course, you will write four quizzes, each worth 10% of your final grade. They cover the course content as follows:
- Quiz 1: Units 1–5
- Quiz 2: Units 6–10
- Quiz 3: Units 11–14
- Quiz 4: Units 15–18
The quizzes are open book, and there is no limit on the amount of time you have to write them. Each has 15 multiple-choice questions and 4 written-response questions. See the Quizzes section of the course home page to access and write the quizzes.
Course Project
The course project is worth 20% of your final grade, and you have the option of writing an essay or creating a documentary-style video that explains and analyzes a physics phenomenon, concept, or application related to the learning outcomes of PHYS 210. You are expected to demonstrate a clear understanding of the topic you select and discuss or present it in reasonable depth.
You should complete this assignment during the second half of the course, when you are familiar with most of the topics presented, but not so late as to cause you difficulty in submitting the project before your course contract ends.
For full instructions, the marking scheme, and submission requirements, see the Assessment section of the course home page.
Final Examination
At the end of this course, you will write an online invigilated final examination. The exam must be supervised by a person authorized by AU. Please request your exam well in advance of the date you intend to write it. Make sure you have your student ID number and picture identification with you at your exam.
The final exam covers all units (1–18) and is worth 40% of your total course grade. The exam consists of 42 questions and is divided into two parts. The first part includes 40 multiple-choice questions and is worth 80% of the total exam mark. The second part consists of two written-response questions and is worth 20% of the total exam mark. You have a maximum of three hours to write the final exam.
This is a closed-book test to be completed online without any printed material or electronic devices outside of the online exam system (e.g., cell phone, smart watch, camera, tablet, etc.). You may not consult other people while writing the exam.
A standard scientific calculator is permitted. Key formulas and the periodic table of the elements will be provided within the online exam. If you bring blank paper into the exam, you must present it to your invigilator/proctor for inspection before you begin writing the exam. If you use ProctorU, any scrap paper you use must be destroyed in front of the proctor.
Quizzes 1–4 are good examples of the types of questions you will encounter on the exam. For additional practice before the exam, see the “Multiple-Choice Practice Exam” questions at the end of each chapter in the eText.