Some of you have come to our second semester (PHYS 132) from a more traditional physics class. Since we covered some topics in that class that are not traditionally covered, you will need to do some catch up.

Here's what I would recommend you look at:

This is the full list of readings. It might be useful to scan it over, look at the pages and see what looks unfamiliar to you.

Content for First Semester - 131

Specific topics that might not have been covered in a traditional class, or where we may have introduced some unfamiliar language include the list below. Although this looks like a lot, don't panic! Most of them you may well have seen and each is only about one page of reading.

• 2. Modeling with mathematics
• 2.1.3 Dimensions and units
• 2.1.3.1 Complex dimensions and dimensional analysis
• 2.1.3.2 Changing units
• 2.1.3.3 Natural scales  
• Example: Dimensional analysis  
• 2.1.3.4 Considering change 
• 2.1.4 Estimation 
• 4.1.1 Physical content of Newton's Laws
• 4.1.1.1 Object egotism: Objects respond to the interactions they feel at the instant they feel them
• 4.1.2.2 Newton 0
• 4.1.2.2.1 Free-body diagrams
• 4.1.2.2.2 System Schema Introduction
• 4.2.2 Resistive forces
• 4.2.2.1 Friction
• 4.2.2.2 Viscosity
• 4.2.2.3 Drag
• 4.2.2.4 Reynolds number
• 4.2.4 Electric forces
• 4.2.4.1 Charge and the structure of matter
• 4.2.4.2 Polarization
• 4.2.4.3 Coulomb's law 
• 4.2.4.3.1 Coulomb's law -- vector character
• 4.2.4.3.2 Reading the content in Coulomb's law

4.3 Coherent vs. random motion

• 4.3.2 The role of randomness: Biological implications 
• 4.3.3 Diffusion and random walks  
• 4.3.3.1 Fick's law
• 4.3.3.1.1 Reading the content in Fick's first law  

• 5.2.6 Fluid flow

• 5.2.6.1 Quantifying fluid flow
• 5.2.6.2 The continuity equation
• 5.2.6.3 Internal flow -- the HP equation
• 6.4.1 Energy at the sub-molecular level 
• 6.4.2 Atomic and Molecular forces
• 6.4.2.1 Interatomic forces
• 6.4.2.1.1 The Lennard-Jones Potential  
• 6.4.2.2 Chemical bonding
• Chemical bonding: Example  
• 6.4.3 Chemical energy

It might also be useful to look at some of the homework problems that were assigned in the class to see what sort of thing we are expecting you to have done. You can find links to these here:

PHYS 131 Homework problems

If you have any questions about these materials, come talk to either me or one of the other instructors in the Course Center (hours).

The full set of text materials for 131 might also be interesting. You can find them here:

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Prof. Redish