GENERAL PHYSICS with LAB II
PHY
213-001
FALL 2005
Instructor: Dr.
Wayne Bresser
Office: SC
143
Office Hours: MWF
Phone: 572-6678
E-mail: bresserw@nku.edu
Web Site: http://www.nku.edu/~bresserw/
Contacting
Instructor: As
you can see, I have office hours during the week, and I will try to be in my
office and
available
to talk with you during those times. However, I have an open door policy, so
please
don't
feel limited to my "official" office hours. Particularly if you have
a quick question, feel
free
to drop by anytime. Or, if you prefer, feel free to contact me to set up an
appointment.
Course Time: T,
R
Course Location: SC
128
Lecture Text: Physics by Cutnell & Johnson
(6th Edition) REQUIRED
Student Study Guide by Cutnell,
Johnson, and Comella (Optional)
MCAT Study Guide by Joseph Boon
(Optional)
Textbook Web Site: http://he-cda.wiley.com/WileyCDA/HigherEdTitle/productCd-0471151831.html
Click
on the “Student Companion Site” (top left corner) and visit several of the
following
resources:
WWW
Solutions
Self-Assessment
Tests
Concept
Simulations
Practice
MCAT Quizzes
Web
Links
Interactive
Learningware
Interactive
Solutions
Integration
of Concept Essays
Blackboard: Regularly check Blackboard in Announcements,
Course Information, Course Documents, Assignments, and External Links for
homework assignments/solutions and other information.
Required Materials: Any
non-programmable, non-graphing calculator, a 3-ring binder for lab/activity
work
and
a clear plastic ruler (with centimeter scale).
Prerequisite: PHY
211
Course Description: This
course is the second in a sequence of two courses in a non-calculus
introduction to classical physics using guided inquiry activities. Topics for
the course include the study of oscillations, waves and sound, electric forces
and fields, DC circuits, magnetic forces and fields, AC circuits, geometrical
optics, and physical optics.
Course
Objective: To achieve a thorough
understanding of the basic concepts and principles of physics and and to
strengthen the understanding of these concepts by applying them to a broad
range of interesting applications.
Students will acquire skills in scientific methods, critical reasoning
and problem solving, and on experimentation with data acquisition and analysis.
Electronic devices: Please
set your cell phones, watch alarms and pagers to silent mode or turn them off.
Attendance: You are required to attend all lectures/labs and
to participate in classroom discussions.
You
are responsible for all materials and assignments presented in class. Almost every
class
will review questions, exercises and problems similar to ones found on the
exams.
“Lecture”
class time will be a combination of lecture and active student participation
with
a
focus on understanding principles and answering/solving physical problems.
Lecture Topics: Tentatively
we will cover:
Chapter
10. Simple and Harmonic Motion and Elasticity
Chapter
16. Waves and Sound
Chapter
17. The Principle of Linear Superposition and Interference Phenomena
Chapter
25. The Reflection of Light: Mirrors
Chapter
26. The Refraction of Light: Lenses and Optical Instruments
Chapter
27. Interference and the Wave Nature of Light
Chapter
18. Electric Forces and Electric Fields
Chapter
19. Electric Potential Energy and the Electric Potential
Chapter
20. Electric Circuits
Chapter
21. Magnetic Forces and Magnetic Fields
Chapter
22. Electromagnetic Induction
Lecture Schedule: Week
# Dates Chapters
Tuesday Thursday
1 Aug.
23 Aug. 25 10
2 Aug.
30 Sept. 1 16
3 Sept.
6
Sept. 8 16, 17
4 Sept.
13 Sept. 15 17
5 Sept.
20 Sept. 22 25
6 Sept.
27 Sept. 29 25, 26
7 Oct.
4 Oct.
6 26
8 Oct.
11 Oct. 13 27
9 --------- Oct. 20 27
10 Oct.
25 Oct. 27 18
11 Nov.
1 Nov. 3 18, 19
12 Nov.
8 Nov. 10 19
13 Nov.
15 Nov. 17 20
14 Nov.
22 ---------- 20
15 Nov.
29 Dec. 1 21
16 Dec.
6 Dec. 8 22
Course
Work: The course will be
taught in a studio format that emphasizes active learning rather
than the
passive learning approach of past lecture courses. In a given class meeting,
there
can be any
combination of lecture, discussion, problem solving, demonstration,
computer-based
activities, or laboratory work.
In-class
Activities: Group activities:
Groups of 2-3 students will be given activities that will involve
problem
solving,
mini-labs, and computer-based simulations/problems. The instructor will make
sure that
all members of a team are actively involved in all group activities and may
rotate
group
members to ensure this.
Individual activities: Students will be assigned activities to be
performed individually.
These could
include quizzes, homework, simulations, etc.
The
instructor will often (but not always) grade these in-class activities. There
will be no
make-up
activities. Missing a class will result in a zero for the activities completed
during
that
class.
Lab Reports: You will write a formal lab
report for several of the mini-lab activities.
Each group will
submit one lab report. The reports will be graded on a scale of
10. However each member
of the group
should keep a copy of the submitted in their own folder. The lab report format
will vary
slightly with each lab as needed.
NOTE:
In order to share the cost of printing, please take turns printing your
lab reports.
the
lecture sessions by asking questions, answering them and being an active part
in the
solution
of examples presented in class.
few
multiple-choice questions and/or fill-in problems designed to test your
understanding
of the material. Make-up
quizzes will not be given.
Homework: Homework will generally be
assigned each class meeting. The
assignments will consist of
readings
in the textbook and problem sets. Note,
homework sets are due by
the
due date. Overdue homework sets will be
penalized. Assistance on homework from
fellow
classmates and the instructor (see office hours above) is allowed. You should
work
together (but not copy from one another).
Good marks will be given to those whose
work
shows clarity, organization, reasoning and full solutions. Quick short answers
(even
if correct) without reasoning or complete solutions will not receive good
marks.
Solutions
will be posted on Blackboard as soon as possible after the due date.
The
lowest grade for lab reports, the lowest grade for quizzes and the lowest grade
for
homeworks
will be dropped.
Tests and exam: Three
regular tests (approx. 90 minutes each) and one comprehensive final exam will
be
given. Exams will be taken without use of books or
notes. However, the instructor will
provide
an equation page. Use of a
non-programmable, non-graphing calculator will be
allowed. A brief exam review (from your questions)
will be given in class sometime
during
the week before each exam. There will be no make-up exams.
Tentative Exam Dates: Chapters:
Thursday,
Sept. 22 10,
16, 17
Thursday,
Oct. 27 25,
26, 27
Tuesday,
Nov. 15 18,
19
Final Exam:
Important Dates: The
date scheduled for any of the three exams may be changed if deemed necessary by
the
instructor. Such a change will be
announced in lecture as soon as possible prior to the
originally
scheduled date.
August
22 (M) First
Day of Class
August
27 (SAT) Last
Day to Register
September
5 (M) Labor
Day Holiday
September
22 (R) FIRST
EXAM
October
17 - 18 (M - T) Fall Break
Holidays
October
22 (SAT) Mid-term
Grades Due
October
27 (R) SECOND
EXAM
October
31 (M) Last
Day to Withdraw with a W
November
15 (T) THIRD EXAM
November
24 - 26 (W - F) Thanksgiving Holidays
December 9 (F) Last Day of Class
December
13 (T) FINAL EXAM
Grading:
Your final grade will be
determined by the path that gives the higher total:
COMPONENTS PATH
#1 PATH #2
Three exams 30% 40%
Comprehensive
Final Exam 30% 20%
Homework
15% 15%
Lab reports 10% 10%
Quizzes 10% 10%
Concept
Tests (pre- and post-test) 5% 5%
Final Grade PERCENTAGE LETTER GRADE
Assignment: 90%
or higher A
80%
- 89.9% B
70%
– 79.9% C
60%
- 69.9% D
Less
than 60% F
This syllabus may be modified by the instructor at any
time during the semester. Request
further explanation if any part of this syllabus or any course procedure or
requirement is unclear.
*** Mid-Term
Grades for First-Year Students ***
NOTE: First-year
students will receive mid-term assessments of their performance.
• Mid-term grades will be issued only to
students who have successfully completed fewer than
30 semester hours;
• Students will be able to access mid-term
grades through Norse Express as soon as faculty
submit the grades;
• Mid-term grades are not part of students’
permanent records; they will be replaced by final class
grades
when these are submitted; Mid-term grades do not guarantee a good or bad class
grade;
they reflect a current level of performance that can be altered by the quality
of
subsequent work.
*** NKU Student Honor Code
***
"The work you will do in this course is subject to
the Student Honor Code. The Honor Code
is a commitment to
the highest degree of ethical integrity in academic
conduct, a commitment that, individually and collectively, the
students of
fellow students or avoid academic requirements."
This syllabus may be modified by the instructor at any time during the semester.
Request further explanation if any part of this syllabus or any course procedure or requirement in unclear.
This section is intended
for you to use as a guide and reference for general physics lab reports. It is important that you read the practices
and procedures as outlined in this introduction. The labs are intended to provide you with; 1)
hands-on experience with the concepts we have been going over in class, 2)
practice in taking measurements (a very important part of being in science or
engineering), and 3) practice working in groups.
Each group must submit a
lab report for each experiment performed.
The following format is recommended and should be adhered to closely
unless your instructor decides otherwise.
Use 8 1/2" x 11" paper and do not write on the back of the
sheets. Write legibly or (even better)
type, and use proper grammar. Points
will be taken off for misspelled words and incorrect grammar. A small portion of your grade may be based on
your in-lab performance.
FORMAT FOR WRITING A LAB REPORT
1) LAB
INFORMATION
Title, your name and lab
partners’ names, and date(s) of performing experiment.
2) INTRODUCTION
A very brief overview of the
purpose (goals) and the main results of the experiment. If a known physical quantity was measured in
the experiment then you should state the numerical value of the result that you
obtained for that quantity and also state how close your result was to the
expected result.
3) EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Describe
what you did, in order. Do not copy the
procedure from the handouts. Your
procedure may include
diagrams
or other helpful information that will make the lab easier to perform. Your procedure should be
complete
enough so that an individual could read your procedure and could perform the
lab as you did. Don’t
report
numbers or results in this section.
4) OBSERVATIONS / DATA
List
and describe the raw experimental data collected during the experiment. Data should always be
reported in a clear and
organized way (use tables). Include all plots and graphs in this section. The axes
of all graphs should be clearly
labeled (quantity and units) and each graph should be titled so that it
clearly indicates exactly
what data are being plotted.
When calculating a slope
of a line on a graph, make sure to choose grid points that are near the
beginning and end of the line respectively in order to have a large difference
in x and y values. Draw a circle around those two points which will be used for
the calculation of the slope. Label ∆x and ∆y, and calculate the slope
right there on the graph. Scales should be chosen so that the plot should takes
up the whole graph, so that plotting accuracy is increased. An example
Given two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) on the best straight line through the data points, the equation for the line is y = mx + b.
b = the intercept on the y-axis at x = 0.
If you use a spreadsheet
program (e.g., Excel) to plot your data and fit a line, be sure to set scales
so that the data takes up the whole page (as above) and that the equation for
the fitting line is displayed on the graph as well as the line itself.
NOTE: Answer all the assigned questions with complete
sentences.
5) CALCULATIONS and RESULTS
List
the equation(s) and show a sample calculation(s) that you carried out. Then state the result(s) of the
experiment
and compare your result(s) to the accepted or theoretical value(s) (if
available) by computing
a percent error. Also state what you consider to be the most
likely causes of this error.
Percent error is used when comparing a
result to an accepted value.
%
error = ( (X - Xs ) / Xs ) x 100%
where
Xs = the standard or
accepted value and X = the experimental value
Percent difference is used when comparing
two results from different experimental methods.
The average of the two
measurements is probably closer to the actual value than either measurement. So,
the average is used in the denominator.
%
difference = ( (X1
- X2) / Xavg ) x 100 %
where
X1 = an experimental value,
X2 = an experimental value
obtained by another method,
Xavg = (X1 + X2 )/2 = the average value
of X1 and X2
6) CONCLUSIONS
Discuss the findings, i.e.,
discuss what the data tell you and what conclusions you can draw from the
experiment.