Fall 2025 - PHYS 125 D100
Mechanics and Special Relativity (3)
Class Number: 4987
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Sep 3 – Dec 2, 2025: Mon, Wed, Fri, 9:30–10:20 a.m.
Burnaby -
Exam Times + Location:
Dec 12, 2025
Fri, 12:00–3:00 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Sarah Johnson
sjohnson@sfu.ca
1 778 782-3978
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Prerequisites:
Permission of the department. Corequisite: MATH 151. Recommended Corequisite: PHYS 132.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
A course in mechanics and modern physics designed for students who want to study translational and rotational dynamics, conservation laws, and oscillations in depth and gain additional insight into foundations of special relativity and select topics in modern physics. Students with credit for PHYS 101, 120 or PHYS 140 may not take PHYS 125 for further credit. Quantitative/Breadth-Science.
COURSE DETAILS:
Newton’s laws, projectile and circular motion, everyday forces, accelerated frames, simple harmonic motion, momentum, rotational motion, torque, rotational inertia, work and energy, potential energy, conservation of energy, damped harmonic motion and resonance, gravitation, special relativity, relativistic mechanics.
Grading
- Assignments 15%
- Tutorial participation and quizzes 15%
- 2 Midterms (17.5% each) 35%
- Final exam 35%
Materials
MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:
REQUIRED: PHYSICS (Vol. 1) 5th edition, Author: Halliday, Resnick and Krane
REQUIRED READING NOTES:
Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.
Department Undergraduate Notes:
Students who cannot write their exam during the course's scheduled exam time must request accommodation from their instructor in writing, clearly stating the reason for this request, within one week of the final exam schedule being posted.
Registrar Notes:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS
At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.
To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit:
- SFU’s Academic Integrity Policy: S10-01 Policy
- SFU’s Academic Integrity website, which includes helpful videos and tips in plain language: Academic Integrity at SFU
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION
Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.