Course Coordinator:Vishal Ratanpaul (vratanpaul@usc.edu.au) School:School of Science, Technology and Engineering
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
In this course you will learn fundamental principles in physics, including measurement, kinematics in one and two dimensions, projectile motion, forces and Newton's Laws of Motion, work and energy, momentum, uniform circular motion, rotational kinematics and dynamics, gravity, electrical charge and fields. The topics selected are essential for advanced-level studies in physics and engineering. Your understanding of the theory will be reinforced through hands-on practical exercises designed to demonstrate the physical concepts and scaffold your learning.
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Videos on key theories and demonstrating solutions to example problems. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Demonstration of key concepts and problem solving | 2hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Laboratory 1 – Working in groups to conduct experiments and prepare reports | 3hrs | Week 3 | 4 times |
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Engineers Australia Stage 1 Professional Engineer Competency Standards | |
| 1 | Communicate physics concepts and techniques using written English and mathematical notations |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
1.1, 3.2 |
| 2 | Solve problems in physics using modelled approaches and strategies informed by relevant physics theory |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Empowered Engaged |
1.2, 2.1 |
| 3 | Work in a team to collect, analyse, evaluate and report on data from practical physics experiments |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Ethical Engaged |
1.2, 3.2, 3.6 |
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Engineers Australia Stage 1 Professional Engineer Competency Standards | |
| 1.1 | Knowledge and Skill Base: Comprehensive, theory based understanding of the underpinning natural and physical sciences and the engineering fundamentals applicable to the engineering discipline. |
| 1.2 | Knowledge and Skill Base: Conceptual understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics, and computer and information sciences which underpin the engineering discipline. |
| 2.1 | Engineering Application Ability: Application of established engineering methods to complex engineering problem solving. |
| 3.2 | Professional and Personal Attributes: Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains. |
| 3.6 | Professional and Personal Attributes: Effective team membership and team leadership. |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
SCI108 or SCI507
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Students will receive feedback on their learning progress through weekly non-assessable tutorial exercises. Tutors will be available in tutorial classes to provide individual feedback, guidance and learning support.
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | Individual | 30% | as required |
Refer to Format | Online Submission |
| All | 2 | Report | Individual or Group | 20% | 4 x 3 hours |
Refer to Format | In Class |
| All | 3 | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 50% | 3 hours |
Exam Period | Online Submission |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Tutorial Assignments | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | To provide on-going feedback on your understanding of fundamental physics concepts and their application to practice solving problems using appropriate diagrams, written communication and mathematical working to present your solutions. |
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| Product: | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Three tutorials assignments each containing a set of problems will be posted on Canvas at least 2 weeks prior to the submission date. You will be required to write fully-worked solutions, including diagrams, and submit the work in weeks 4, 8 and 12. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Written Assignment | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | To support learning of the theoretical concepts and develop skills in the application of laboratory experimentation to measure, analyse, interpret and report on the results from experiments |
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| Product: | Report | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Four hardcopy (paper) submissions to laboratory tutors at the completion of laboratory practical classes in weeks 3, 6, 9, & 12). |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:End of Trimester Exam | |||||||||||||
| Goal: | To demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of concepts in physics and solve problems using appropriate techniques and relevant theory. |
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| Product: | Examination - Centrally Scheduled | ||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | |||||||||||||
| Format: | Individual. Multiple choice and short answer mixed practical and theoretical written questions. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
You need regular access to the resource(s) below. Many texts are available as ebooks through the Library at no additional cost.
| Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
| Recommended | Serway, Raymond A; Jewett, John W.; Wilson, Kate; Wilson, Anna; Rowlands, Wayne | 2017 | Physics For Global Scientists and Engineers, Volume 1 | 2nd Edition | Cengage Learning Australia Pty. Ltd |
Scientific calculator, or a more advanced calculator if you prefer. You may also bring portable computers to the practical sessions. For students based at Sippy Downs, you must wear a lab coat, safety glasses and appropriate closed footwear in the laboratory classes conducted in the Science teaching Lab. For students based at Moreton Bay, you are required to wear appropriate closed footwear.
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
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For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.
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