Classical Mechanics and Thermodynamics Quiz

Classical Mechanics

• Classical mechanics describes the motion of macroscopic objects, from planets to cars, using Newton's laws of motion.
• Newton's first law states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
• Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. (F=ma)
• Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
• Concepts include: force, mass, acceleration, momentum, energy, work, and power.
• Applications include: projectile motion, circular motion, oscillations, and simple machines.

Thermodynamics

• Thermodynamics deals with heat, work, and temperature, focusing on the relationships between these quantities.
• Key concepts are:
  • Zeroth law of thermodynamics: defines temperature as a property that determines whether two systems are in thermal equilibrium.
  • First law of thermodynamics: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another.
  • Second law of thermodynamics: the total entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time.
  • Third law of thermodynamics: as temperature approaches absolute zero, the entropy of a system approaches a constant minimum value.
  • Heat capacity and specific heat
  • Phase transitions (melting, freezing, boiling)
  • Ideal gas laws (relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, and number of moles of gas)
• Applications include: engines, refrigerators, and power plants.

Electricity and Magnetism

• Electricity deals with electric charges, fields, and currents.
• Magnetism deals with magnetic poles and fields.
• Relationship between electricity and magnetism is fundamental, with changing magnetic fields producing electric fields and vice versa.
• Key concepts include:
  • Electric charge, current, voltage, resistance.
  • Magnetic fields and forces.
  • Electromagnetic induction.
  • Circuits (series and parallel).
• Applications include: electrical devices, motors, and generators.

Optics

• Optics deals with the behavior of light.
• Key concepts include:
  • Reflection and refraction of light.
  • Lenses and mirrors.
  • Interference and diffraction of light.
• Applications include: optical instruments like telescopes and microscopes.

Modern Physics

• Modern physics extends classical physics to particles at the atomic and subatomic level and at very high speeds.
• Special relativity deals with the relationships between space and time by recognizing that the speed of light is constant for all observers.
• General relativity describes gravity as a curvature of spacetime.
• Quantum mechanics describes the physical properties of matter at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles, typically dealing with probabilistic descriptions of phenomena.
• Key topics in Modern Physics include:
  • Quantum theory.
  • Wave-particle duality.
  • Models of the atom (e.g. Bohr model).
  • Nuclear physics.
  • Particle physics.
• Applications include: lasers, nuclear power, and electronics.

Waves

• Waves are disturbances that transfer energy through a medium or space.
• Types of waves include mechanical waves (requiring a medium), electromagnetic waves (propagating through empty space or a medium), and sound waves.
• Key characteristics of waves include: amplitude, wavelength, frequency, period, and speed.
• Phenomena involving waves include interference, diffraction, reflection, and refraction.
• Applications include: sound, light, and water waves.