Introduction to Mechanics

Students learn physics at an introductory level. With a hands-on, experimental approach, they study the fundamentals of Newtonian mechanics: motion, forces, and energy. Students discover fundamental physical relationships by designing experiments, plotting the data, analyzing the results, and leveraging insights to build the mathematical models collectively known as mechanics. Once built, these mathematical models are deployed to solve challenging problems and extend students' understanding of physical and mathematical principles. Students will develop strong skills in critical thinking and scientific reasoning, and will learn to recognize and apply physics in their everyday, real-world experiences.

This course is designed for students interested in physics who have completed at least an Algebra 1 class.

Students should expect to spend 1-3 hours on homework every week. Homework will be assigned and completed through the class website, where students receive immediate feedback on their work. Students will take three in-class exams throughout the course.

The textbook for the course is OpenStax Physics, which is a peer-reviewed, openly licensed textbook that is available for free online through Rice University’s OpenStax project.