Module Code - Title:
PH4613
-
FORCES, POTENTIALS AND FIELDS
Year Last Offered:
2025/6
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
MA4602
PH4131
PH4102
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The purpose of this module is to enhance students understanding of key concepts and models associated with forces, potentials and fields. The objectives are to introduce and model kinematics, dynamics, planetary dynamics, fluid mechanics and electromagnetism using concepts such as magnitude, direction, rate-of-change, gradient and fields.
Syllabus:
Syllabus:
Kinematics: review of vectors and scalars, displacement, velocity, flux, acceleration, rotation, frequency, angular velocity, planes of reference, rotation of axes, cylindrical and spherical coordinates. Forces: stress, strain, pressure, tension, electricity, Gauss's Law, magnetism, work, potential, conservation of energy. Dynamics: Newton's Laws, forces as a function of time and space; rate of change of forces and other vectors, tangential forces, centripetal and centrifugal forces. and fields: visualisation of scalar and vector fields, maxima/minima, contour maps, smoothness, gradient, curvature, gravity, relativity, electromagnetism, divergence and vortices and their significance for electromagnetism, and fluid mechanics, Maxwell's Equations.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
Solve problems involving kinematics and dynamics. Develop an in-depth understanding for scalar and vector fields. Solve problems involving forces which are a function of several variables. Describe the qualities of fields, including smoothness, gradient and divergence and vortices. Derive Maxwell's equations and understand the relationships between magnetic and electric field parameters. Describe the relationship between fields and forces and apply Gauss's and Kelvin-Stokes theorem's to simple cases.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On successful completion of this module students will be able to:
Discuss the importance of continuum mechanics in physics.
Show mathematical similarities between models in different fields of physics.
Demonstrate understanding of the physical meaning of several mathematical operations including gradient, divergence and curl.
Use tracking software and microcontrollers to an introductory level to make and interpret measurements of scalar and vector quantities.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
On successful completion of this module, students will be able to operate a camera for the purposes of using tracking software and will have basic operating tracking software skills. The student will be able to implement basic electronics circuits for instrumentation of experiments using a microcontroller for measurement and analysis of physical quantities.
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
How The Module Will Be Taught and What Will Be The Learning Experiences Of The Students:
Students will learn via interactive in-person lectures, labs, tutorials and problem based private study.
Delivered via: Weekly lectures, tutorials and labs; Homework (not for credit); Accessed via: Laboratory Project Reports and Oral Exam, Mid-term Written exam and Final Written exam.
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Prime Texts:
Spiegel, M (2000)
Vector Analysis
, McGraw-Hill
Other Relevant Texts:
Marsden, J. and Tromba, A (1996)
Vector Calculus
, Freeman
Kreyszig, E (2005)
Advanced Engineering Mathematics
, Wiley
Danielson, D. A (1992)
Vectors and tensors in engineering and physics
, Addison-Wesley
Tang, Kwong-Tin (2007)
Mathematical Methods for Engineers and Scientists 2: Vector Analysis, Ordinary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms
, Springer-Verlag
Fleisch, D. A (2012)
A student's guide to vectors and tensors
, Cambridge University Press
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BSEDPCUFA - PHYSICAL SCIENCE WITH CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
BSAPPHUFA - APPLIED PHYSICS
BSEDBIUFA - BIOLOGY WITH PHYSICS OR CHEMISTRY OR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Autumn
Module Leader:
david.mcnulty@ul.ie