Want to learn physics? Welcome to our free online physics course!
Here's how to start:
- Download and read these free notes on physics.
- Watch and study the physics videos listed below, in the order that they appear.
- Work the problems linked to at the end of each section.
If you do this, you'll get the equivalent of a two-term college-level physics course. Good luck! We hope you learn something!
Mechanics
Introduction
Lesson 1: The power of basic physics mechanics: predicting motion of an object (watch it)Lesson 2: Variables used to describe the motion of an object (watch it)Lesson 3: Three important equations used to study motion of an object (watch it)One dimensional motion
Lesson 4: Thinking about velocity and acceleration (watch it)Lesson 5: Getting the signs right with one dimensional motion (watch it)Lesson 6: Hints for solving problems with multiple accelerations (watch it)Lesson 7: An introduction to vectors (watch it)Lesson 8: Correctly reporting answers with vectors (Part I) (watch it)Lesson 9: Correctly reporting answers with vectors (Part II) (watch it)Section test: Work
these problems.
Two dimensional motion
Lesson 10: Two dimensional or projectile motion (watch it)Lesson 11: Transitioning yourself from one to two dimensional motion (watch it)Lesson 12: Hang time or the time a projectile spends in the air (watch it)Section test: Work
these problems.
Newton's Laws
Introduction
Lesson 13: What the goal of Newton's second law F=ma is (watch it)Lesson 14: Why F=ma is not very useful (watch it)Types of Forces
Lesson 15: Types of forces you'll encounter in a physics class (watch it)Lesson 16: What weight is (watch it)Lesson 17: What tension is (watch it)Lesson 18: How the spring force works (watch it)Lesson 19: Why objects slide down sloped surfaces (watch it)Lesson 20: What the normal force is (watch it)Lesson 21: Where friction comes from (watch it)Lesson 22: Where the centripetal force comes from for objects moving in circles (watch it)
Hints when using forces
Lesson 23: Using the force of tension in solving physics problems (watch it)Lesson 24: Facts about tension as it deals with ropes (Part 1 of 2) (watch it)Lesson 25: A fact about tension as it deals with ropes (Part 2 of 2) (watch it)Lesson 26: How to correctly find the normal force (watch it)Problems involving forces
Lesson 27: Solving the problem of 3 blocks tied together by ropes (watch it)Lesson 28: Solving the problem of a block on a table with two blocks hanging over the sides (watch it)Lesson 29: Solving the problem of a mass on an inline connected to a hanging mass with a rope (watch it)Lesson 30: Solving the problem of two blocks connected by a rope one on a table with friction and the other hanging over the edge (watch it)Lesson 31: Solving the problem of two blocks connected by a rope one on a frictionless table and the other hanging over the edge (watch it)Lesson 32: Solving the problem of two blocks connected by a rope one on an incline and the other hanging over the edge (watch it)Lesson 33: Solving the problem of two blocks connected by a rope one on an rough incline (with friction) and the other hanging over the edge (watch it)Lesson 34: Solving the problem of a single block on an inclined surface (watch it)Lesson 35: Solving the Atwood Machine problem (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsEnergy
Introduction
Lesson 36: An introduction to what energy is (watch it)Lesson 37: What "conservation of energy" means (watch it)Lesson 38: What "conservation of energy" means in a basic physics class (watch it)Lesson 39: Types of potential energy used in a physics class (watch it)Formulation
Lesson 40: Equations that deal with the conservation of energy (watch it)Lesson 41: Potential energy equation of a pendulum (watch it)Work
Lesson 42: What "work" means in a physics class (Part 1 of 2) (watch it)Lesson 43: More on what "works" means in a physics class (Part 2 of 2) (watch it)Lesson 44: Work due to friction (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsMomentum
Lesson 45: Introduction to momentum and that it's conserved (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsRotational Motion
Lesson 46: Introduction to rotational motion (watch it)Lesson 47: Units used in rotational motion (degrees radians rpms etc.) (watch it)Statics
Lesson 48: Introduction to Statics
(watch it)
Electricity and Magnetism
The Electric Field
Lesson 49: Insulators and conductors (watch it)Lesson 50: Coulomb's Law (part 1) (watch it)Lesson 51: Coulomb's Law (part 2) (watch it)Lesson 52: Introduction to the electric field (watch it)Lesson 53: Electric field superposition: the electric dipole (Part 1) (watch it)Lesson 54: Electric field superposition: the electric dipole (Part 2) (watch it)Lesson 55: Electric field superposition: charges on a square (watch it)Lesson 56: Charging by contact and induction (the hanging metal ball) (watch it)Lesson 57: An introduction to charges and the stucture of matter (watch it)Lesson 58: Now insulators and conductors are affected by an electric field (watch it)Lesson 59: Dielectrics (watch it)Lesson 60: Electric field for continuous objects (charged rod) (watch it)Lesson 61: The electric field due to a line of charge (watch it)Lesson 62: The electric field produced by charged objects (line ring disk plane and plane-pair of charge) (watch it)Lesson 63: Electric field and the parallel plate capacitor (watch it)Lesson 64: Introduction to Gauss's Law (watch it)Lesson 65: Gauss's Law (the right hand side) (watch it)Lesson 66: Gauss's Law (the left hand side) (watch it)Lesson 67: Gauss's Law for constant and non-constant charge densities (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsVectors
Lesson 68: What the r-hat vector means (watch it)Lesson 69: More on the r-hat vector (watch it)Lesson 70: How the vector cross product works (watch it)The Electric Potential
Lesson 71: Electric Potential (Part 1) (watch it)Lesson 72: Electric Potential (Part 2) (watch it)Lesson 73: Electric Potential (Part 3) (watch it)Lesson 74: Electric Potential due to a point charge (watch it)Lesson 75: Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy (watch it)Lesson 76: Conservation of energy for charged particle moving in an electric field (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsDC Circuits
Lesson 77: The origin of an electric current (watch it)Lesson 78: Introduction to direct current (DC) circuits (watch it)Lesson 79: Volts current and resistance (watch it)Lesson 80: Ohm's Law (watch it)Lesson 81: DC circuits: the junction and loop rules (watch it)Lesson 82: Introduction to capacitors (watch it)Lesson 83: Capacitors in series and parallel (watch it)Lesson 84: Comparing capacitors and inductors in DC circuits (watch it)Lesson 85: Inductance and inductors (watch it)Lesson 86: Resistor-Capacitor (RC) circuits (watch it)Section test: Work
these problems
Magnetism and the Magnetic Field
Lesson 87: An introduction to the magnetic field (or B-field) (watch it)Lesson 88: The Biot and Savart Law for a single moving charge (watch it)Lesson 89: Using the Biot-Savart Law to find the B-field due to an infinite current carrying wire (watch it)Lesson 90: The B-field due to a loop of current and a solenoid (watch it)Lesson 91: A few case studies in the superposition of a B-field involving loops and wires carrying current (watch it)Lesson 92: Magnetism and matter (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsMagnetic Forces
Lesson 93: The force law for charges moving in magnetic fields (watch it)Lesson 94: Forces caused by magnetic fields on wires that carry current (watch it)Lesson 95: The Electric Motor (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsElectromagnetic Induction
Lesson 96: Lenz's Law (Part 1) (watch it)Lesson 97: Lenz's Law (Part 2) (watch it)Lesson 98: Lenz's Law (Part 3) (watch it)Lesson 99: Faraday's Law (watch it)Lesson 100: Motional EMF or the Electromotive Force (watch it)Lesson 101: Faraday's Law and electric generators (watch it)Section test: Work
these problemsAC Circuits
Lesson 102: Inductor-Capacitor (LC) circuits (watch it)