Objectives - phys161

chapter 4

Vocabulary

Contact Force, Drag Force, External Force, Force, Friction Force (when we use this terminology, we are typically referring to sliding friction), Internal Force, Inertial Mass, Kinetic Friction, Long-Range Force, Mechanics, Net Force, Normal Direction, Normal Force, Rolling Friction, Spring Force (also known as Elastic Force), Static Friction, Superposition, Tension Force, Thrust, Weight, Dynamic Equilibrium, Fictitious Force, Frame of Reference, Inertia, Inertial Reference Frame (IRF), Mechanical Equilibrium, Non-Inertial Reference Frame (NIRF), Static Equilibrium, Free-Body Diagram.

Objectives. At this point in the course, the student should

1. Know how to draw force vectors when they act upon some object.
2. Be able to explain clearly the difference between weight and mass.
3. Know the SI units in which all of the "dimensionful" quantities in the vocabulary section above are measured.
4. Have fluency with the use of exponential functions. This, of course, includes the ability to take derivatives of the exponential function.
5. Have familiarity with the types of forces found in the universe. The student should be able to distinguish between forces that may be understood in terms of others and those that appear to be "fundamental". When presented with a new "non-fundamental" force, the student should be able to suggest an explanation for the force in terms of "fundamental" interactions.
6. Be able to determine the net force acting on a system subject to a multitude of forces.
7. Know the conversion between pounds and Newtons, and therefore know that a 1 kg mass at the surface of the earth weighs approximately 2.2 pounds.
8. Be able to apply the ideas of Newtonian Mechanics to analyze simple systems in which the behavior is determined completely by these ideas.
9. Understand and be able to identify Inertial Reference Frames (IRFs).
10. Be able to apply Newton's Laws in IRFs, once they have been identified.