Elementary Physics (102N) Syllabus Spring 2005
Lecture: M,W,F 9:00--9:50
Oceanography and Physics (OCNPS) Room 200
Lecturer: Prof L. Weinstein
Office: OCNPS 217 or Nuclear Facility, 1021 W 47th St, Room 104,
683--5803
Email: weinstei.delete.this.junk@physics.odu.edu
Office Hours: Friday 10:00--11:00 in the Learning Center, Monday
10:00-11:00 in OCNPS 217, and by
appointment
Web Page: http://www.physics.odu.edu/~weinstei/102s05.html
If you are confused or don't understand something, get help immediately.
You can avoid large problems by getting help early.
Textbooks:
Lecture: Conceptual Physics, 9th ed, by P. Hewitt, Addison Wesley, 2003.
Optional Text: The Cartoon Guide to Physics, by L. Gonick
Lab Manual (required): Physics 102 Lab Manual, Monarch Copy Center
Last Year's Lecture Notes: (highly recommended) Coursepack in Monarch
Copy Center or on the web site.
Transmitter: PRS Interwrite transmitter (at the bookstore).
Needed for the in-class participation grade. New textbooks should
include a coupon to save money on this item. You will also need to activate your clicker (instructions here).
Grading: This course is uncurved. Everyone
can get an A.
20% -- Homework
30% -- 2 Exams, 15% each
30% -- Final Exam
15% -- Laboratory
5% -- Class participation
Yes, I give more weight to the homework than to the lab. If you can
do the homework then you will be able to ace the tests.
Exams:
Tentative dates: Feb 25 and Apr 1
No make-up exams will be given. If you have to miss a test,
contact me as soon as possible.
Closed book exams. Bring a calculator and a one page crib sheet (no
xeroxes of the book or of my notes).
Final Exam: 8:30--11:30 AM, Monday, May 2, 2005, Room 200 OCNPS
Homework:
- Homework will be assigned Wednesday and due the following Friday
by 12:00 noon in the homework mailbox outside OCNPS 124. Late homework will
not be accepted.
- Homework assignments will be posted on the web and displayed in
class.
- The lowest homework score will be dropped.
- Homework is not a test. You are encouraged to work together.
However, all explanations must be in your own words. You must show
your work on all numerical problems.
- Homework is to be submitted on 8.5x11 paper. Place a box around
your answer to each problem. Fold your paper once along the
long side. On the outside of your homework put the following information:
your printed name, 'Physics 102', Homework Assignment Number, and the date.
- Solutions will be posted on the web. Check the solutions to
make sure that a) you understand the problem and the solution and b) the
grader did not make a mistake.
- Use of published homework solutions is considered cheating.
Note: I do not have a key to the homework box. Do not put anything
in the homework box intended for Dr. Weinstein.
Laboratory:
- Oceanography and Physics, Room 140. See Laboratory Schedule
for details. Labs start the second week of class.
- Students who fail the laboratory will fail the entire course.
- Attendance is mandatory. You will be allowed one (1) unexcused absence
during the semester. If you have two or more unexcused absences, you
will fail the entire course. It is your responsibility to inform your
instructor of any absence and to arrange to make up the missed work. Missed
labs will lower your lab grade.
- Read the assigned experiment before the lab begins and bring the
lab manual and graph paper.
- Laboratory reports should be prepared according to the instructions
in the Physics 102 Laboratory Manual. Your lab instructor will also
discuss the format for your lab reports and the grading procedure.
Extra Credit:
There will be two extra credit projects this semester.
- The Tidewater Physics Olympics will be held on a Saturday morning
in March. Hundreds of Middle and High School students will compete in
fun events like the Penny Barge or the Constant Acceleration Race.
Come help judge and earn two points for your semester course grade (equivalent
to 12 points on a midterm exam).
- Tour of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport
News, VA. Visit the world's best Nuclear Physics research lab.
Time and date TBA. One point extra credit (equivalent to 6 points
on a midterm exam).
Physics Learning Center
Room 142 OCNPS is a place for you to get together to work on your homework
and get help, if needed, from physics faculty and graduate students.
No appointment is necessary. It will be open all week 9--5. You
can check http://newton.physics.odu.edu/Learning/
to see when the Center is staffed.
Course syllabus (subject to change):
| Week |
Chapter |
Comment |
HW
Assigned |
HW due |
Lab |
| Jan 10 |
11-12 |
|
1 |
none |
Lab Intro
|
| Jan 17 |
13 |
King Day 1/17 |
2 |
1 |
In-Class Mathematics Review
|
| Jan 24 |
14 |
|
3 |
2 |
Archimedes Principle
|
Jan 31
|
15-16 |
|
4 |
3 |
Specific Heat
|
| Feb 7 |
16 & 18 |
|
5
|
4 |
Latent Heat
|
| Feb 14 |
18 |
|
Practice Test
|
5 |
Thermodynamics I
|
| Feb 21 |
19 |
Review and Test
|
6 |
none
|
Thermodynamics II
|
Feb 28
|
20 & 26 |
|
7 |
6 |
Harmonic Motion - pendulum
|
| Mar 7 |
SPRING |
BREAK |
|
|
none
|
| Mar 14 |
26-27 |
|
8 |
7 |
Vibrating String
|
| Mar 21 |
28 |
|
Practice Test |
8 |
Harmonic Oscillation-mass on a spring
|
| Mar 28 |
29 |
Review and Test |
9 |
none |
Light and Color
|
| Apr 4 |
30-31 |
|
10 |
9 |
Lenses and Mirrors
|
| Apr 11 |
32-33 |
|
11 |
10 |
Spectrometry
|
| Apr 18 |
33-34 |
|
none |
11 |
Microwaves
|
| Apr 25 |
Review |
Last day of class |
|
|
none |
Back to the
course web page
Last
modified: Tuesday Dec 21 12:01:57 EDT 2004