PHYSICS 2010

College Physics I

MWF 2:30 - 4:00 p.m., Autumn Semester 2008

Course Syllabus

Instructor Information

General Course Information

Course Outline

This course is the first half of a two semester series - physics 2010 and 2020. The first half of this course explored physics concepts that were predominantly developed from about the seventeenth century to the nineteenth century.  In the second half of the course some of the ideas developed during the past few hundred years are explored.  Some specific topics that will be covered in the first half of this course include:

• Newton's laws of motion
• Linear and rotational motion
• Work, energy and momentum
• Physics of fluids
• Temperature and heat
• Sound and waves

A large part of learning physics is developing problem solving and critical thinking skills.You may find that physics causes your mind to work in ways it is not accustomed to, and this may take some practice. Do not be discouraged if at first you feel as though you are swimming in unfamiliar territory, that is normal, just keep working at it and you will most likely begin to develop some physics intuition”and feel more comfortable with the material.  I encourage you to come see me before becoming too frustrated.

Specific course objectives include:

• Further understanding of what it means to think about the world in a scientific manner
• Acquire specific knowledge in the areas of mechanics, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and waves
• Demonstrate the ability to think critically about the topics presented, and solve problems relating to them
• Acquire basic laboratory skills and experience working with equipment related to the course topics

Course Policy

1. Grading:  The grade break down is as follows:

Grade Scale

2. Homework:  An important component of the learning process, particularly in physics, is developing problem solving skills. Although most students enjoy doing homework purely for this learning benefit, homework assignments will also provide you with feedback on how well you know concepts and even give you insight as to what types of questions may appear on exams. Homework problems will be assigned for all topics covered. These assignments should be turned in and will comprise 9% of your grade. Solutions to the homework problems will be posted, and it is your responsibility to make sure that you understand the homework problems. Of course, feel free to come by and ask me questions about homework (or anything else you may want to talk about), (Scroll down to the Table of Assignments.)

IMPORTANT: You are not limited to only the questions I suggest.  If you feel that you need to spend some more time on a particular topic, try some of the questions relating to it that you can find in the textbook.

3. Quizzes:  The material in this course is presented at a fairly fast pace.  To provide regular feedback to both the students and the instructor, a short (about 5 minutes) closed book quiz will be given at the start of each class session. These quizzes consist of short conceptual and calculations questions.
   
   
4. Extra Credit Assignments: There will be opportunity to earn extra credit for each homework. In addition to the assigned problems from the end of each chapter, I have also included a set of multiple-choice questions (MCQ) for each chapter. They usually contain 10 questions and you can earn 10 credit points for solving them and turning them in at the same time that the homework is due. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to improve your performance as well as your grade. These extra credit points could amount to about 50% of the weekly homework grade.
   Note: During the weeks that homework assignments are not collected, no extra credit point will be awarded either!

5. Midterms:  There will be four midterms during the semester, each of which will cover four chapters of information.  Midterms will consist of multiple choice (short calculation and conceptual) questions and problem solving questions, similar in format to those on the quizzes.  In addition to in-class material, midterms may also consist of questions related to lab work.
   
    
6. Final Exam:  The final exam will be comprehensive, and will be approximately twice the length of a midterm.  As with midterms, the final will consist of multiple choice (short calculation and conceptual) questions and problems to be worked.  The final exam may also consist of questions related to lab work.
   
    
7. Lab Reports:  Each student must be registered in one of the lab sections for the course.  Each lab section meets once a week for three hours.  Your lab reports will be turned in to your lab instructor.  The lab instructor has the freedom to set the policy for their lab section.  Lab instructors will provide a copy of your grades for the lab reports to the course instructor, who will then normalize the grades for each section and include them in the final grade.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding grading or other policies for labs, please talk to either me or the lab instructor.
   
    
8. Lab Exam:  At the end of the semester there will be a practical lab exam, which will evaluate the students’ lab skills.  This exam will be written by the course instructor and graded by the course instructor.  Note, as you perform labs throughout the semester be sure that all members of the lab group are comfortable operating the lab equipment, as this is what will be tested on the lab exam.
   
   
9. Make-Up Exams:  There will be no make-up exams for quizzes, however, the lowest two quiz scores will be dropped.  Under no circumstances will make-up exams for the midterms, lab exam or final be given without prior permission from the instructor.  If you anticipate a possible problem, come and let me know as soon as possible.
   
   
10. Class Attendance:  Class attendance is not required but it is highly recommended.  Much of the material in this course is abstract in nature, and it usually helps to have more explanation than simply reading the text.  In addition, exam material will include in-class demonstrations and other material which may not be found in the text. 
    
    
11. Academic Dishonesty:  Academic dishonesty on any course work will not be tolerated, and could result in failure of the course.
    
    
12. Students with a Disability:  Any student requiring accommodation or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in the Student Services Center.  SSD can also arrange to provide course material (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

PHYSICS 2010

College Physics I

MWF 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Course Schedule

Midterm Exam Schedule:

Lab Exams:    Week of December 8 - 12 (at your lab section day and time)

Final Exam:    Wednesday, December 10, 2:30-4:30 p.m. (Chapters 2-15)

Formula Sheet: Click here for a PDF copy of the formula sheet.(becomes available during the exam week)

Table of Assignments

Autumn Semester 2008