Physics 120 Winter 2026 Notes
Week #1
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Check your email about the diagnostic pre-test and complete it during week #1.
Lab will start in week #1. Please read Lab#1 Kinematics Graphs for Thursday.
Reflection #1 will be due on Monday, January 12, 2026. Please print out and bring your reflection to class on Monday.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
1D Motion problems.
Week #2
1D vertical motion problems.
2D motion problems.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
Lab #2 will be on Thursday, January 15, 2026. Please read Lab#2 Projectile Motion for Thursday.
Reflection #2 will be due on Monday, January 12, 2026. Please print out and bring your reflection to class on Monday.
Week #3
Lab #3 will be on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Please read Lab#3 Air Resistance for Thursday.
Reflection #3 will be due on Monday, January 26, 2026. Please print out and bring your reflection to class on Monday. Reminder: Reflections are due in class. Late reflections are not accepted. Update: I will collect these on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
Exam #1 will be on Friday, January 23, 2026. The exam has 3 worked problems each with 4 parts. The problems will cover the definitions of motion and motion graphs, motion in 1D with constant acceleration, and motion in 2D with constant acceleration. All of the problems will involve the applications of vectors and units and the problems will consist of a mix of worked problems and short answer questions. The exam will cover Ch. 1 (sections 1.1 - 1.7), Ch. 2 (sections 2.1 - 2.3), Ch. 3 (sections 3.1 - 3.6), Ch. 4 (sections 4.1 - 4.3) and Ch. 5 (sections 5.1 - 5.7).
Week #4
Important Note: As I'm sure you are aware there will be a significant snowstorm Sunday into Monday. As of this moment, class will still be held on Monday morning. In the event that I need to cancel class, you will recieive an email by 7am on Monday morning. If you do not see an email from me by 7am, then class is on.
Update: Class is cancelled on Monday. Check your email for details.
There will be no Lab on Thursday, January 29, 2026 (week 4). Lab #3 on Air resistance is due during the lab block. Please drop off your lab between 9am - 10:45am in my office, ISEC119.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
Reflection #4 will be due on Monday, February 2, 2026. Please print out and bring your reflection to class on Monday. Reminder: Reflections are due in class. Late reflections are not accepted.
Translational Statics problems.
Week #5
Lab #4 will be on Thursday, February 5, 2026. Please read Lab #4 Flying Pigs for Thursday.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
There is no reflection due on Monday, February 9, 2026.
Circular Motion problems.
Week #6
Lab #5 will be on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Please read Lab #5 Springs and Karate Boards for Thursday.
Lab #4 is due on Thursday, February 12, 2026 in lab. Late penalties apply for late labs. Here's a checklist of what's needed to complete the lab.
Physics Help Center runs Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm in ISEC120.
Exam #2 will be on Friday, February 13, 2026. The exam has 4 worked problems each with 3 parts. The problems will cover Newton's laws of motion including translational statics, translational dynamics, and circular motion, as well as the definition of the dot product, work, the work-kinetic energy theorem, and potential energy. All of the problems will involve writing vectors, units, and the problems will consist of a mix of worked problems and short answer questions. The exam will cover Ch. 2 (section 2.4), Ch. 4 (section 4.4), Ch. 5 (sections 5.1 - 5.7), Ch. 6 (sections 6.1 - 6.3), Ch. 7 (sections 7.1 - 7.3), Ch. 8 (section 8.1), & Ch. 13 (sections 13.1 - 13.3).
Conservation of energy problems.
Week #7
Week #8
Week #9
Week #10
Winter 2026 Final Exam Information:
Date and time: Monday, March 16, 2026 from 8:30am - 10:30am, in ISEC120.
There will be 4 problems on the exam each worth 35 points. Each problem consists of five worked parts with each worked part worth 7 points yielding 35 points for each problem.
The final exam is worth 140 points total.
Topics on the final:
1. Forces, conservation of energy, collisions, conservation of momentum, circular motion, equations of motion for constant acceleration, & vectors.
2. Forces, conservation of energy, work & energy, vectors, conservation of energy, circular motion.
3. Rotational dynamics, equations of motion for constant accleration (both angular and translational), assumptions in problems, measurements and uncertanties in measurements.
4. Rotational statics, forces, torques, equations of motion (for both angular and translational).