FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICS AND MACHINERY

Learning Objectives

• Physics

  Provide the student with the wealth of knowledge necessary to face the most specific courses in the curriculum; the course containes various applications in the agrifodd field, normally omitted in physics courses. The discussion of the various topics is formally correct, while remaining within the mathematical knowledge acquired by the students in previous courses

  Frequency of the course of Mathematics and Statistics is recommended

• Mechanics and Machinery

  To give the students the basic knowledge of applied mechanics and of the main machinery present in the agro industrial sector, useful for a proper management of the processes. To emphasize the engineering approach to the discipline, accustoming the students towards a critical evaluation of the numerical results.

Detailed Course Content

• Physics

  1 – Introduction
  State of a physical system and physically significant quantities - Measurement of physical quantities and measurement errors - Unit of measurement - Dimensional equations - Scalar and vector elements - Vector algebra elements - Graphical representation of physical laws.

  2 – Mechanics
  Description of body motion - Reference systems - Principle of inertia - Second law of dynamics - Third law of dynamics - Conservation of the amount of motion – Outlines of Special relativity - Force fields - Work of a force - Theorem of energy Kinetic - Conservative fields - Potential - Mechanical energy conservation - Moment of forces - Angular momentum conservation.

  3 – Fluid Mechanics
  Properties of fluids – Statics of Fluid: Pascal, Stevin, and Archimedes laws - Ideal fluids and Bernoulli theorem - Ideal motion of a viscous fluid: Poiseuille law - Turbulent flow - Sedimentation - Surface phenomena : Laplace law and capillarity phenomena.

  4 – Electromagnetic Phenomena
  Electric charge - Electrostatic field - Gauss's theorem and its applications - Capacitors - Dielectric - Dielectric polarization - Electric current - Electrical current in conductors and electrolytes - Faraday's laws - Potential of action and conduction of pulses in the nervous system - Magnetic induction - Ampere law - Magnetic field in matter - Electromotive force - Lenz law - Maxwell equations - Electromagnetic waves

  5 – Undulator Phenomena
  Wave equation - Longitudinal and transverse waves - Flat waves and spherical waves - Monochromatic waves - Fourier analysis - Doppler effect - Huygens principle - Sound and its characteristics - Ear physics - Ultrasound..

  6 – Optical Elements
  Wave equation - Longitudinal and transverse waves - Flat waves and spherical waves - Monochromatic waves - Fourier analysis - Doppler effect - Huygens principle - Sound and its characteristics - Ear physics - Ultrasound.

  7 – Elements of Modern Physics and Radiation Physics (outlines)
  Wave/particle duality - Photoelectric effect - Compton effect - Electron diffraction - Heisenberg indetermination relationships - De Broglie waves - Dimensions and structure of atoms - Orbitals and energy levels of atomic electrons - Absorption and emission of light from atoms - Atomic spectrums - X-Rays - Wave equation - Longitudinal and transverse waves - Flat waves and spherical waves - Monochromatic waves - Fourier analysis - Doppler effect - Huygens principle - Sound and its characteristics - Ear physics - Ultrasound.

• Mechanics and Machinery

  Fundamentals of mechanics: International System of Units (SI); forces applied to the machines; mechanical work; friction: sources and remedies; efficiency; basics on power transmission systems.

  Applied thermodynamics (thermodynamic system, first and second law of thermodynamic, thermodynamic diagrams); heat transmission in steady state condition (conduction, convection, radiation); gases and vapours (quality, use of table of water vapour); moist air properties (humidity, enthalpy, psychrometric charts).

  Basic machinery in agro industrial plants: heat exchanger (equi- and counter-flow, sizing), pumps (positive displacement pumps, centrifugal pumps, power pump calculation), compressors, centrifugal separators and extractors, main electrical machines, Otto and Diesel internal combustion engines, refrigeration cycles.

Textbook Information

• Physics

  1. J.W. Jewett, R.A. Serway: Pricipi di Fisica, vol I, ultima edizione, EdiSES, Napoli

  2. E. Ragozzino: Principi di Fisica, EdiSES, Napoli

  3. R.C. Davidson: Metodi matematici per un corso introduttivo di Fisica, EdiSES, Napoli

  Students are free to use any other text they consider more convenient

• Mechanics and Machinery

  1. Anzalone G., Bassignana P., Brafa Musicoro G., Fondamenti di meccanica e macchine, Hoepli.

  2. Çengel Y., Termodinamica e trasmissione del calore, Mc GrawHill.

  3. Teaching material provided during lectures