Elementary Classical Physics

v3.1.6 / TOC (14 chapters) / 01 jan 08 / greg goebel / public domain

* This document is a short introduction to basic concepts and definitions in classical physics, with an emphasis on simple practical applications of physical principles. It assumes no mathematics beyond elementary algebra and geometry; metric measurements are used. Elementary electricity and magnetism are not discussed in detail, since they will eventually be covered in separate documents.

[1.0] Preliminaries

• [1.1] THE CONCEPT OF PHYSICS
  
• [1.2] COORDINATE SYSTEMS
  
• [1.3] DISPLACEMENT, VELOCITY, & ACCELERATION
  
• [1.4] FOOTNOTE: EXPONENTIAL NOTATION & METRIC PREFIXES
  

[2.0] Newton's Three Laws Of Motion

• [2.1] GALILEAN RELATIVITY / NEWTON'S THREE LAWS OF MOTION
  
• [2.2] THE FIRST & SECOND LAW
  
• [2.3] WORK & ENERGY
  
• [2.4] CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
  
• [2.5] THE THIRD LAW / MOMENTUM IN ACTION
  

[3.0] Mechanics In The Real World / Forces In The Universe

• [3.1] DRAG & FRICTION
  
• [3.2] ELEMENTARY MECHANICS AND MACHINES
  
• [3.3] FORCES AND FIELDS
  

[4.0] Rotational Motion

• [4.1] ROTATIONAL MOTION / ANGULAR VELOCITY
  
• [4.2] FUNDAMENTAL QUANTITIES / CENTER OF MASS
  
• [4.3] TORQUE, MOMENT OF INERTIA, & THE SECOND LAW OF MOTION
  
• [4.4] MOMENT OF INERTIA IN DETAIL
  
• [4.5] THIRD LAW OF MOTION / WORK & ENERGY
  
• [4.6] CENTRIPETAL & CENTRIFUGAL FORCE
  
• [4.7] CONSERVATION OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM
  
• [4.8] FOOTNOTE: MACH'S PRINCIPLE
  

[5.0] Gravity & Orbital Mechanics

• [5.1] ELEMENTARY ORBITAL MECHANICS
  
• [5.2] SATELLITE ORBITS
  
• [5.3] INTERPLANETARY SPACECRAFT TRANSFER ORBITS
  
• [5.4] GRAVITY ASSIST TRAJECTORIES
  
• [5.5] GRAVITY AND PLANETS / TIDES
  

[6.0] Advanced Concepts In Orbital Mechanics

• [6.1] GRAVITY IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM / LIBRATION POINTS / STELLAR MASSES
  
• [6.2] LIBRATION POINTS, HALO ORBITS, & MANIFOLDS
  
• [6.3] UNCERTAINTY IN ORBITAL MECHANICS / THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
  
• [6.4] FOOTNOTE: LARRY NIVEN'S INTEGRAL TREES / SPACE TETHERS
  

[7.0] Physics Of Solids

• [7.1] MATTER & ATOMS
  
• [7.2] GROSS PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS
  
• [7.3] STRENGTH OF MATERIALS
  
• [7.4] DESIGN OF STRUCTURES
  

[8.0] Physics Of Liquids & Gases

• [8.1] LIQUIDS (1): BUOYANCY
  
• [8.2] LIQUIDS (2): FLUID PRESSURE / SURFACE TENSION
  
• [8.3] GASES
  
• [8.4] COMPLICATIONS: VISCOUS FLOWS & COMPRESSIBLE FLOWS
  

[9.0] Thermal Physics

• [9.1] HEAT / TEMPERATURE SCALES / HEAT ENERGY
  
• [9.2] HEAT & MATTER
  
• [9.3] HEAT TRANSFER
  
• [9.4] THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS / ENTROPY & THE ARROW OF TIME
  
• [9.5] FOOTNOTE: ENTROPY & EVOLUTION
  

[10.0] Heat Engines & Refrigeration Systems

• [10.1] HEAT ENGINES & THE SECOND LAW
  
• [10.2] PRACTICAL ENGINES
  
• [10.3] REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS
  
• [10.4] FOOTNOTE: MAXWELL'S DEMON & THE SECOND LAW
  

[11.0] Waves & Sound

• [11.1] WAVE MOTION / STANDING WAVES
  
• [11.2] ACOUSTICS & MUSICAL SOUND / SONAR
  
• [11.3] REFLECTION, REFRACTION, & DIFFRACTION / STANDING WAVES
  
• [11.4] THE DOPPLER SHIFT
  
• [11.5] WAVE INTERFERENCE
  
• [11.6] FOOTNOTE: MECHANICAL RESONANCE
  

[12.0] Light & Optics

• [12.1] THE DISCOVERY OF LIGHT / ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
  
• [12.2] THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
  
• [12.3] LIGHT EMISSION
  
• [12.4] BEHAVIOR OF LIGHT
  
• [12.5] THE EYE AND COLOR
  

[13.0] Optical Technology

• [13.1] PINHOLE CAMERAS, LENSES, THE EYE, & EYEGLASSES
  
• [13.2] MICROSCOPES, REFRACTING TELESCOPES, & CAMERAS
  
• [13.3] MIRRORS & REFLECTING TELESCOPES
  
• [13.4] RADIO, INFRARED, ULTRAVIOLET, & X RAY TELESCOPES
  
• [13.5] FOOTNOTE: STEREO IMAGING SCHEMES
  
• [13.6] ENVOI: LIGHT & A NEW PHYSICS
  

[14.0] Reference Data

• [14.1] FORMULAS FOR ELEMENTARY MECHANICS
  
• [14.2] FORMULAS FOR ROTATIONAL & ORBITAL MECHANICS
  
• [14.3] FORMULAS FOR THERMAL PHYSICS, WAVE MOTION, & OPTICS
  
• [14.4] CONVERSION FACTORS
  
• [14.5] FOOTNOTE: SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVISM
  
• [14.6] COMMENTS, SOURCES, & REVISION HISTORY