PHYS 101 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Schedule and Handouts
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Jump to:
Week 1 • Week 2 • Week 3 • Week 4 • Week 5 • Week 6
• Week 7 • Week 8 • Week 9 • Week 10 • Week 11 • Week 12 •
Week 13 • Week 14 • Week 15 • Week 16
Posting schedule
You can generally expect course materials to be made available to you according to the following schedule:
Prelectures, Checkpoints, and Homework open on smart.physics.illinois.edu one week before they are due.
Lecture notes handouts are posted at least 24 hours in advance of lecture to facilitate note-taking during lecture.
Lecture slides are posted up to 24 hours after lecture and include annotations and answers to poll questions.
Lab materials and Discussion slides are posted on Monday during the week of the respective class meeting.
Discussion questions are posted Friday before the week of the respective lab.
Discussion solutions are typically posted Monday following the week of the respective class meeting.
Summary of recurring schedule

Monday:
- Prelecture [8am deadline]
- Checkpoint [8am deadline]
- Lecture [materials will be posted on this page]
Wednesday:
- Prelecture [8am deadline]
- Checkpoint [8am deadline]
- Lecture [materials will be posted on this page]
Thursday:
- Homework [8am deadline]
Labs
- Prelab [8am deadline] [8am deadline on the day your lab section meets]
- Weekly in-person lab section at your scheduled time
[materials will be posted on this page][Turn in work on Gradescope]
Discussion
- Weekly in-person discussion section at your scheduled time
[materials will be posted on this page][Turn in work on Gradescope]
Tests
- Every other week starting in Week 3. Testing window runs Wednesday through Friday.
- Test reservations open in PrairieTest 13 days before the testing window.
- Practice test available in PrairieLearn two weeks before the respective test.
Week 1 | |||||||
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Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 8/25/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Straight-Line Motion with Constant Velocity | Checkpoint: Straight-Line Motion with Constant Velocity |
Lecture 1: Introduction to Physics & Constant Velocity Model Chapter 1 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 8/26/2025 |
No lab this week | Discussion 1 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 8/27/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Vectors | Checkpoint: Vectors |
Lecture 2: 2D Motion with Constant Velocity Chapter 2-1 through 2-6 Chapter 3-1 through 3-4 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 8/28/2025 |
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Friday 8/29/2025 |
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Week 2 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 9/1/2025 |
Labor Day no class | Practice Test 1 available | |||||
Tuesday 9/2/2025 |
Discussion 2 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 9/3/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Straight-line Motion with Constant Acceleration | Checkpoint: Straight-line Motion with Constant Acceleration |
Lecture 3: Constant acceleration in 1D Chapter 3-1 through 3-4 Chapter 2-1 through 2-6 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 9/4/2025 |
Prelab 0 | Homework 1 | |||||
Friday 9/5/2025 |
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Week 3 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 9/8/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Two-dimensional Constant Acceleration | Checkpoint: 2D Constant Acceleration |
Lecture 4: 2D Motion with Constant Acceleration Chapter 3-5 through 3-8 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 9/9/2025 |
Prelab 1 Lab 1 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 3 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 9/10/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Newton's First & Second Laws |
Checkpoint: Newton's First & Second Laws |
Lecture 5: Newton's First & Second Laws Chapter 4-1 through 4-4 notes handout • slides |
Test 1 reservations open Aug. 28 |
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Thursday 9/11/2025 |
Homework 2 | ||||||
Friday 9/12/2025 |
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Week 4 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 9/15/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Newton's Third Law |
Checkpoint: Newton's Third Law |
Lecture 6: Newton's Third Law Chapter 4-5 through 4-6 notes handout • slides |
Practice Test 2 available | |||
Tuesday 9/16/2025 |
Prelab 2 Lab 2 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 4 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 9/17/2025 |
No prelecture | No checkpoint | Lecture 7: Special Cases I Chapter 4 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 9/18/2025 |
Homework 3 | ||||||
Friday 9/19/2025 |
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Week 5 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 9/22/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Friction |
Pre-lecture: Friction |
Lecture 8: Friction Chapter 5-1 through 5-6 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 9/23/2025 |
No lab this week | Discussion 5 handout • slides explanation |
Test 2 reservations open Sept. 11 |
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Wednesday 9/24/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Circular Motion |
Pre-lecture: Circular Motion |
Lecture 9: Circular Motion Chapter 6-1 through 6-5 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 9/25/2025 |
Homework 4 | ||||||
Friday 9/26/2025 |
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Week 6 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 9/29/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Work-Energy Theorem |
Checkpoint: Work-Energy Theorem |
Lecture 10: Work-Energy Theorem Chapter 6-1 through 6-5 notes handout • slides |
Practice Test 3 available | |||
Tuesday 9/30/2025 |
Prelab 3 Lab 3 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 6 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 10/1/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Potential Energy & Energy Conservation |
Checkpoint: Potential Energy & Energy Conservation |
Lecture 11: Potential Energy & Energy Conservation Chapter 6-6 through 6-9 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 10/2/2025 |
Homework 5 | ||||||
Friday 10/3/2025 |
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Week 7 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Pre-lecture: Linear Momentum |
Checkpoint: Linear Momentum |
Lecture 12: Linear Momentum Chapter 7-1 through 7-3 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 10/7/2025 |
Prelab 4 Lab 4 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 7 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 10/8/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Collisions |
Checkpoint: Collisions |
Lecture 13: Collisions Chapter 7-4 through 7-7 notes handout • slides |
Test 3 reservations open Sept. 25 |
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Thursday 10/9/2025 |
Homework 6 | ||||||
Friday 10/10/2025 |
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Week 8 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 10/13/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Rotations and Moment of Inertia |
Checkpoint: Rotations and Moment of Inertia |
Lecture 14: Rotational Energy & Kinematics Chapter 8-1 through 8-4 notes handout • slides |
Practice Test 4 available | |||
Tuesday 10/14/2025 |
No lab this week | Discussion 8 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 10/15/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Rotational Energy |
Pre-lecture: Rotational Energy |
Lecture 15: Rotational Energy & Kinematics (cont.) Chapter 8-1 through 8-4 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 10/16/2025 |
Homework 7 | ||||||
Friday 10/17/2025 |
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Week 9 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 10/20/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Rotational Kinematics & Dynamics |
Checkpoint: Rotational Kinematics & Dynamics |
Lecture 16: Rotational Dynamics & Angular Momentum Chapter 8-4 through 8-9 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 10/21/2025 |
Prelab 5 Lab 5 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 9 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 10/22/2025 |
Lecture 17 Rotational Dynamics & Angular Momentum (cont.) Chapter 8-4 through 8-9 notes handout • slides |
Test 4 reservations open Oct. 9 |
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Thursday 10/23/2025 |
Homework 8 | ||||||
Friday 10/24/2025 |
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Week 10 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 10/27/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Fluid Statics |
Checkpoint: Fluid Statics |
Lecture 18 Fluid Statics Chapter 11-1 through 11-8 notes handout • slides |
Practice Test 5 available | |||
Tuesday 10/28/2025 |
Prelab 6 |
Discussion 10 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 10/29/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Fluids in Motion |
Checkpoint: Fluids in Motion |
Lecture 19 Fluids in Motion Chapter 11-9 through 11-12 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 10/30/2025 |
Homework 9 | ||||||
Friday 10/31/2025 |
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Week 11 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 11/3/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Simple Harmonic Motion |
Checkpoint: Simple Harmonic Motion |
Lecture 20 Simple Harmonic Motion Chapter 12-1 through 12-4 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 11/4/2025 |
No lab this week | Discussion 11 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 11/5/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Pendula |
Checkpoint: Pendula |
Lecture 21 Pendula Chapter 12-5 through 12-8 notes handout • slides |
Test 5 reservations open Oct. 23 |
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Thursday 11/6/2025 |
Homework 10 | ||||||
Friday 11/7/2025 |
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Week 12 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 11/10/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Wave Properties |
Checkpoint: Wave Properties |
Lecture 22 Wave Properties Chapter 13-1 through 13-5 notes handout • slides |
Practice Test 6 available | |||
Tuesday 11/11/2025 |
Prelab 7 Lab 7 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 12 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 11/12/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Interference & Sound |
Checkpoint: Interference & Sound |
Lecture 23 Interference & Sound Chapter 13-6 through 13-9 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 11/13/2025 |
Homework 11 | ||||||
Friday 11/14/2025 |
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Week 13 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 11/17/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Temperature & Kinetic Energy |
Checkpoint: Temperature & Kinetic Energy |
Lecture 24 Doppler Effect, Temperature, & Thermal Expansion Chapter 13-10, 14.2, 14.4 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 11/18/2025 |
Prelab 8 Lab 8 handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 13 handout • slides explanation |
Test 6 reservations open Nov. 6 |
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Wednesday 11/19/2025 |
Lecture 25 Ideal Gas Law Chapter 14-3 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 11/20/2025 |
Homework 12 | ||||||
Friday 11/21/2025 |
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Week 14 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 11/24/2025 |
Fall break | ||||||
Tuesday 11/25/2025 |
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Wednesday 11/26/2025 |
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Thursday 11/27/2025 |
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Friday 11/28/2025 |
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Week 15 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 12/1/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Heat & Phase Changes |
Checkpoint: Heat & Phase Changes |
Lecture 26 Kinetic Theory, Heat Capacity, Chapter 14-3, 14-5, & 14-6 notes handout • slides |
Practice Final available | |||
Tuesday 12/2/2025 |
No prelab Lab Practical in-class component handout • slides rubric |
Discussion 14 handout • slides explanation |
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Wednesday 12/3/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Thermodynamic Processes (optional) |
Checkpoint: Thermodynamic Processes (optional) |
Lecture 27 Phase Diagrams, & Conduction, Convection, & Radiation Chapter 14-6 & 14-7 notes handout • slides |
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Thursday 12/4/2025 |
Homework 13 | ||||||
Friday 12/5/2025 |
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Week 16 | |||||||
Date | Prelectures | Checkpoints | Lectures | Labs | Discussions | Homework | Exams |
Monday 12/8/2025 |
Pre-lecture: Entropy & Heat Engines (optional) |
Checkpoint: Entropy & Heat Engines (optional) |
Lecture 28 Review Lecture 1 notes handout • slides |
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Tuesday 12/9/2025 |
No Discussion | ||||||
Wednesday 12/10/2025 |
Lecture 29 Review Lecture 2 notes handout • slides |
Lab Practical online component due | Homework 14 | ||||
Thursday 12/11/2025 |
Reading Day | ||||||
Friday 12/12/2025 |