Modern mechanics

American Journal of Physics

Volumn 72, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 439-445

  Chabay, Ruth W ^a   Sherwood, Bruce A ^a  

^a NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 1842815240     PISSN: 00029505     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1119/1.1646134     Document Type: Article

References (36)

1. M. Kohlmyer, R. Chabay, and B. Sherwood, "Students' approaches to hard problems. II. Reform course," AAPT Announcer 32 (2), 121 (2002).
2. R. Chabay and B. Sherwood, Matter & Interactions, I. Modern Mechanics (Wiley, New York, 2002). See 〈http://www4.ncsu.edu/~rwchabay/mi〉.
3. R. Chabay and B. Sherwood, "Bringing atoms into first-year physics," Am. J. Phys. 67, 1045-1050 (1999).
4. Reference 2, Problem 3.1, p. 108.
5. Reference 2, Problem 3.2, p. 108.
6. Reference 2, Exercise 3.13, p. 95.
7. Reference 2, Problem 3.9, p. 110.
8. Reference 2, Problem 6.4, p. 228.
9. Reference 2, Problem 10.1-10.4, pp. 378-379.
10. Reference 2, Problem 4.15, p. 161.
11. Reference 2, Problem 8.10, p. 291.
12. Reference 2, Problem 4.16, p. 161.
13. 13 Reference 2, Problem 2.11, p. 70.
14. Reference 2, Problem 2.17, p. 72.
15. Reference 2, Problem 8.2, p. 289.
16. Reference 2, Problem 10.15, p. 381.
17. The textbook is written in such a way that any computing environment preferred by the instructor can be used, but we recommend the use of the VPython language/programming environment. VPython is a particularly appropriate tool because of its support of vector computations and three-dimensional visualization. See 〈http://vpython.org〉. VPython is free, multi-platform, and open source.
18. Reference 2, Problem 2.1, p. 66.
19. Reference 2, Problem 2.2, p. 67.
20. Reference 2, Problem 2.7, p. 68, and Problems 4.1-4.2, p. 158.
21. Reference 2, Problem 3.4, p. 109, and Problem 5.1, p. 203.
22. Reference 2, Problem 5.4, p. 204.
23. Reference 2, Problem 5.3, p. 203.
24. Reference 2, Problem 8.1, p. 288.
25. Gordon H. Bower and Ernest R Hilgard, Theories of Learning (Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1981), 5th ed., Chap 13, pp. 430 and 431.
26. R. A. Lawson and L. C. McDermott, "Student understanding of the work-energy and impulse-momentum theorems," Am. J. Phys. 55, 811-817 (1987).
27. T. O'Brien Pride, S. Vokos, and L. C. McDermott, "The challenge of matching learning assessments to teaching goals: An example from the work-energy and impulse-momentum theorems," Am. J. Phys. 66, 147-157 (1998).
28. B. Sherwood and R. Chabay, "Predicting effects of instruction: Distinguishing P from K and L," AAPT Announcer 31 (4), 103 (2001).
29. B. Sherwood, "Pseudowork and real work," Am. J. Phys. 51, 597-602 (1983). Also see B. Sherwood and W. Bernard, "Work and heat transfer in the presence of sliding friction," ibid. 52, 1001-1007 (1984).
30. B. Sherwood, "Pseudowork and real work," Am. J. Phys. 51, 597-602 (1983). Also see B. Sherwood and W. Bernard, "Work and heat transfer in the presence of sliding friction," ibid. 52, 1001-1007 (1984).
31. Although students work with relativistic momentum and energy, relativistic kinematics is left to a subsequent modern physics course. However, in a longer version of the course offered to physics majors at Purdue University, Mark Haugan weaves relativistic kinematics into his teaching of modern mechanics. See M. Haugan, "Preempting student difficulties with special relativity," AAPT Announcer 32 (2), 134 (2002).
32. Reference 3.
33. Fred Reif (private communication) has pointed out that the elimination of the additive constant for potential energy because of the absolute rest energy associated with a particle is analogous to the elimination of the classical arbitrary additive constant for entropy because of the existence of lowest-energy ground states; entropy must go to zero at absolute zero.
34. T. Moore and D. Schroeder, "A different approach to introducing statistical mechanics," Am. J. Phys. 65, 26-36 (1997). A specific realization of these ideas is found in the statistical mechanics section of the textbook by T. Moore, Six Ideas that Shaped Physics/Unit T: Some Processes are Irreversible (WCB/McGraw-Hill, Boston, 2003).
35. T. Moore and D. Schroeder, "A different approach to introducing statistical mechanics," Am. J. Phys. 65, 26-36 (1997). A specific realization of these ideas is found in the statistical mechanics section of the textbook by T. Moore, Six Ideas that Shaped Physics/Unit T: Some Processes are Irreversible (WCB/McGraw-Hill, Boston, 2003).
36. E. Taylor, "A call to action," Am. J. Phys. 71, 423-425 (2003).