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Research School of Physics · ANU College of Science and Medicine
Nationally recognised with two teaching awards, Foundations of Physics aims to teach you to think like a physicist ! A course for anyone who wants to get a solid foundation in basic-physics concepts, or needs to catch up before entering into a major. It will also teach you skills and an approach to problem solving that you will take forward in your life. The course offers a unique hands-on approach to learning physics. You will get the background material for each week in a short one hour theory lecture, and then have the opportunity, over the course of an afternoon, to put that theory into practice. You will work in small teams to build, test and analyse physics experiments directly relevant to the material you are learning. Lab manuals and instructions are forbidden! Just like a real researcher. We introduce students to the key concepts in physics in the areas of mechanics, electricity and magnetism. It is an algebra-based course suitable for those who wish to undertake some physics but do not have a strong mathematical background, and great for those keen on entering graduate medicine via the GAMSAT. If you have ever wanted to get a real taste of what physics is all about, this is the course for you. The course is taught by young, enthusiastic and experienced teachers with research interests in nuclear and environmental physics, advanced materials engineering, laser science, and more!
Laboratory
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
Homework assignments
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
Mid-Term and Final Exam
Learning outcomes 1, 2, 3
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including: - Face-to face component which may consist of 1 x 3 hour Laboratory session per week (36 total hours over the semester), 2 hours of weekly lectures and a 2 hour tutorial per week. An additional 4 hour laboratory session will be scheduled in weeks 4 and 5. - Approximately 42 hours of self directed study which will include preparation for lectures and other assessment tasks. Other Information This course can be taken as an entry into the physics major by students without prior physics background. You are able to enrol in Advanced Physics 1 & 2 (PHYS1101 & PHYS1201) concurrently in semester 2, after completing this course, and the requisite level of mathematics (MATH1013). This course also satisfies the compulsory first-year physics requirements for ANU’s Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).
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