Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/mecanique-newton
Embarking on a journey into the world of physics often begins with the foundational principles of Newtonian mechanics. For anyone aspiring to a career in science or engineering, a solid understanding of these laws is paramount. Coursera’s “Mécanique de Newton” (Newton’s Mechanics) course, offered by the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), provides an excellent entry point into this crucial subject.
This MOOC, presented in four parts, aims to equip learners with the ability to translate physical phenomena into mathematical language, enabling reasoned analysis. The first part, “Lois de Newton” (Newton’s Laws), delves into the core concepts that govern motion and forces.
The syllabus is meticulously designed to build a strong foundation. It begins with honing scientific reasoning and a review of derivatives, emphasizing their intuitive understanding through practical examples like calculating the velocity of an object. This section highlights the importance of limited development in mathematical reasoning, much like Newton’s own development of calculus.
Next, the course tackles the kinematics of a material point, introducing the concept of a physical material point and the essential tools of vector calculus, including projection onto an axis and scalar and vector products. These concepts are vital for describing and analyzing motion.
The heart of the course lies in the introduction to Newton’s first two laws, which are then applied to analyze ballistic trajectories under gravity. The third law, action and reaction, is explored next, with applications extending to ballistic motion with friction, adding a layer of real-world complexity.
Further modules explore the objectives of dynamics, focusing on the harmonic oscillator – a ubiquitous model in science and technology. Learners will also familiarize themselves with the vector nature of velocity and acceleration, including normal and tangential components, and circular motion with angular velocity.
Finally, the course expands into generalized coordinates, covering cylindrical and spherical systems for expressing velocity and acceleration. This advanced topic is crucial for modeling systems with complex geometric constraints.
Overall, “Mécanique de Newton” is a comprehensive and well-structured course. Its intuitive explanations, practical examples, and progressive difficulty make it highly accessible for beginners. The EPFL’s expertise shines through, providing a rigorous yet engaging learning experience. I highly recommend this course to any student or professional looking to build a robust understanding of classical mechanics.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/mecanique-newton