Physics Basics – Advanced University‑Level Study Notes
(Designed for the Haryana PSC – General Awareness & Current Affairs exam)
Why study physics at MIT‑level?
The PSC exam often contains conceptual questions that test a candidate’s deep understanding of physical principles. A rigorous, first‑principles treatment equips you with the reasoning skills to tackle even the most nuanced problems.
Table of Contents
- Kinematics – From Displacement to Trajectories
- Newtonian Dynamics – Laws, Inertia & Forces
- Work, Energy, and Power – Conservation Laws
- Rotational Dynamics – Angular Motion
- Gravitation – From Newton to Orbits
- Fluid Mechanics – Static & Dynamic
- Electrostatics & Magnetostatics – Coulomb, Gauss & Lorentz
- Thermodynamics – Heat, Work & Entropy
- Waves & Oscillations – Harmonic Motion to Wave Propagation
- Quantum Basics – Planck, De Broglie & Uncertainty
- Special Relativity – Time, Length & Energy
- Edge Cases & Nuances in Physical Laws
- Challenging Problem – Integration of Concepts
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1. Kinematics – From Displacement to Trajectories
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| (x, y, z) | Cartesian coordinates | m |
| (\vec{r}) | Position vector | m |
| (\vec{v}) | Velocity | m s(^{-1}) |
| (\vec{a}) | Acceleration | m s(^{-2}) |
1.1 Fundamental Definitions
- Displacement: (\Delta \vec{r} = \vec{r}_f - \vec{r}_i).
- Velocity: (\vec{v} = \dfrac{d\vec{r}}{dt}).
- Acceleration: (\vec{a} = \dfrac{d\vec{v}}{dt}).
1.2 Equations of Motion (Constant Acceleration)
Starting from ( \vec{a} = \dfrac{d\vec{v}}{dt}):
- Velocity–time
[ \vec{v}(t) = \vec{v}_0 + \vec{a},t ] - Displacement–time
[ \vec{r}(t) = \vec{r}_0 + \vec{v}_0 t + \tfrac{1}{2}\vec{a}t^2 ] - Velocity–displacement
[ \vec{v}^2 = \vec{v}_0^2 + 2\vec{a}\cdot(\vec{r}-\vec{r}_0) ]
Derivation: Integrate ( \vec{a} ) with respect to time, then integrate ( \vec{v} ) similarly.
Edge case: If ( \vec{a}=0), the