PHYS5313 - The Forces of Physics

Credits: 3

This course focuses on the nature of forces and their application in physics. Two broad categories of physical force are explored: contact forces and action-at-adistance forces. Contact forces include friction and air resistance, tension, normal, applied, and spring “pushes and pulls.” Gravitational, electrical, magnetic, and nuclear forces do not require contact between objects, and these “action-at-a-distance” forces have stimulated physicists to rethink the idea of forces altogether for ages. Emphasis is placed on how forces or interactions impact isolated systems, real-life situations, and the cosmos.