Intro to Momentum

MathSci Problems Intro to Momentum   What Is Momentum? Momentum tells us how much “oomph” an object has while it’s moving. It’s calculated by multiplying an object’s mass by its velocity:   𝑝 = 𝑚𝑣   For example, a heavy truck moving at 60 km/h has much more momentum than a small car moving at […]

Intro to Light and its Various Applications

MathSci Problems Intro to Light and its Various Applications   Light moves as an electromagnetic wave, where the electric field oscillates in one direction, and the magnetic field oscillates perpendicular to it. Both fields are in sync, or in phase, and they travel forward at the speed of light (3 × 10⁸ meters per second) […]

The Fundamental Interactions

MathSci Problems The Fundamental Interactions Gravitational Interaction Gravity shapes everything on a large scale. Even though it’s incredibly weak compared to the other fundamental forces, it’s what keeps your feet on the ground, holds the Moon in orbit, and binds entire galaxies together.   Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation describes how this pull works. If […]

Types of Kinetic Energy

MathSci Problems Types of Kinetic Energy Translational Kinetic Energy Picture a cyclist gaining speed on a downhill slope or a baseball flying through the air. Both are examples of translational kinetic energy, which is the energy an object has while moving through space. It depends on the object’s mass and its velocity. The formula is:K_trans […]

Collisions

MathSci Problems Collisions   What is a Collision? Imagine you’re on a busy street, and two people bump into each other. For that brief moment, they interact strongly. They feel the impact, maybe exchange a few words, and then go their separate ways. A collision in physics is much the same, but we strip away […]

Electric, Magnetic, and Gravitational Fields

MathSci Problems Electric, Magnetic, and Gravitational Fields Electric Fields What Are Electric Field Lines? Imagine electric field lines as a visual guide that shows where a positive test charge would move if you placed it in space. These lines point outward from positive charges because like charges repel each other. On the flip side, they […]

Difference between potential energy, electric potential, and voltage.

MathSci Problems Difference between potential energy, electric potential, and voltage Understanding the difference between potential energy, electric potential, and voltage is important, and it’s easy to mix them up.    Potential energy Potential energy is stored energy measured in joules (J). Picture a ball at the top of a hill. The higher it is, the […]