College Physics Spring 2007
Professors:
| Dr. Catherine Jahncke | Dr. Karen Johnson |
| 225 Bewkes Hall | 219 Bewkes Hall |
| Office Phone: X5496 | Office Phone: X5495 |
| Email: cjah@stlawu.edu | Email: kjohnson@stlawu.edu |
| Office hours:
Mon 9:30-11:30 |
Office hours:
Mon 2:40-3:30 |
Feel free to stop by at other times to talk about the course. We are also both available by appointment.
Text:
College Physics, Giambattista et al., 2nd edition McGraw-Hill, 2006.
Course overview:
This is a two-semester course which is designed
to give an overview of the principles of physics. Topics covered last semester
include mechanics, wave phenomena, and fluids. This second semester will be
devoted to topics in electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics.
Course requirements:
The requirements for this course will consist of
daily homework assignments, in class exercises, quizzes, three in class exams,
a final exam, and laboratory work.
Homework:
Homework will be assigned daily. It will be collected 2 class meetings
after it is assigned (at the beginning of class). For example, homework assigned
on Monday will be due the following Friday. The lowest 3 homework assignment
grades will be dropped. If you know you will be unable to attend class, have
someone else turn it in, or turn it in to me before class. Late homework will
be accepted until the following class meeting after it was due, at a 30% penalty.
It will not be accepted more than one class after the due date.
There are 2 types of homework.
1. Writing. Conceptual questions that do not require numbers and should be answered as a brief essay, approximately a paragraph in length. Each conceptual problem is worth 10 points.
2. Problems. Each homework problem will be graded on a 10 point scale. Typically your solution to a problem should include the following:
Statement of the problem
Appropriate diagram
Statement of the general physical law to be used
Algebraic solution for the quantity of interest, with no numbers substituted.
Substitution of numbers and calculation.
Correct numerical answer with units!!
Please keep your problems neat and well organized. Graders get very annoyed
when they grade sloppy, disorganized homework problems (and they tend to take
off more points in this case). The same goes for exams and quizzes.
Exams:
There will be three exams given in class each covering the material completed
before the exam. Questions on the exams will be similar to the homework and
the material covered in your laboratory class although you will be required
to do some synthesis of the material. The final exam will be cumulative, but
will concentrate on the chapters that have not been tested. Please do not be
late to exams as no extra time will be given at the end.
Laboratory:
The laboratory is required and there may be questions on the exams
or quizzes based on the information covered in your lab. Any scheduling conflicts
should be discussed with one of the instructors BEFORE lab meets. Your lab grade
will be averaged in with your class grade as described below, however, failure
to pass the lab will result in failure in the course. Your weekly lab handouts
can be obtained using the following URL: http://it.stlawu.edu/~physics/labs/104_lab/104lab.shtml
Please read the lab handouts prior to lab.
Quizzes:
We will give a quiz in class every Friday. These quizzes may cover
either material from the previous class or two and the lab exercise from that
week. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
| Homework | 15% |
| Quizzes | 10% |
| Laboratory | 20% |
| In class exams 10% each | 30% |
| Final exam | 25% |
The final grade will be determined by the following scale:
| 4.0 | 3.75 | 3.5 | 3.25 | 3.0 | 2.75 | 2.5 | 2.25 | 2.0 | 1.75 | 1.5 | 1.25 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| 94 - 100% | 91-93.9% | 88– 90.9% | 85-87.9% | 82– 84.9% | 79– 81.9% |
76– 78.9% | 73-75.9% | 70– 72.9% | 67-69.9% | 64– 66.9% | 61-63.9% | 60– 61.9% | below 60 % |
Other stuff:
•Homework: Often the best way to learn physics
is by working problems. We encourage you to work extra problems in addition
to the ones assigned as homework. Also, it is often helpful to work together,
and we encourage you to do so. However, please attempt the problems yourself
before looking to others for help--you will learn more this way. Do not copy
one another's solutions!!!
• Class participation: Attendance does not directly count towards your
final grade, but attendance is highly recommended. •Clickers: Physics
104 A will use clickers this semester. This is a system that allows you to respond
to questions in class