PH 102 Section 100: General Physics II
Summer 2012
4 Credit Hours
Primary Instructor: Dr. Patrick LeClair
Core Designation: Natural Science
Syllabus subject to change.
A non-calculus-based introductory course including electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics. Lectures and laboratory. Students will be introduced to the essential conceptual and mathematical structure of electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics (including quantum, atomic, and nuclear physics). Laboratory experiments will augment lecture- and discussion-based learning, and introduce students to key experimental techniques and analysis. The course will stress a conceptual understanding of everyday phenomena and recent technologies in terms of their basic underlying physical principles.
Each day, we will meet for 2 hours for lecture. During these class periods there will be a mix of lectures, hands-on demonstrations, and possibly quizzes. During the class period immediately before a homework set is due, extra time will be spent working through homework problems. Three days per week (MWR), there will be a separate laboratory for approximately three hours each day. These meetings take place in a specially designed learning space where students have access to computers, electronic data-collecting apparatus, and three instructors. Instructors have access to video cameras, two LCD projectors, the Internet, and considerable software.
After completing this course, the student should have both a conceptual and a quantitative understanding of the description of the topics listed above. This will include the ability to set up and solve simple problems relating to electrical and magnetic forces, fields, circuits, lenses and mirrors, interference, relativity, quantum mechanics, and related concepts. The student should be able to analyze problems in both one and two dimensions, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
It is expected that the students read the appropriate textbook section before each class. This is essential for being able to follow the class and for achieving a good grade. You have to think of the book being not just a support for the class, but as the starting point for your own studying. Because of time limitations, lectures are necessarily brief, students should use class time to clarify questions regarding the reading material. This can happen through discussions with their peers or the instructor.
The understanding of basic mathematics, as covered in Math 113 or 115 for example, is thus an essential class pre-requisite. It is expected that the students are familiar with algebra, quadratic equations, and systems of equations, trigonometry, powers and logarithms. Knowledge of calculus is not required to follow this class.
General Learning Outcomes for 100- and 200-level courses
Scientific method: Students will understand the scientific method and critically evaluate scientific information.[knowledge, evaluation, analysis]
Effective teamwork: Students will develop skills in working together in team activitie
Anticipated Learning Outcomes for this Course
Upon completion of this course you should have a basic understanding of electricity (including electric circuits), magnetism, optics, special relativity, quantum physics, and atomic and nuclear physics. Expected learning outcomes include but are not limited to the following.
Conceptual understanding of forces: Students will understand concepts which require a solid knowledge of electrical and magnetic forces and formulate solutions to physical problems.
Conceptual understanding of fields and potential: Students will understand concepts of electric fields and electric potential to and apply these to relevant problems.
Knowledge of electrodynamics: Students will understand the dynamical relationships between electric and magnetic quantities and use them to formulate solutions to physical problems.
Analysis of electric circuits: Students will analyze electric circuits and predict their function.
Knowledge of optics: Students will solve problems which require the knowledge of ray optics and optical image formation.
Identify the basic principles of special relativity and their consequences
Identify the basic principles of quantum physics and their consequences
Knowledge of basic atomic and nuclear physics, and identify their relevance to the macroscopic properties of matter and current technologies
Physics 102 covers a great deal of material, much of which is directly relevant for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). Below is a broad list of topics we will cover, in roughly the order in which we will cover them (1-2 lectures per listed topic):
• Relativity
• Electric forces and fields
• Electrical energy and capacitance
• Current and resistance
• dc circuits
• Magnetism
• Electromagnetic induction and ac circuits
• Electromagnetic waves & the nature of light
• Reflection and Refraction
• Mirrors and Lenses
• Wave optics
• Quantum physics
• Atomic physics
• Nuclear physics
Exams
There will be three “hour” exams, each covering several thematically consistent chapters. Two of the “hour” exams will be administered during laboratory periods, and one will be administered during the final examination period.
For the hour exams, you are allowed only the following items:
Writing implement(s)
Calculator (no cell phones or PDAs)
One prepared 8.5 x 11 inch formula sheet (front and back sides allowed)
The hour exams may have slightly different formats, but each one is worth an equal amount (viz. 20% of your total grade each). The exam dates will be listed on the course calendar during the first week of classes.
Homework
Several homework problems will be assigned each day, both from your textbook and from other sources, amounting to approximately 10-20 problems per week. These problems will be posted on the course web page. You will turn in each day's problem at the start of the following day's lecture. The lowest two homework problems each week will be dropped. You may collaborate on homework, and are encouraged to, but each student must turn in his or her own work.
Quizzes
Fairly frequently, short in-class quizzes will be given. They will focus on the topics covered in the previous lecture, including but not limited to the problems assigned for that lecture. Quizzes will generally occur during the laboratory sessions, but are not limited to them. There may occasionally be collaborative quizzes, where you are allowed to work with your neighbors.
Labs
There will be approximately 9 laboratory experiments through the term. Laboratory experiments will be worked in groups of 2-4. Each experiment has specific questions to be answered, and data & analysis that should be recorded, as described in the laboratory procedure document. A summary lab report including these items must be turned in by the end of the lab period, a single report per group with all members' names on it.
Each of component of your grade is described above, and their relative weights in determining your overall grade are shown below. The lowest homework problem each week will be dropped.
Grading breakdown
Homework 20%
Labs 10%
Quizzes 10%
Hour exams (3) 20% each
Grading scale (grade/grade points/minimum %)
A+ 4.33 97.5
A 4.00 92.5
A- 3.67 90
B+ 3.33 87.5
B 3.00 82.5
B- 2.67 80
C+ 2.33 77.5
C 2.00 72.5
C- 1.67 70
D+ 1.33 67.5
D 1.00 62.5
D- 0.67 60
F 0.000 0
If you have a legitimate reason for missing a homework assignment or quiz, you will be given the option to make up the homework set at a later date, or receive a 'bye' on that particular assignment. The reason must be documented in writing, and whether it is acceptable or not will be judged on a case-by-case basis. If possible, inform the instructor as soon as possible before the assignment is due.
If you have a legitimate reason for missing a major exam, then you must inform the instructor as soon as possible before the exam occurs. If the reason is acceptable, either the exam will be dropped for you, and the final exam will count proportionately more, or you may make up the exam at a slightly earlier or later date. We reserve the right to administer a modified make-up exam slightly differing from the exam the rest of the class has taken. There is no makeup possible for missing the final exam.
Acceptable reasons must be documented, if possible in advance, and may include but are not limited to: prior athletic commitments, medical issues, off-campus academic commitments, prior commitments to on-campus academic events, band travel, standardized testing, graduate school interviews, and certain personal/family issues. Unacceptable reasons are fairly numerous. Among the least likely to be accepted are oversleeping, leaving early for academic breaks, and fan travel to ‘away’ athletic events.
There is no attendance policy for the lecture period. While attendance is not strictly required for laboratory periods either, it is hard to imagine how you will complete lab reports otherwise.
It is expected that students will attend class having found some utility in it, rather than out of a sense of coercion or obligation. We will not waste your time while you are there.
Current course information (calendar, annoucements, assignments) and extensive course notes can be found at http://ph102.blogspot.com/.
Extremely unlikely.
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