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Learn physics just like an MIT freshman

XSeries Program in
Introductory Mechanics
MITx

What you will learn

  • Kinematics
  • Forces and Free Body Diagrams
  • Circular Motion
  • Energy
  • Torque and Rotational Dynamics
  • Simple Harmonic Motion

Learn physics just like an MIT freshman would in our Introductory Mechanics X-Series. This set of modules will take you through the full set of topics covered in the first semester of physics at MIT.

In the first module, you’ll explore the basic kinematic description of motion and the causes of motion—forces—and discuss more complex situations, such as a rocket whose mass depends on time, or the tension in a massive rope. Then you’ll learn to use energy (kinetic, potential) instead of forces to describe the same physics. Finally, we dive into more complicated topics such as angular momentum, torque, and rotational dynamics and end the series with a mathematical description of simple harmonic motion and use that to approximate the simple pendulum and other cases where we can approximate the potential function as a quadratic.

This series of courses requires the use of calculus, but many of the concepts will be reviewed as needed.

Expert instruction
4 high-quality courses
$196
USD
For the full program experience

Courses in this program

  1. MITx's Introductory Mechanics XSeries Program

  2. Not currently available

    Learn about kinematics and dynamics in this calculus-based physics course.

  3. Not currently available

    Learn about momentum and energy in this calculus-based physics course.

  4. Not currently available

    Learn about rotational dynamics, rigid bodies and moment of inertia in this calculus-based physics course.

  5. Not currently available

    Learn how to solve and understand simple harmonic motion in this calculus-based physics class.

  6. This is a series of 4 courses to be taken in sequence – 8.01.1x through 8.01.4x.

Meet your instructors
from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MITx)

Experts from MITx committed to teaching online learning

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