Overview
The development of physical law from Newton to the revolutionary ideas of quantum physics formulated by Planck, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Bohr and Einstein. The physics of the real world: motion, energy and its transfer, and an introduction to the quantum mechanical nature of light and matter. Applications of the principles of physics to a technological society.
PHSI 131 Fundamentals of Physics I is the first semester of a two-semester, introductory, calculus-based sequence. Our goal is for you to learn to approach, solve and understand a wide variety of physics problems on both qualitative and quantitative levels and to relate "classroom physics" to the real world we live in. We emphasise conceptual understanding along with problem-solving skills.
About this paper
| Paper title | Fundamentals of Physics I |
|---|---|
| Subject | Physics |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,141.35 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Restriction
- PHSI 191
- Schedule C
- Science
- Notes
- (i) It is recommended that students enrolling for PHSI131 have a background in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Mathematics (or equivalent). (ii) Students with excellent results in NCEA Level 3 Physics (or equivalent) are advised to contact the departmental course adviser about substituting an appropriate 200-level paper for PHSI131.
- Eligibility
This paper is suited to students with a good working knowledge of secondary-education-level physics (NCEA level 3). A good knowledge of trigonometry, calculus, and algebra is assumed, and we recommend that students take MATH 130 and 140 concurrently with PHSI 131 and PHSI 132.
- Contact
- Course Director: mikkel.andersen@otago.ac.nz
Course Co-ordinator: paul.yates@otago.ac.nz - More information link
- View more information about PHSI 131
- Teaching staff
Professor Blair Blakie
Associate Professor Mikkel Andersen
Professor Craig Rodger
Associate Professor Colin Fox
Paul Yates
Paul Muir- Textbooks
Required: Katz, Deborah M. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and Connections, Extended Version with Modern Physics.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- Students completing this paper will:
- Know the basic physical laws in the key topics of the paper: Newtonian classical mechanics, wave mechanics, and introduction to the quantum mechanical nature of light and matter
- Apply the physical laws to understand modern technologies and predict the outcome of real-world physical phenomena
- Use physical principles, in conjunction with calculus, to solve quantitative problems in the topic areas
- Present a solution to a physics problem and be able to assess whether a solution is physically reasonable
Timetable
Overview
The development of physical law from Newton to the revolutionary ideas of quantum physics formulated by Planck, Schrödinger, Heisenberg, Bohr and Einstein. The physics of the real world: motion, energy and its transfer, and an introduction to the quantum mechanical nature of light and matter. Applications of the principles of physics to a technological society.
PHSI 131 Fundamentals of Physics I is the first semester of a two-semester, introductory, calculus-based sequence. Our goal is for you to learn to approach, solve and understand a wide variety of physics problems on both qualitative and quantitative levels and to relate "classroom physics" to the real world we live in. We emphasise conceptual understanding along with problem-solving skills.
About this paper
| Paper title | Fundamentals of Physics I |
|---|---|
| Subject | Physics |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) | $1,173.30 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Restriction
- PHSI 191
- Schedule C
- Science
- Notes
- (i) It is recommended that students enrolling for PHSI131 have a background in NCEA Level 3 Physics and Mathematics (or equivalent). (ii) Students with excellent results in NCEA Level 3 Physics (or equivalent) are advised to contact the departmental course adviser about substituting an appropriate 200-level paper for PHSI131.
- Eligibility
This paper is suited to students with a good working knowledge of secondary-education-level physics (NCEA level 3). A good knowledge of trigonometry, calculus, and algebra is assumed, and we recommend that students take MATH 130 and 140 concurrently with PHSI 131 and PHSI 132.
- Contact
- Course Director: mikkel.andersen@otago.ac.nz
Course Co-ordinator: paul.yates@otago.ac.nz - More information link
- View more information about PHSI 131
- Teaching staff
Professor Blair Blakie
Associate Professor Mikkel Andersen
Professor Craig Rodger
Associate Professor Colin Fox
Paul Yates
Paul Muir- Textbooks
Required: Katz, Deborah M. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Foundations and Connections, Extended Version with Modern Physics.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Interdisciplinary perspective, Lifelong learning, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Information literacy, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- Students completing this paper will:
- Know the basic physical laws in the key topics of the paper: Newtonian classical mechanics, wave mechanics, and introduction to the quantum mechanical nature of light and matter
- Apply the physical laws to understand modern technologies and predict the outcome of real-world physical phenomena
- Use physical principles, in conjunction with calculus, to solve quantitative problems in the topic areas
- Present a solution to a physics problem and be able to assess whether a solution is physically reasonable