Student "edition" found at {csi dot journalspace dot com}.

Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

I was talking about my general science requirement mechanics lectures.

I had started out with simple examples using just straightforward horizontal and vertical applied forces on one object.

Next I had to up the ante by introducing diagonal forces, which they had to break down into its x and y components - not really something new.

Afterwards, I gave an example with a block on a surface connected to a hanging block. This gave them the possibility of having two or more sets of summations of forces, one for each mass.

It also gave them an example where tension was in two directions and thus it doesn't matter what the sign is, it's correct for the magnitude.

Next there was also an example where there was no external force, but only friction acting on the object. Thus it would have deceleration, and a starting velocity which is non zero and a final velocity which is zero, plus displacement and time.

So that was to remind them that they could not just forget the equations we have for uniform acceleration, and everything else from the start, since they are all still applied.

There was also a problem given where even though the object was in motion, its summation of forces along the line of motion is still zero, because it is moving in constant velocity and acceleration is zero. This is different from the previous examples given where acceleration is zero because there is no motion of the object along that particular axis.

There were still students who asked, looking at particular equations, if that was the one they were going to use for all the succeeding examples.

I had to disappoint their hopes of just using direct substitution in equations until the end of the term. There will have to be analysis involved in the equations they use from now on, and they have to recall also their use of system of equations in two or three unknowns from their algebra.

Session 1543 has to understand it's not just about showing up in class, but also comprehension of the lessons. Class dismissed.