Physics 1115 Syllabus

Syllabus for Physics 11x5
MWThF 10:55-12:10

Week 1: Mon 10/23 How much farther is it to the moon than to New York?	Introduction, Chapters 1 - Measurement and 1D Motion HW #0 assigned to be done after first day of class T: HW #0 due HW #1 assigned T
Week 1.5: Th 10/26 How much time do I save by driving 10 mph over the speed limit?	Chapter 2 - 1D Motion Th: HW #1 due, HW #2 assigned
Week 2: Mon 10/30	Chapter 2 - 1D Motion M: HW #2 due, HW #3 assigned M: Quiz #1 distributed T: Quiz #1 due
Week 2.5: Th 10/2 How to follow a treasure map....	Chapter 3 - Vectors Th: HW #3 due, HW #4 assigned
Week 3: Mon 11/6 What does it take to get a field goal?	Chapter 4 - 2D Motion M: HW #4 due, HW #5 assigned (short)
Week 3.5: Th 11/9	Chapters 4 - 2D Motion Th: HW #5 due, HW #6 assigned Th: Exam #1
Week 4: Mon 11/13 What keeps my car on the road?	Chapter 5 - Newton's Laws M: HW #6 due, HW #7 assigned
Week 4.5: Th 11/16	Chapter 5 - Newton's Laws Th: HW #7 due, HW #8 assigned Th: Quiz #2 distributed F: Quiz #2 due
Week 5: Mon 11/20 How do roller-coasters go upside-down and stay on the track?	Chapter 6 - Circular Motion M: HW #8 due, HW #9 assigned (short)
Thanksgiving
Week 5.5: Mon 11/27 Is it harder to walk or run or bike up a hill?	Chapter 7 - Work and Energy M: HW #9 due, HW #10 assigned (short)
Week 6: Th 11/30 Does turning off the lights really conserve energy?	Chapter 8 - Energy Conservation Th: HW #10 due, HW #11 assigned Th: Exam #2 (changed to T of next week)
Week 6.5: Mon 12/4 What does more damage in a collision: a car or a baseball traveling at 10 mph?	Chapter 9 - Momentum M: HW #11 due, HW #12 assigned T: Exam #2 (moved from Th of last week)
Week 7: Th 12/7	Chapter 9 - Momentum Th: HW #12 due, HW #13 assigned Th: Quiz #3 distributed F: Quiz #3 due
Week 7.5: Mon 12/11 Why do cats land on their feet?	Chapter 10 - Rotational Motion T: HW #13 due
Exam Period Th 12/14-F 12/15	Comprehensive Final Assignment and Third Exam

Objectives:
- Students will understand the role and nature of theory explaining and predicting events and phenomena.
- Students will understand about the reliability of scientific knowledge and its constant scrutiny and refinement
- Students will understand the assumptions, influencing conditions, and limits of empirical knowledge.
- Students will engage in problem-solving, and will apply physics to solve practical problems.
- Students will understand the contributions of physics to society, including its social, cultural, and economic significance.
- Students will understand the relationship of physics and other sciences to mathematics, the design process, and technology
- Each section of the text introduces another step or discovery in the historical development of physics, so the student will understand the historical development of scientific concepts and scientific reasoning
Office hours will be OPEN: feel free to drop in, e-mail, call, or text any time to see if I am available, or just make an appointment for any time. You can view my schedule.
We will try to learn much of Chapters 1-10, and we might dip into 11 as well. I will skip some sections; we will be covering various selected topics of interest, and the main topics of motion, force, energy, and momentum. We will likely not go at exactly the speed indicated by the above syllabus, the chapters are just general guidelines. Plan on covering approximately one chapter per 2-4 class days.We will plan to follow the precise homework, quiz, exam schedule as shown, though.
There will be two homework assignment due each week. Homework will usually be assigned on Monday and due the following Thursday, and assigned on Thursday and due the following Monday.
Exams will cover 2-4 chapters, and there will be two during the semester - scheduled outside of class - and a third during finals, plus a comprehensive final assignment during finals. Dates are also posted at the exam link. Hints and solutions will be posted on Moodle.
Quizzes will cover one or two concepts, and there will be three during the semester. Dates are also posted at the exam link. Hints and solutions will be posted on Moodle.
Labs begin during the first week of classes and details are at this link. Some topics may be taught exlusively in lab that you are responsible for in this class.
Grading and Policy are described at this link.
Tutors are available through the Ethyl Center/Academic Center. Tutors will hold open sessions in the physics lab or Ethyl Center at numerous times during the week.

I plan on using the web, Moodle, and e-mail to communicate. You must read your e-mail and respond appropriately. Homework assignments and solutions, exam hints and solutions, schedule changes and guidelines (such as those listed here) will all be on Moodle so that you can access them anytime, and even print them out if you would like.

An important note to the uninitiated in physics is at this link.

Objectives: