PHYS 15A Honors Introduction to Physics I

Covers similar material to PHYS 5A (Mechanics, vectors, Newton’s laws, inverse square force laws, work and energy, conservation of momentum and energy, oscillations, and rotational motion), but in greater depth and with more sophisticated techniques. These include kinematics in polar coordinates, and associated descriptions of motion in rotating coordinate systems; information encoded in potential energy functions; the use and importance of symmetry; handling of complications due to real-world effects; and connections between position and momentum in simple harmonic oscillators. Students are expected to be fluent with precalculus and to be familiar with integration, and are encouraged to contact the instructor if they are uncertain about their preparation.