UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)

Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)

Mechanics: Motion, Forces, Energy and Gravity, from Particles to Planets

Prof. Joe Wolfe
Dr Elizabeth  J.  Angstmann
Mr Sebastian Fricke

Instructors: Prof. Joe Wolfe

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75,049 already enrolled

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,079 reviews

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
92%
Most learners liked this course
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

1,079 reviews

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
92%
Most learners liked this course

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Assessments

46 assignments¹

AI Graded see disclaimer
Taught in English

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There are 8 modules in this course

This module introduces the foundational tools and concepts needed to study mechanics. You’ll learn how physicists describe the physical world using units, significant figures, vectors, and estimation techniques. These essential skills will help you interpret measurements, analyze motion, and solve physics problems accurately. You’ll also learn how physicists make useful approximations to understand real-world phenomena, from everyday objects to planets and galaxies.

What's included

5 videos2 readings6 assignments

In this module, you’ll begin your study of kinematics—the description of motion. You’ll learn how to represent motion using graphs and equations, and how velocity and acceleration describe how objects move and change speed over time. You’ll explore motion in a straight line and learn how to analyze relative motion between observers. These tools form the basis for understanding more complex motion in later modules.

What's included

4 videos1 reading5 assignments

This module extends your understanding of motion to two dimensions. You’ll explore projectile motion, including objects falling under gravity and moving through the air, and learn how horizontal and vertical motion combine. You’ll also study uniform circular motion, which describes the motion of planets, satellites, and many everyday systems. These concepts will help you analyze realistic motion beyond simple straight-line movement.

What's included

4 videos1 reading6 assignments

This module introduces Newton’s three laws of motion, which explain how forces affect motion. You’ll learn how forces cause acceleration, how motion depends on reference frames, and how forces always occur in pairs. These principles allow you to explain and predict motion in systems ranging from everyday objects to engineering structures and astronomical bodies.

What's included

7 videos1 reading6 assignments

In this module, you’ll explore important forces encountered in everyday life. You’ll learn the difference between mass and weight, and how gravity acts on objects. You’ll study elastic forces using Hooke’s law and examine contact forces such as normal force and friction. These concepts will help you understand how objects interact when pushed, pulled, stretched, or in contact with surfaces.

What's included

4 videos1 reading5 assignments

This module introduces the powerful concepts of work, energy, and power. You’ll learn how energy is transferred and transformed, and how energy conservation helps explain motion without directly calculating forces. You’ll explore kinetic and potential energy, conservative and non-conservative forces, and how power describes the rate at which work is done. These ideas connect physics to real-world applications, from human movement to machines and technology.

What's included

5 videos1 reading7 assignments

In this module, you’ll learn about momentum and how it helps explain collisions and interactions between objects. You’ll study impulse, conservation of momentum, and the difference between elastic and inelastic collisions. These principles allow physicists to analyze events ranging from sports and vehicle safety to particle physics and space exploration.

What's included

4 videos1 reading5 assignments

This final module explores gravity—the force that governs motion on Earth and throughout the universe. You’ll learn how gravity determines weight, orbits, and the motion of planets and satellites. You’ll explore gravitational potential energy, escape velocity, and how gravity shapes stars, galaxies, and black holes. This module connects the physics you’ve learned to the large-scale structure of the universe.

What's included

5 videos1 reading6 assignments

Instructors

Instructor ratings
(214 ratings)
Prof. Joe Wolfe
UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
1 Course 75,049 learners
Dr Elizabeth  J.  Angstmann
UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
1 Course 75,049 learners
Mr Sebastian Fricke
UNSW Sydney (The University of New South Wales)
1 Course 75,049 learners

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