Physics II

In this course, students are introduced to the fundamental principles of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. The course also covers the basics of electric circuitry. Through tutorials, students develop skills in independent problem- solving and in the quantitative application of physical laws.

A solid understanding of mechanics and the laws of energy conservation. Students should also be familiar with multivariable functions and diferential calculus.

1. Fluids
   • Properties of fluids
   • Buoyancy
   • Hydrostatics
   • Hydrodynamics
   ◦ Laminar and turbulent flow
   ◦ Drag force
   ◦ Total pressure

2. Thermodynamics, Temperature, and Heat
   • Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
   • Temperature measurement
   • Thermal expansion of solids and fluids
   • Temperature and heat
   • Heat and work
   • First Law of Thermodynamics
   • Internal energy of a system
   • Heat transfer: conduction, convection, and
   radiation
   • Thermodynamic potentials: enthalpy, entropy
   • Free energy and free enthalpy
   • Maxwell’s relations and their thermodynamic significance

3. Kinetic Theory of Gases
   • Avogadro’s number
   • Ideal gas and the gas equation
   • Work and internal energy change in thermodynamic processes of an ideal gas
   • Pressure, temperature and properties of ideal gases
   • Adiabatic and free expansion of an ideal gas

4. Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
   • Reversible and irreversible processes
   • Entropy and changes in entropy
   • Entropy as a state function
   • Second Law of Thermodynamics
   • Heat engines: concept and operation
   • Refrigerators: concept and operation
   • Statistical interpretation of entropy

5. Introduction to Electric Circuits
   • Analogy with hydrodynamics
   • Phenomenological properties of basic electronic components:
   ◦ Resistor
   ◦ Capacitor
   ◦ Inductor (coil)
   ◦ Current source
   • AC and DC currents
   • Basic electric circuits
   • Kirchhoff’s laws
   • Ohm’s law
   • Examples of simple practical circuits:
   ◦ RC Circuit
   ◦ Oscillator
   ◦ Low-pass and High-pass filter

By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Understand and explain basic phenomena in hydrostatics and hydrodynamics;
• Distinguish between the concepts of temperature, heat, work, and entropy;
• Select and apply appropriate thermodynamic potentials to describe thermodynamic processes;
• Use thought experiments to support a microscopic interpretation of the kinetic theory of gases;
• Understand the operation of basic electronic circuits.

• D. Halliday, R. Resnick, J. Walker, Fundamentals of Physics. J. Wiley & Sons (2005). Catalogue E-version
• I. Arčon, Vprašanja in naloge za preverjanje znanja iz fizike, UNG (2004). Catalogue UNG Publisher
• R. Kladnik, H. Šolinc: Zbirka fizikalnih problemov z rešitvami, DZS, Ljubljana (1991). Catalogue E-version
• M. Gros, M. Hribar, A. Kodre, J. Strnad, Naloge iz fizike, DMFA, Ljubljana (1993). Catalogue
• Janez Strnad: Fizika. Del 1, Mehanika, toplota. Ljubljana : Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko, 2024 Catalogue

• Written tests and final written exam
• Oral examination

Prof. dr. Samo Stanič je redni profesor za področje fizike / Dr. Samo Stanič is full professor of physics at the University of Nova Gorica. Izbrane reference / Selected publications:
1. O. Ballester et al., A 1.8 m class pathfinder Raman LIDAR for the Northern Site of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory - Technical Design, Remote Sens. 17(6), 1074 (2025).
2. B. Sripathi Acharya et al., Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to a dark matter signal from the Galactic centre, JCAP 01 057 (2021).
3. B.P. Abbott et al., Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger, The
Astrophysical Journal Letters, 848, 1-59 (2017).
4. A. Aab et al., AUGER Collaboration. Observation of a large-scale anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above 8 × 1018eV , Science, 357, 1266-1270 (2017).
5. S.-W. Lin et al., Belle Collaboration. Difference in direct charge-parity violation between charged and neutral B meson decays, Nature, 452, 332–335 (2008).