Course

Introductory General Physics I

Faculty
Science & Technology
Department
Physics
Course Code
PHYS 1107
Credits
5.00
Semester Length
15 weeks
Max Class Size
36
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Lab
Course Designation
None
Industry Designation
None
Typically Offered
Fall
Summer
Winter

Overview

Course Description
This course is an algebra-based physics course focused on mechanics and waves. Topics covered in this course include linear kinematics and dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, mechanical waves, and sound. This course includes a weekly lab.
Course Content

Math Tools

  • SI units
  • vectors and scalars
  • significant figures
  • vector components
  • vector scaling, addition, and subtraction

Kinematics

  • position, displacement, velocity, and acceleration
  • motion plots
  • 1D and 2D motion under constant acceleration
  • free fall motion
  • projectile motion

Dynamics

  • Newton’s laws in 1D and 2D
  • Hooke’s law
  • friction
  • gravitation, weight, and apparent weight
  • centripetal force and uniform circular motion
  • torque
  • conditions for equilibrium

Energy

  • work, energy, and power
  • work-energy theorem
  • conservative and non-conservative forces
  • kinetic and potential energies
  • conservation of energy

Momentum

  • impulse and momentum
  • conservation of momentum
  • inelastic collisions in 1D and 2D
  • elastic collisions in 1D

Rotational Motion

  • angular position, angular displacement, and rotation angle
  • angular velocity and angular acceleration
  • rotational kinematics under a constant angular acceleration
  • moment of inertia
  • rotational kinetic energy
  • objects rolling without slipping
  • massive pulleys
  • angular momentum of rigid bodies

Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM)

  • angular frequency, oscillation period, and amplitude
  • mass-spring systems
  • simple pendulum
  • energy in SHM

Mechanical Waves

  • traveling waves
  • superposition principle and interference
  • standing waves and beats

Sound

  • power and intensity
  • sound intensity level
  • Doppler effect

Lab Experiments (may include)

  • measurement skills
  • graphing straight line motion
  • accelerated motion in 1D
  • projectile motion
  • friction
  • static equilibrium
  • orbital motion and centripetal force
  • conservation of energy
  • collisions and linear momentum
  • moment of inertia
  • Hooke’s law and simple harmonic motion
  • simple pendulum
  • standing waves on a string
Learning Activities

Classroom time will be used for lectures, demonstrations, discussions, problem solving practice, and/or in-class assignments (which may include work in groups). The lab part of this course involves a weekly three-hour session during which students will perform experiments related to the course content to build practical experimental skills. Work outside of class time may include online homework assignments.

Means of Assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:

Quizzes and Assignments    10-30%
Tests (minimum of two) 20-40%
Lab Reports and Quizzes 20%
Final Exam 25-40%
Total 100%
Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

  • determine the correct SI units for physical quantities through dimensional analysis.
  • use vector components to solve problems that involve forces or motion in 2D.
  • apply vector scaling, addition, and/or subtraction to determine the direction and magnitude of vector quantities associated with motion (for example, displacement, velocity, and acceleration).
  • interpret graphs of position, velocity, and acceleration as functions of time.
  • solve 1D kinematics problems with a constant acceleration.
  • solve 2D kinematics problems with a constant acceleration and projectile motion problems by applying the principle of independence of motion along two perpendicular directions.
  • define normal force, static friction force, kinetic friction force, tension force, spring force, and gravitational force.
  • summarize the forces acting on an object by drawing a free body diagram.
  • apply Newton’s laws to solve problems in 1D and 2D that involve forces acting on objects.
  • define and determine the centripetal force acting on an object moving along a curved path.
  • solve problems that involve objects undergoing uniform circular motion.
  • define and calculate the torque due to a force and the net torque on an object.
  • calculate the work done by conservative and non-conservative forces.
  • apply the law of conservation of energy and/or the work-energy theorem to solve problems that involve forces acting on objects.
  • distinguish between elastic collisions, inelastic collisions, and completely inelastic collisions.
  • apply the law of conservation of momentum to solve problems that involve inelastic collisions (or explosions) in 1D and 2D.
  • solve elastic collision problems in 1D where one of the colliding objects is initially at rest.
  • solve rotational kinematics problems for motion with a constant angular acceleration.
  • define moment of inertia and explain how the moment of inertia depends on the mass distribution within an object.
  • solve problems that involve forces and torques acting on objects that can translate and rotate (for example, rolling objects or massive pulleys) using the rotational analogue of Newton’s second law and/or conservation of energy.
  • define simple harmonic motion (SHM) and explain why a mass-spring system undergoes SHM.
  • apply the motion equations for SHM and/or conservation of energy to solve problems that involve SHM.
  • use the mathematical equation for a traveling wave to determine the wave speed and direction of the wave’s propagation.
  • solve problems that involve the interference of traveling waves (for example, standing waves and beats).
  • calculate the frequency or wavelength of sound heard by an observer due to the Doppler effect.
  • state and discuss the precision and accuracy of measurements.
  • determine the uncertainty on a quantity calculated from measured values by propagating uncertainty through a calculation.
  • present data using computer generated plots and determine physical quantities using a linear regression.
  • discuss and analyze the results of an experiment to provide appropriate context for the outcome.
  • communicate details of an experiment (for example, the objective, data, calculations, discussion, and conclusion) in a written report.
Textbook Materials

Consult the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:

Urone and Hinrichs, Open Stax, College Physics (custom edition)

ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, PHYS 1107 Laboratory Experiments Manual (current edition)

Requisites

Prerequisites

One of B.C. Foundations of Math 12 (C or higher) or B.C. Pre-Calculus 12 (C or higher) or MATH 1105

AND

One of Physics 11 (C or higher) or PHYS 1104

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

Course Transfers

These are for current course guidelines only. For a full list of archived courses please see

Institution Transfer Details for PHYS 1107
BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) BCIT PHYS 1140 (4) or BCIT PHYS 1143 (5) or BCIT PHYS 1147 (5) or BCIT PHYS 1151 (5) or BCIT PHYS 1164 (5) or BCIT PHYS 1181 (5) or BCIT PHYS 1288 (5)
Camosun College (CAMO) DOUG PHYS 1107 (5) & DOUG PHYS 1207 (5) = CAMO PHYS 104 (3) & CAMO PHYS 105 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU PHYS 110 (4)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU PHYS 1101 (4)
Langara College (LANG) LANG PHYS 1XXX (4)
Okanagan College (OC) OC PHYS 112 (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PHYS 101 (3) & SFU PHYS 132 (1)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PHYS 1100 (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU PHYS 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO PHYS_O 112 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV PHYS_V 100 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) DOUG PHYS 1107 (5) & DOUG PHYS 1207 (5) = UBCV PHYS_V 100 (3) & UBCV PHYS_V 1st (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC PHYS 100 (4)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV PHYS 101 (5)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC PHYS 1XX (1.5)
University of Victoria (UVIC) DOUG PHYS 1107 (5) & DOUG PHYS 1207 (5) = UVIC PHYS 102A (1.5) & UVIC PHYS 102B (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU PHYS 111 (4)

Course Offerings

Winter 2025

CRN
12344
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum Seats
18
Currently Enrolled
1
Remaining Seats:
17
On Waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2100
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
11:20
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A1230
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Section Notes

PHYS 1107 001 - This section includes a lab on Friday morning. This course uses a free open-source textbook

CRN
13266
section details
CRN Days Instructor Status More details
Maximum Seats
18
Currently Enrolled
3
Remaining Seats:
15
On Waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A1230
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. A
Room
A2100
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section Notes

PHYS 1107 002 - This section includes a lab on Friday afternoon. This course uses a free open-source textbook