- 01Definition of physics as an experimental science
- 02Physics as the search for new ideas and underlying principles
- 03Scope of PHYS I: motion, rigid bodies, and thermodynamics
Online course Jane Doe169 topics ready English
Elementary Physics I
Learn the foundations of physics through motion, forces, rotation, gravitation, and basic thermodynamics. The course builds dimensional analysis, vectors, kinematics in one and two dimensions, Newton’s laws, momentum, torque, angular momentum, and circular motion. It then introduces temperature, heat, gas pressure, the first and second laws of thermodynamics, and key process relationships.
30Chapters
98Lessons
169Topics
Certificate of completion included
Curriculum
The full table of contents.
Every chapter, every lesson, every topic — laid out before you enroll. Click any chapter to expand it.
- Chapters
- 30
- Lessons
- 98
- Topics
- 169
- 01Units, dimensions, and the rule of dimensional consistency
- 02Length scales and common length conversions
- 03Area and volume from length
- 04Angle as arc length over radius and the radian
- 01Area of Triangle and Circle
- 01Volume of a cylinder from a moving circle
- 01Sphere volume and surface area
- 02Angular width of the Sun and Moon
- 03Estimating Earth’s radius from shadows
- 01Coordinate systems and position coordinates
- 02Time measurement and pendulum clocks
- 03Speed as distance traveled per unit time
- 01Earth’s rotation as a free ride
- 01Earth's rotational and orbital speeds
- 02Measuring the moon's speed and diameter by stellar occultation
- 01Displacement vector and average velocity vector
- 01Instantaneous velocity and acceleration vectors
- 01Constant velocity and zero acceleration
- 01Velocity changing uniformly with constant acceleration
- 02Position as a function of time under constant acceleration
- 03Summary of the one-dimensional kinematic equations
- 01Constant acceleration and free-fall equations
- 01Constant acceleration and sign convention
- 01Vertical motion under gravity: time of flight and maximum height
- 01Parallelogram construction for vector addition and subtraction
- 01Resultant of parallel vectors
- 02Algebraic and trigonometric resolution of two vectors
- 01Defining vector components along a direction
- 02Resolving vectors into x- and y-components and summing many vectors
- 01Cosine and sine addition and subtraction identities
- 01Projectile motion equations for position, velocity, and acceleration
- 01Projectile trajectory equation and path
- 02Peak height, flight time, and acceleration
- 03Velocity at the top and at ground return
- 04Range and maximum-range launch angle
- 01Projectile launched from an initial height
- 01Why inertial observers need relative velocity transformations
- 01Synchronized clocks at coincident origins
- 02Coordinates of an event in relative motion
- 01Relative velocity formula and example problems
- 01Principle of Relativity and Uniform Motion
- 01Newton's first law and inertia
- 02Newton's second law, inertial mass, and corollaries
- 03Newton's third law and action-reaction pairs
- 04Mechanical forces and weight
- 01Definition of weight as gravitational force
- 01Normal force on a horizontal surface and contact between bodies
- 02Weighing machine and normal force on an inclined plane
- 01Tension in a massless, inextensible string
- 01Static and kinetic friction
- 01Position and velocity vectors in circular motion
- 01Centripetal acceleration from rotating velocity
- 02Angular velocity direction and right-hand rule
- 03Kinematics summary for uniform circular motion
- 01Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force
- 01Earth’s rotation and centripetal acceleration
- 02Apparent weight at the poles and equator
- 03Latitude-dependent centrifugal effects and pendulum tilt
- 01Experimental facts behind Newton’s postulate
- 01Newton's law of gravitation and the gravitational constant
- 01Principle of superposition for gravitational force
- 01Gravitational force of a point mass inside a spherical shell
- 01Gravitational force outside a uniform shell
- 02Force inside a uniform solid sphere
- 01Force near and inside a uniform sphere
- 02Gravitational force between two uniform spheres
- 03Weight and action-reaction near Earth’s surface
- 01Kepler’s law for planetary circular orbits
- 02Satellite form of Kepler’s law and orbit radius
- 03Moon and astronaut weightlessness facts
- 01Mass, energy, linear momentum, and angular momentum conservation
- 02Mechanical work and spring-force work
- 01Kinetic energy as work stored in motion
- 02Potential energy and conservative forces
- 01Conservation of mechanical energy in isolated systems and external work
- 02Gravitational potential energy and path independence of gravitational work
- 01Potential energy of a two-point-mass system
- 02Gravitational potential inside and outside a mass shell
- 01Gravitational force outside a solid uniform sphere
- 02Gravitational force inside a solid uniform sphere
- 01Potential energy of an Earth–mass system just above the surface
- 01Momentum definition, Newton’s laws, and impulse
- 02Two-body collisions and conservation of total momentum
- 01Statement of the conservation law and center of mass
- 01Two-body collision momentum conservation on a frictionless surface
- 01Totally inelastic collision: objects stick together
- 01One-dimensional conservation equations for a head-on collision
- 02Elastic head-on collision formulas for the final velocities
- 03Equal-mass collision example
- 01Angular position and angular velocity with changing speed
- 02Centripetal and tangential acceleration in non-uniform circular motion
- 01Torque as the cause of rotation
- 02Cross product and right-hand rule
- 03Formal definition and magnitude of torque
- 01Translational and rotational motion of a rigid body
- 02Center of mass, center of gravity, and gravitational potential energy
- 01Rolling without slipping on a horizontal surface
- 01No-slip rolling on a horizontal surface
- 02Rolling down an inclined plane with static friction
- 01Automobile acceleration on a horizontal surface
- 01Driving on a slippery road and bowling ball slipping into pure rolling
- 01Angular momentum of a particle in circular motion and its rate of change
- 01Rigid body angular momentum and analogy with linear momentum
- 02Conservation of angular momentum applied to planetary orbits
- 01Thermodynamic system and boundary
- 01Conducting and insulating boundaries
- 02Volume and pressure as thermodynamic properties
- 01Pressure isotropy in an isolated fluid
- 02Hydrostatic pressure gradient near Earth
- 01Conducting wall between two isolated systems
- 01Thermal equilibrium and the need for temperature
- 01Thermometer and thermostat as temperature-measuring systems
- 01Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature scales
- 01Thermal expansion of solids: length, area, and volume
- 01Liquid volume expansion and water’s anomalous expansion
- 01Boyle’s law at constant temperature
- 01Ideal-gas pressure and volume laws at constant volume and constant pressure
- 01Definition of heat as energy exchange between systems at different temperatures
- 02Specific heat and calorimetry
- 03Latent heat and mechanical equivalent of heat
- 01Why gases exert pressure and the impulse from wall collisions
- 02Deriving gas pressure from random molecular motion and kinetic energy
- 01Root mean square speed of gas atoms
- 02Examples for helium and krypton atoms
- 01Layer-by-layer heat flow in solids
- 02Steady-state conduction law and thermal conductivity
- 01Convection in liquids and gases
- 01Stefan-Boltzmann radiation from a hot surface
- 02Net radiative heat exchange and Newton’s law of cooling
- 03Emissivity and surface properties
- 01Heat transfer, phase change, and work equivalence
- 02Path dependence of heat and work in a gas process
- 03Internal energy and the first law of thermodynamics
- 01Constant volume (isochore) and heat capacity at fixed volume
- 01Constant pressure thermodynamic process
- 01Isothermal process: constant temperature, pressure-volume relation, and internal energy
- 01Cyclic process and net heat-work relation
- 01Equilibrium states and P-V diagrams
- 02Reversible and irreversible thermodynamic processes
- 01Motivation for the second law and Kelvin statement
- 01Carnot cycle and its four reversible processes
- 01Carnot cycle temperature ratio and engine efficiency
- 02Entropy and the S-T diagram
- 01Isotherm, adiabatic, and cycle
- 01Entropy increase in an irreversible adiabatic process
- 01Entropy increases in adiabatic processes
- 02Second law expressed as dS ≥ 0
- 03Insulated systems and total entropy change
- 01Kinematics equations
- 02Free fall equations
- 03Vector addition and components
- 04Trigonometric identities
- 05Projectile motion
- 01Forces, equilibrium, and friction
- 01Mechanical energy and potential energy relations
- 02Linear momentum, impulse, and conservation law
- 03Two-body collisions: elastic and inelastic cases
- 01Non-uniform circular motion kinematics
- 01Angular momentum of a single mass and a rigid body
- 02Conservation of angular momentum
- 03Thermodynamic pressure, temperature, and ideal gas relations
- 04Thermal expansion of solids and liquids
- 05Heat, calorimetry, and conduction
- 01First Law, gas internal energy, and specific heats
- 02Thermodynamic processes and process equations
- 01Carnot cycle and entropy relations
01How many chapters are in the Elementary Physics I course?
The Elementary Physics I course has 30 chapters, each with its own lessons and topics.
02How many lessons are in the Elementary Physics I course?
There are 98 lessons across the course, and you can ask your 24/7 tutor about any of them.
03Can I see what the Elementary Physics I course covers before I start?
Yes. The full curriculum is listed on this page, beginning with "What is Physics?".
04Do I get a certificate for the Elementary Physics I course?
Yes. Finishing the course earns a personal Cavua certificate of completion.
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