PHYS 120 - Introduction to Physics I

    Recent Professors
    Gurpreet Kaur, Muhammed K. Gheith, Muhammad Sedik
    Recent Semesters
    Fall 2026, Summer 2026
    Class Size
    24–30 students
    Credits
    4
    Prerequisite
    MATH-100
    Fall 2026 Sections
    View Fall 2026 sections of PHYS 120
    Transfers To
    UC and CSUCal-GETC Area 5C · Cal-GETC Area 5A · IGETC Area 5C · IGETC Area 5A · CSU GE Area B3 · CSU GE Area B1
    Description
    Accepted For Credit: CSU & UC Offered: All Terms, Every Year This course is the first semester of a two-semester sequence of pre-calculus based introductory physics for biomedical majors. This course is a study of Newtonian mechanics that focuses on the kinematics of point masses with constant acceleration; the dynamics of point masses and rigid bodies with constant forces or torques and accelerations, including circular motion, rolling motion, and spinning motion. Besides Newton's laws of motion, the impulse-momentum and work-energy approaches are explored and applied to a variety of physical situations, including collisions and oscillatory motions. Special attention is given to the concept of energy and its transformations; to phases of matter; and other topics in thermal physics. The equations of fluid statics and dynamics; wave equation; and wave behavior are briefly introduced and discussed. Students are required to purchase a scientific calculator. (GR) C-ID PHYS 105
    Usually Held
    Fri 9:00am–12:20pm, Mon Wed 9:00am–12:10pm, Tue 9:00am–12:10pm, Tue Thu 9:00am–12:35pm