Course Outline for Physics 7B
Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Fluid mechanics, Wave phenomena, Thermodynamics, Optics

Effective: Fall 2024
SLO Rev: 03/02/2021
Catalog Description:

PHYS 7B - Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Fluid mechanics, Wave phenomena, Thermodynamics, Optics

5.00 Units

Introduction to the physical principles of fluid dynamics, oscillations, mechanical waves, thermodynamics, light and optics using calculus. Physics 7B is the recommended second course in the sequence designed for engineering and science majors. Key concepts include Archimedes and Bernoulli Principles, Simple Harmonic Motion, Standing and Travelling waves, the three laws of Thermodynamics, Heat Engines, plane-wave optics, cameras, telescopes, diffraction, and interference. May not receive credit if PHYS 4C has been completed successfully.
Prerequisite: PHYS 7A, MTH 2, MTH 3 (May be taken concurrently)
1902.00 - Physics, General
Letter Grade Only
Type Units Inside of Class Hours Outside of Class Hours Total Student Learning Hours
Lecture 4.00 72.00 144.00 216.00
Laboratory 1.00 54.00 0.00 54.00
Total 5.00 126.00 144.00 270.00
Measurable Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. Analyze hydrodynamic situations using the definition of pressure and/or Bernoulli’s Principle;
  2. Analyze the temperature, pressure, and volume of a system using the laws of thermodynamics;
  3. Analyze interacting physical systems, including heat engines, using the laws of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy;
  4. Analyze physical situations involving simple and/or damped harmonic motion using concepts of force and energy;
  5. Analyze the properties of traveling and standing waves using differential equations and the concept of wave superposition;
  6. Analyze basic physical situations involving reflection and refraction, and use this analysis to predict the path of a light ray;
  7. Analyze situations involving interference and diffraction of light waves, and apply these to situations including double slits, diffraction gratings, and wide slits;
  8. Design, perform, analyze, and assess the effectiveness of simple experiments to demonstrate physical phenomena;
  9. Operate standard laboratory equipment and analysis tools, including digital data acquisition systems, spreadsheet programs, and plotting programs;
  10. Analyze real-world experimental data, including appropriate use of units and significant figures;
  11. Relate the results of experimental data to the physical concepts discussed in the lecture portion of the class.
Course Content:

Course Content (Lecture):

  1. Fluid Mechanics
    1. Pressure and Variation of Pressure with Depth
    2. Pressure Measurements
    3. Buoyant Forces and Archimedes’ Principle
    4. Fluid Dynamics
    5. Bernoulli’s Equation
    6. Other Applications of Fluid Dynamics
  2. Oscillatory Motion
    1. Motion of an Object Attached to a Spring
    2. Mathematical Representation of Simple Harmonic Motion
    3. Energy of the Simple Harmonic Oscillator
    4. Comparing Simple Harmonic Motion with Uniform Circular Motion
    5. The Pendulum
    6. Damped Oscillations
    7. Forced Oscillations
  3. Wave Motion
    1. Propagation of a Disturbance
    2. Sinusoidal Waves
    3. The Speed of Waves on Strings
    4. Reflection and Transmission
    5. Rate of Energy Transfer by Sinusoidal Waves on Strings
    6. The Linear Wave Equation
  4. Sound Waves
    1. Speed of Sound Waves
    2. Periodic Sound Waves
    3. Intensity of Periodic Sound Waves
    4. The Doppler Effect
  5. Superposition and Standing Waves
    1. Superposition and Interference
    2. Standing Waves
    3. Standing waves in a String Fixed at Both Ends
    4. Resonance
    5. Standing Waves in Air Columns
    6. Standing Waves in Rods and Membranes
    7. Beats: Interference in Time
    8. Nonsinusoidal Wave Patterns
  6. Temperature
    1. Temperature and the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
    2. Thermometers and the Celsius Temperature Scale
    3. The Constant-Volume Gas Thermometer and the Absolute Temperature Scale
    4. Thermal Expansion of Solids and Liquids
    5. Macroscopic Description of and Ideal Gas
  7. Heat and the First Law of Thermodynamics
    1. Heat and Internal Energy
    2. Specific Heat and Calorimetry
    3. Latent Heat
    4. Work and Heat in Thermodynamic Processes
    5. The First Law of Thermodynamics
    6. Applications of the First Law of Thermodynamics
    7. Energy Transfer Mechanisms
  8. The Kinetic Theory of Gases
    1. Molecular Model of an Ideal Gas
    2. Molar Specific Heat of an Ideal Gas
    3. Adiabatic Processes for an Ideal Energy
    4. The Boltzmann Distribution Law
    5. Distribution of Molecular Speeds
    6. Mean Free Path
  9. Heat Engines, Entropy, and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
    1. Heat Engines and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
    2. Heat Pumps and Refrigerators
    3. Reversible and Irreversible Processes
    4. The Carnot Engine
    5. Gasoline and Diesel Engines
    6. Entropy
    7. Entropy Changes in Irreversible Processes
  10. The Nature of Light and the Laws of Geometric Optics
    1. The Nature of Light
    2. Measurements of the Speed of Light
    3. The Ray Approximation in Geometric Optics
    4. Reflection
    5. Refraction
    6. Huygen’s Principle
    7. Dispersion and Prisms
    8. Total Internal Reflection
    9. Fermat’s Principle
  11. Image Formation
    1. Images Formed by Mirrors
    2. Images Formed by Refraction
    3. Thin Lenses
    4. Dispesion and Lens Aberrations
    5. The Camera
    6. The Eye
    7. The Simple Magnifier
    8. The Compound Microscope
    9. The Telescope
  12. Interference of Light Waves
    1. Conditions for Interference
    2. Young’s Double-Slit Experiment
    3. Intensity Distribution of the Double-Slit Interference Pattern
    4. Phasor Addition of Waves
    5. Change of Phase Due to Reflection
    6. Interference in Thin Films
    7. Interferometry
  13. Diffraction Patterns and Polarization
    1. Introduction to Diffraction Patterns
    2. Diffraction Patterns from Narrow Slits
    3. Resolution of Single-Slit and Circular Apertures
    4. The Diffraction Grating
    5. Diffraction of X-Rays by Crystals
    6. Polarization of Light Waves.

Course Content (Laboratory): 

  1. Laboratory experiments, simulations, and activities exploring the lecture content that may include the following concepts
    1. Oscillations and Wave behavior 
    2. Fluids (Archimedes & Bernoulli Laws)
    3. Sound Waves (Speed of Sound, Resonance)
    4. Temperature (Newton’s Law of Cooling, Temperature Scales, Absolute Zero)
    5. Thermal expansion and conduction of materials
    6. Kinetic theory
    7. Ideal gases
    8. Laws of thermodynamics
    9. Heat Engines & Refrigerators
    10. Light & Radio waves (Speed of light, Microwaves)
    11. Reflection & refraction (Basic optics of lenses and mirrors, Telescopes, Microscopes)
    12. Interference (Interferometry)
    13. Diffraction 
    14. Polarization
  2. Experimental Technique, Manual and Computerized Collection and Analysis of Data, Error Analysis.
Methods of Instruction:
  1. Demonstration
  2. Lecture/Discussion
  3. Laboratory
  4. Class and group discussions
  5. Problem Solving
  6. Online Assignments
  7. Presentation
  8. Group Activities
  9. Distance Education
  10. Laboratory exercises
  11. Lectures
  12. Textbook reading assignments
  13. Presentation of audio-visual materials
  14. Research project
  15. Computer-based interactive curriculum
  16. Diagnostic Quizzes
  17. Simulations
  18. Written assignments
  19. Group Presentations
  20. Lecture/Discussion
  21. Large and small group presentation
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
  1. Weekly homework/question sets: 10+ discussion and/or numerical problems taken from the textbook and online homework systems. Example: An object is placed 15 cm from a certain mirror. The image is half the height of the object, inverted, and real. How far is the image from the mirror, and what is the radius of curvature of the mirror?
  2. Laboratory reports (individual and group), including computer-based data acquisition and analysis. Example: Demonstrate the wave nature of light, including reflection, refraction, polarization, interference, and diffraction, using microwaves. Along the way, experimentally test and verify the inverse square law, Snell’s Law, and the physics of Young double-slit experiment as well as the physics of interferometers. Using microwaves, measure and compare your values for the indices of refraction for wax and plastic, and the wavelength of microwaves, with known values, and discuss errors and uncertainties in your results.
  3. Written assignments that encourage critical thinking and writing skills by including essays which involve analytical reasoning; Special exercise worksheets; computer simulations and tutorials; individual and group activities, research papers, long-term individual and group projects. Example: Research an application of physics related to a topic from our class, and write a 5+ page paper, including at least 5 current outside references. Present your work to the class in a 10-minute presentation, and develop a handout to support your presentation.
  4. Participation in email and web-based instruction, discussion, homework assignments, and tutorials, including web-based research on topics dealing with physics and its applications to technology.
  1. Exams/Tests
  2. Quizzes
  3. Papers
  4. Projects
  5. Laboratory exercises
  6. Homework
  7. Group Projects
  8. Oral Presentation
Upon the completion of this course, the student should be able to:
  1. demonstrate qualitative mastery of physics concepts in waves, thermodynamics, and/or optics through presentations, group projects, research papers, and/or homework essays;
  2. demonstrate mastery of physics lab experiments through submission of a complete lab report with all requirement elements present, including abstract; introduction; materials, methods, and procedures; data and analysis; results and discussion; references; data tables;
  3. demonstrate mastery of quantitative aspects of physics concepts in waves, thermodynamics, and optics through homework and/or exam problems;
  4. assess improvement in learning over the term using pre- and post-course surveys used in the current Physics Educational Research literature;
  5. demonstrate ability to communicate Mastery of Physics 7B lab experiment through submission of a complete lab report with all required elements present, including abstract; introduction; materials, methods, and procedures; data and analysis; results and discussion; references; data tables.
Textbooks (Typical):
  1. Young, H., R. Freedman. (2019). University Physics (15th). Pearson Education.
  2. Knight, R. (2017). Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach (4th). Pearson Education.
  3. Halliday, D., R. Resnick, J. Walker. (2021). Fundamentals of Physics (12th). Wiley.
  1. Vernier. Physics with Computers. Vernier, 2020.
  1. Modified Mastering Physics. Pearson Education, (/e).
  • Programmable scientific calculator capable of graphing,
Abbreviated Class Schedule Description:
Introduction to fluid dynamics, oscillations, mechanical waves, thermodynamics, light and optics. Physics 7B is the recommended second course in the sequence designed for engineering and science majors.
Prerequisite: PHYS 7A, MTH 2, MTH 3 (May be taken concurrently)
Discipline:
Physics/Astronomy*