Principles of Physics is an algebra-based course that explores major topics in physics, such as motion and forces, gravity and projectiles, energy and work, thermodynamics, vibrations and waves, electricity and magnetism, solids and fluids, light and optics, and atomic and nuclear physics. For COCE (College of Online and Continuing Education) students, PHY-101 requires majoring in Computer Science, Environmental Science, or Geoscience.
Algebra-based, not calculus-based, physics
The course is explicitly algebra-based, making foundational physics concepts accessible to students without a calculus background — a genuine, deliberate design choice distinct from SNHU's separate calculus-based physics track (PHY215/PHY216).
A genuinely broad survey across physics subfields
PHY-101 spans mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electricity and magnetism, optics, and atomic/nuclear physics — a genuinely comprehensive survey giving students exposure to the full range of physics subfields in one course.
Key topics in PHY101
- Motion, forces, and projectiles
- Energy and work
- Thermodynamics
- Vibrations and waves
- Electricity and magnetism
- Light, optics, and atomic/nuclear physics
Working on your PHY-101 assignments?
Our writers help with PHY-101 principles of physics assignments and physics problem sets.
Worked example: algebra-based access to genuine physics concepts
- Calculus-based approach: Requiring calculus fluency before engaging with core physics concepts
- PHY-101's algebra-based approach: Teaching the same fundamental physics concepts using algebra-level mathematics
- Lesson: PHY-101 teaches that genuine physics understanding is accessible through this algebra-based track, without requiring calculus as a prerequisite
Get Help With PHY101
SNHU PHY-101 principles of physics assignments.
Place Your OrderView All ServicesRelated courses
Frequently asked questions
Many students in majors like Computer Science, Environmental Science, or Geoscience need genuine foundational physics understanding without necessarily having calculus fluency, and an algebra-based approach makes core physics concepts — motion, energy, waves, electricity — accessible without that additional mathematical barrier. PHY-101's algebra-based design reflects that physics literacy has genuine value across majors that don't require the calculus-based rigor of PHY-215/PHY-216's track.
A genuinely well-rounded introduction to physics requires exposure to how physical principles operate across these different domains, since each subfield reveals different but interconnected aspects of how the physical world behaves. PHY-101 covers this breadth because a single-subfield-deep approach would leave students without the genuinely comprehensive physics literacy the course aims to provide as a general-education or major-support requirement.