This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Calendar

The calendar below provides information on the course's lecture (L) and exams (E) sessions. The class meets twice per week for 2 hours and once per week for 1 hour.

WEEK # SES # HOUR 1 HOUR 2 KEY DATES
1 L1 Introduction to TEAL Pre-Test Problem set 1 out
L2 Kinematics: One Dimensional Motion, Velocity and Acceleration    
2 L3 Experiment 1: Introducing Data Studio

One Dimensional Motion, Velocity and Acceleration

Problem Solving Session 1: One Dimensional Motion Problem set 1 due one day after L3
L4 Kinematics: Two Dimensional Motion, Velocity and Acceleration Experiment 2: Projectile Motion  
L5 Problem Solving Session 2: Projectile Motion   Problem set 2 out
3 L6 Force, Mass, and Newton's Laws of Motion

Force Laws

Problem Solving Session 3: Applying Newton's Laws of Motion Problem set 2 due one day after L6
L7 Vectors in Physics

Newton's First Law: Principle of Relativity, Relative Inertial Frames, Tension

Experiment 3: Modeling Forces  
L8 Problem Solving Session 4: Newton's Laws of Motion

Spring Forces, Tension

  Problem set 3 out
4 L9 Circular Motion Kinematics: Uniform Circular Motion Problem Solving Session 5: Uniform Circular Motion Problem set 3 due one day after L9
L10 Experiment 4: Circular Motion Test Review  
E1 Quiz One: Fundamental Concepts; Kinematics; Newton's Laws   Problem set 4 out
5 L11 Universal Law of Gravitation

Circular Planetary Orbits

Problem Solving Session 5: Uniform Circular Motion, Universal Law of Gravitation

Circular Planetary Orbits

Problem set 4 due one day after L11
L12 The Lever Principle: Static Equilibrium and Torque Experiment 5a: Static Equilibrium  
L13 Problem Solving Session 6: Static Equilibrium and Torque   Problem set 5 out

Problem set 5 due four days after L13

6 L14 The Concept of Energy

Work

Experiment 5b: Friction

Problem Solving Session 7: Work and the Dot Product  
L15 Problem Solving Session 8: Work Done by Friction and other Dissipative Forces

Motion With Dissipative Forces

  Problem set 6 out
7 L16 Potential Energy and Conservation of Mechanical Energy Problem Solving Session 9: Potential Energy Problem set 6 due one day after L16
L17 Problem Solving Session 10: Energy Techniques Experiment 6: Conservation of Energy  
L18 Problem Solving Session 11: Conservation of Energy: Restoring Forces and Harmonic Motion   Problem set 7 out
8 L19 Center of Mass, Momentum, Impulse and Newton's Second Law Problem Solving Session 12: Center of Mass, Momentum, Impulse and Newton's Second Law Problem set 7 due one day after L19
L20 Test Review  
E2 Quiz Two: Newton's Laws, Circular Motion, Static Equilibrium, and Conservation of Energy   Problem set 8 out
9 L21 Conservation Laws: Momentum and Collision Theory Problem Solving Session 13: Conservation of Momentum Problem set 8 due one day after L21
L22 Experiment 7: Collisions Rigid Bodies Kinematics  
L23 Problem Solving Session 14: Moment of Inertia and Rotational Energy   Problem set 9 out
10 L24 Torque, Rotational Dynamics Problem Solving Session 15: Rotational Dynamics, Simple Harmonic Motion: Physical Pendulum Problem set 9 due one day after L24
L25 Experiment 8: Physical Pendulum Conservation Laws: Angular Momentum  
L26 Problem Solving Session 16: Angular Momentum   Problem set 10 out
11 L27 Experiment 9: Angular Momentum Planetary Motion Problem set 10 due one day after L27
L28 Problem Solving Session 17: Rotation and Translation, Galactic Black Hole Test Review  
E3 Quiz Three: Energy, Momentum, and Rotational Motion   Problem set 11 out
12 L29 Kinetic Theory Problem Solving Session 18: Ideal Gas Law Problem set 11 due one day after L29
L30 Archimedes Principle Archimedes Principle, PRS Contest Problem set 12 out
13 L31 First Law of Thermodynamics, Entropy, and Second Law of Thermodynamics Problem Solving Session 19: Thermodynamics  
L32 Temperature, Heat, and Heat Capacity Experiment 10: Energy Transformations: Mechanical Equivalent of Heat  
L33 Problem Solving Session 20: First and Second Thermodynamics   Problem set 12 due

Problem set 13 out: Recommended Final Review discussed in L35

14 L34 Special Relativity: Space-Time, Causality and Simultaneity Problem Solving Session 21: Special Relativity: Time Dilation and Length Contraction  
L35 Final Review  
15 E4 Final Exam