course-details-portlet

TFY4010

Fundamental physics

New from the academic year 2025/2026

Credits 7.5
Level Foundation courses, level I
Course start Autumn 2025
Duration 1 semester
Language of instruction Norwegian
Location Trondheim
Examination arrangement Aggregate score

About

About the course

Course content

The course is part of the skill strands in numerical and experimental work in physics.

The uniqueness of physics and the role of physics in society. Scientific method. SI units. Examples of the use of physics within natural science and technology.

Multidimensional kinematics, with vector description. The concept of force and Newton's laws. Centripetal force. Newton's law of gravitation . Work and mechanical energy. Friction. Conservation of energy.

Current, resistance, electromotive force and direct current circuits. Capacitance and capacitors. Magnetic field and flux. Lenz 's law. Faraday's law of induction .

Experimental working methods, methods for measuring physical quantities, data processing, interpretation and documentation. Basic introduction to digital measurement systems. Basic error analysis.

The skills training in the subject is coordinated with and adapted to the basic IT course and the mathematics subjects that run parallel to the subject.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

After completing the course, the student has:

  • Insight into the nature of physics and the scientific method.
  • Basic knowledge of Newton's laws.
  • Basic knowledge of the concepts of energy and momentum and the conservation laws that apply to these quantities.
  • Basic knowledge of the terms electric current, voltage, potential and energy is familiar with Coulomb's law and the connection between electric charges, fields and forces.
  • Basic knowledge of magnetic fields.
  • Basic knowledge of forces on moving charges in electric and magnetic fields.
  • Understanding of the concept of magnetic flux and how changing it results in induced voltage.
  • Basic knowledge of digital measurement systems.

Skills

After completing the course, the student can:

  • Analyze forces and use force diagrams.
  • Use conservation laws of energy and momentum to solve problems.
  • Analyze simple electrical circuits and calculate current and voltage.
  • Use basic numerical methods to model motion.
  • Plan and carry out experiments to answer a physics problem.
  • Use experimental tools for recording and analyzing data and perform basic error analysis.
  • Use digital measurement systems at a basic level.
  • Classify, quantify and analyze various sources of error in data.
  • Document experimental work through laboratory records and make simple uncertainty calculations.
  • Calculate units in the SI system and carry out simple dimensional analysis.

General competence

After completing the course, the student can:

  • Use known analytical models in problem solving.
  • Use mathematical methods to solve theoretical and practical problems.
  • Combine theory, experiment and numerical methods to investigate relationships.
  • Draw conclusions based on theory, data and error analysis.

Learning methods and activities

  • Theory lessons
  • Arithmetic work with compulsory attendance
  • Laboratory work
  • Project experimental and numerical

Expected workload in the course is 225 hours.

Compulsory activities

  • Exercises, which must be approved for admission to the written exam.

Compulsory assignments

  • Exercises

Further on evaluation

Both the written exam and portfolio must be passed to pass the course.

The portfolio includes laboratory work, experimental and numerical projects.

For the re-sit exam, the written exam can be changed to an oral exam.

When repeating the subject, both the written exam and portfolio must be repeated.

Specific conditions

Course materials

Stated at the start of the semester.

Credit reductions

Course code Reduction From
FY1010 7.5 sp Autumn 2025
This course has academic overlap with the course in the table above. If you take overlapping courses, you will receive a credit reduction in the course where you have the lowest grade. If the grades are the same, the reduction will be applied to the course completed most recently.

Subject areas

  • General Physics

Contact information

Course coordinator

Lecturers

Department with academic responsibility

Department of Physics

Examination

Examination

Examination arrangement: Aggregate score
Grade: Letter grades

Ordinary examination - Autumn 2025

School exam
Weighting 50/100 Examination aids Code C Date 2025-12-17 Time 09:00 Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment
Place and room for school exam

The specified room can be changed and the final location will be ready no later than 3 days before the exam. You can find your room location on Studentweb.

Sluppenvegen 14
Room SL311 orange sone
56 candidates
Room SL311 brun sone
12 candidates
Room SL311 lyseblå sone
27 candidates
Room SL310 hvit sone
25 candidates
Portfolio
Weighting 50/100 Exam system Inspera Assessment

Re-sit examination - Summer 2026

School exam
Weighting 50/100 Examination aids Code C Duration 4 hours Exam system Inspera Assessment Place and room Not specified yet.