B. Engineering physics

B. Engineering physics

Core

B.1 – Rigid bodies and rotational dynamics

Nature of science:

• Modelling: The use of models has different purposes and has allowed scientists to identify, simplify and analyse a problem within a given context to tackle it successfully. The extension of the point particle model to actually consider the dimensions of an object led to many groundbreaking developments in engineering.

Understandings:

• Torque

• Moment of inertia

• Rotational and translational equilibrium

• Angular acceleration

• Equations of rotational motion for uniform angular acceleration

• Newton’s second law applied to angular motion

• Conservation of angular momentum

Applications and skills:

• Calculating torque for single forces and couples

• Solving problems involving moment of inertia, torque and angular acceleration

• Solving problems in which objects are in both rotational and translational equilibrium

• Solving problems using rotational quantities analogous to linear quantities

• Sketching and interpreting graphs of rotational motion

• Solving problems involving rolling without slipping

B.2 – Thermodynamics

Nature of science:

• Variety of perspectives: With three alternative and equivalent statements of the second law of thermodynamics, this area of physics demonstrates the collaboration and testing involved in confirming abstract notions such as this.

Understandings:

• The first law of thermodynamics

• The second law of thermodynamics

• Entropy

• Cyclic processes and pV diagrams

• Isovolumetric, isobaric, isothermal and adiabatic processes

• Carnot cycle

• Thermal efficiency

Applications and skills:

• Describing the first law of thermodynamics as a statement of conservation of energy

• Explaining sign convention used when stating the first law of thermodynamics as Q=ΔU+W

• Solving problems involving the first law of thermodynamics

• Describing the second law of thermodynamics in Clausius form, Kelvin form and as a consequence of entropy

• Describing examples of processes in terms of entropy change

• Solving problems involving entropy changes

• Sketching and interpreting cyclic processes

• Solving problems for adiabatic processes for monatomic gases using pV5/3 = constant

• Solving problems involving thermal efficiency

Additional higher level

B.3 – Fluids and fluid dynamics

Nature of science:

• Human understandings: Understanding and modelling fluid flow has been important in many technological developments such as designs of turbines, aerodynamics of cars and aircraft, and measurement of blood flow.

Understandings:

• Density and pressure

• Buoyancy and Archimedes’ principle

• Pascal’s principle

• Hydrostatic equilibrium

• The ideal fluid

• Streamlines

• The continuity equation

• The Bernoulli equation and the Bernoulli effect

• Stokes’ law and viscosity

• Laminar and turbulent flow and the Reynolds number

Applications and skills:

• Determining buoyancy forces using Archimedes’ principle

• Solving problems involving pressure, density and Pascal’s principle

• Solving problems using the Bernoulli equation and the continuity equation

• Explaining situations involving the Bernoulli effect

• Describing the frictional drag force exerted on small spherical objects in laminar fluid flow

• Solving problems involving Stokes’ law

• Determining the Reynolds number in simple situations

B.4 – Forced vibrations and resonance

Nature of science:

• Risk assessment: The ideas of resonance and forced oscillation have application in many areas of engineering ranging from electrical oscillation to the safe design of civil structures. In large-scale civil structures, modelling all possible effects is essential before construction.

Understandings:

• Natural frequency of vibration

• Q-factor and damping

• Periodic stimulus and the driving frequency

• Resonance

Applications and skills:

• Qualitatively and quantitatively describing examples of under-, over- and critically-damped oscillations

• Graphically describing the variation of the amplitude of vibration with driving frequency of an object close to its natural frequency of vibration

• Describing the phase relationship between driving frequency and forced oscillations

• Solving problems involving Q factor

• Describing the useful and destructive effects of resonance