PHY 211-002                          GENERAL PHYSICS WITH LAB  I                                                            Fall 09

                                                      

Location and Time:                  SC 127   MWF 13:00 - 14:50 am 

 

Instructor:                                Dr.  Scott Nutter                              Office Hours:

                                                Office:  SC 147                               WF:  8:30-9:30 am,   R: 9:00-10:30 am

                                                Phone:  572-5369                            or anytime when available.

 

Email, Web Page:                     nutters@nku.edu                             www.nku.edu/~nutters    

 

Required Materials:                  Text: Physics, 8th Edition by Cutnell and Johnson.  (We will not be using Wiley-Plus).

Calculator: A scientific calculator - capable of computing trigonometric functions and logarithmic function (and does not save text).

A plastic ruler (6-12 inches, marked in cm and inches), and a protractor.

                                               

Supplements (optional):           We will use Blackboard (learnonline.nku.edu) to disseminate course information, such as homework assignments and solutions, updates on your grade, exam reviews, instructor notes, and selected in-class handouts.

Student Study Guide by Cutnell & Johnson, Student Solution Manual by Cutnell & Johnson

                                                Web site for ActivPhysics Online:  www.aw-bc.com/knight. We will make use of some of these simulations in class; and you may wish to study them further on your own.

Textbook web site: www.wiley.com/college/cutnell. Click on "Student companion site" located in the right corner of the web page.  This site has several resources including, Self-Assessment Tests given with each chapter, Solutions to selected end of chapter problems, Interactive Solutions, Interactive Leaning ware, Concept Simulations, Review Quizzes for MCAT and other links. For more chapter related websites, refer the end of each chapter.

 

Pre-requisite:                            MAT 119 or MAT 118 or equivalent placement (geometry, trigonometry, vectors, and algebraic, exponential, and logarithmic functions).  A triangle should be your friend!

 

Description:                             Non-calculus introduction to classical physics using guided inquiry activities. Topics include kinematics, forces and Newton’s Laws of motion, circular motion, work and energy, momentum, rotational motion, static equilibrium, and fluids.

                                               

Useful links:

Blackboard login  Grades and assignments will be available from the Blackboard page for this class.

Homework Assignments (http://www.nku.edu/~nutters/hw_p211_f09.html)

Reading Assignments (http://www.nku.edu/~nutters/p211_readings_f09.htm)

 

Course home page  (this page: http://www.nku.edu/~nutters/p211syllabus_f09.htm)

My Home page (http://www.nku.edu/~nutters/)

 

Online activities:

Active Physics web site (http://www.aw-bc.com/knight)

Textbook web site: www.wiley.com/college/cutnell

Physlets (http://webphysics.davidson.edu/Applets/Applets.html)

 

Laboratory information:

Numerical Laboratory Write-up Guidelines

 

Course objective:  Objective is to achieve a good understanding of basic concepts and to be able to apply these concepts to a variety of physical situations. Students will acquire skills in scientific methods, critical reasoning, and problem solving. In the spring semester we focus on classical (Newtonian) mechanics.

Student learning outcomes for this course are:

o   Predict results regarding motion, force and energy applications, and test their predictions experimentally.

o   Write several short lab reports (and one or more formal lab reports) that will each include data analysis and a critique of experimental results. 

 

 

Assessment of these outcomes will be performed through regular homework assignments, several exams, including one multiple choice exam designed to measure purely conceptual understanding, and laboratory writeups.

 A word from the instructor: As an instructor, I consider myself more as a facilitator than a lecturer.  In other words, I expect that you will spend the effort to learn the material instead of expect me to spoon feed it through lectures.  Lecturing has been shown to not work in physics, a discipline in which the emphasis is on learning a method towards approaching a problem and identifying the concept surrounding the problem instead of a list of facts.  Towards that end, we will spend time in class working together on exercises from the workbook and book until you are comfortable with them, and then you can gain more experience and try more challenging exercises through the rest of the workbook problems and the homework. 

Attendance:  You are expected to attend all class meetings for the whole scheduled time and to participate in classroom and group discussions.  Absences will indirectly reduce your grade. I realize many of you have a life outside of school, but your attendance and participation is an extremely important part of the educational process. Please let me know when possible of planned absences.  Make-ups are rare.

Cell phone policy:  TURN IT OFF!  I understand that sometimes important things outside of school are going on in your life.  However, if what's going on is so important that you cannot be away from instantaneous contact for the hours of classtime then perhaps you shouldn't be there.  Also, it is unfair to the rest of the students (and me) to hear that ringing in the middle of class.  It throws our train of thought off.  If your phone rings by accident, turn it off and let the answering service get it.  If you answer it in class, or run out of class answering it on the way, I will think of some horrible punishment for you upon your return.  In fact, don't bother returning that day.  It gives me time to plan something incredibly evil and fitting.

Laboratory skills:  The scientific method basically consists of observation, followed by experimentation and measurement, then some sort of conclusion.  You will be practicing this at every step as you explore physical processes in the classroom.  I hope you will extend this pattern to the rest of the world as well.  Lab groups are comprised of whomever you sit with at your table.  Choose wisely! I reserve the right to rearrange the groups at will.


Tentative schedule of topics

No.

Week of

Topics

Chapter

1

24 Aug

Introduction,

Mathematical concepts review,

Concepts of motion

1, 2

2

31 Aug

Kinematics along a line (1D)

2

3

7 Sep

(Labor Day week)

Kinematics in 1D and

in a plane (2D)

2,3

4

14 Sep

Kinematics in 2D

3

5

21 Sep

Force and Newton’s Laws

(Exam I)

4

6

28 Sep

Force and Newton’s Laws

4

7

5 Oct

Force and Newton’s Laws

4

8

12 Oct

Circular Motion

5

9

19 Oct

(Fall break week)

Work and Energy

6

10

26 Oct

Work and Energy ,

Impulse and Momentum

(Exam II)

6, 7

11

2 Nov

Impulse and Momentum

7

12

9 Nov

Rotational Kinematics

8

13

16 Nov

Rotational Dynamics

9

14

23 Nov

(Thanksgiving)

Rotational Dynamics

9

15

30 Nov

Fluids

11

15

7 Dec

Fluids

(Exam III)

11

 

Important dates:

No classes: Labor Day (7 September), Fall Break (19-20 October), Thanksgiving (25-28 November). 

Withdrawal: The last date to withdraw from a course without a grade appearing in your transcript is 14 September. The last date to withdraw with a "W" appearing in your transcript is 2 November.

 

GRADING SCALE: Welcome to the new world of +/- grades.  Here’s my scale:

 

A

> 92

A-

90-92

B+

87-89

B

83-86

B-

80-82

C+

77-79

C

73-76

C-

70-72

D+

67-69

D

60-66

F

< 60

Grade components:

  1. Homework:  Homework problems will be assigned from each chapter. It is important to work these problems to obtain a good understanding of the material covered, and to practice so you can do well on the exams.  I will collect the assignments and grade a fraction of the problems.  The answers to odd numbered problems are in the back of the book.  I will assign some of these for practice.  You should make sure you can do them.  Due dates for problem assignments will be announced in class and posted on the web pages.  These will be handed in.  No late homework problems are accepted. Five announced problems out of each homework set will be graded using a rubric (see online handout). It is important that you show the work in an organized manner clearly showing the final answer with appropriate units. Examples and practice write-ups will be available. You are encouraged to work with others on the homework.  However, you are discouraged from letting others do the work and then copying what they did, or you doing the work and letting others copy. If I get identical homework papers I split the points between the individuals involved.  Solutions will be posted on Blackboard after the due date.
  1. Laboratories and activities:  Labs and activities are designed to get you familiar with the concepts by practicing hands-on physics.  Activities explore concepts through a series of questions which guide your actions. Labs go a step further than activities by requiring careful measurement and numerical analysis. Labs get a “full blown” write-up over a week long period, as opposed to an activity, which can be done in-class.  I will make it clear when a full lab write-up is expected, and point out guidelines for use in creating the write-up.  No late homework problems are accepted.
  1. Exams:  Exams are closed book and notes. The exam dates are tentative, and the topic ranges may change. Typically, the material for an exam will be completed about one week before the exam. There are no make up exams unless I decide your reason for missing is acceptable (an official excuse from Student Services helps!).  More regarding make-up exams is below. Study the workbook and HW problems!
  1. The pre- and post-tests are conceptual tests that allow us to measure your progress in a different manner from regular exams.  It helps us to “fine tune” our presentations and the material covered.  Your best score from the pre- and post-tests will be used in computing that portion of your grade.

 

Grade component weighting:

Grade Components

Weights

Homework

15%

Activities and labs

15%

Pre- and post-tests

10%

3 exams@15% each

45%

Final exam (comprehensive)

15%

TOTAL:

100%

 

Exams:            

Three unit exams and one comprehensive final exam will be given.  Exams will be taken without the use of books or notes; however, a non-text storing calculator is allowed.  Students are expected to know some basic expressions (or equations) and principles that are commonly used in physics; but certain equations that apply to only specific physical situations will be provided with each exam.  A brief exam review will be given in class sometime prior to exam day.  Being absent from any exam is strongly discouraged.  Make-up tests will not be identical to the in-class exam and will be more difficult, could cover topics not specifically mentioned during the exam review, and will be either written, oral, or both.

 

Chapters

Tentative Date

Exam I

Ch. 1 – 3

Sept. 23

Exam II

Ch. 4, 5

Oct. 30

Exam III

Ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 11

Dec. 9

Final

Comprehensive plus remaining material (if any)

Dec. 16,

1:10 - 3:10 PM

 

 

 

Additional Notes:

 

Students must register for Special Accommodations:

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or services) for this course must register with the Office of Disability Services. Contact the Office of Disability Services immediately in University Center suite 320 or call X-6373 for more information. Verification of your disability is required in the Office of Disability Services for you to receive reasonable academic accommodations. Visit the disability services website at www.nku.edu/~disability/.

 

Student Honor Code will be strictly followed:

This Student Honor Code [the "Honor Code"] is a commitment by students of Northern Kentucky University, through their matriculation or continued enrollment at the University, to adhere to the highest degree of ethical integrity in academic conduct. It is a commitment individually and collectively that the students of Northern Kentucky University will not lie, cheat, or plagiarize to gain an academic advantage over fellow students or avoid academic requirements.  For more details visit: www.nku.edu/~deanstudents/student_rights/honor_code.htm

 

 

Online Instructor and Course Evaluations: 

Near the end of the semester students will receive information on how to complete online instructor/course evaluations.  These evaluations are confidential, and the data collected (without students names) will be made available to instructor after your course grades have been submitted.  Your evaluations are taken seriously, and they can be very helpful in shaping the future of this course and the instructor.  Using online evaluations can reduce the costs of evaluations (by avoiding paper), but a high percentage of student participation is needed to prevent the return to paper evaluations.  Please complete the online evaluations by the last day of classes.  See http://eval.nku.edu/

 

 

 

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Outcomes and Assessment related to General Education Areas:

Students will be assessed on their ability to complete the outcomes below by using written exams, homework assignments, in-class activities/discussions, team experiments, and lab reports:

PHY 211 students will routinely:

 

 

 

General Education: Natural Science (with Laboratory) Outcomes and Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their ability to complete the outcomes below through the use of written exams, homework assignments, in-class activities/discussions, team experiments, and lab reports.

PHY 211 students will:

o   Predict results regarding motion, force and energy applications, and test their predictions experimentally.

o   Write several short lab reports (and one or more formal lab reports) that will each include data analysis and a critique of experimental results.

 

 

Physics Program Outcomes and Assessment (relevant to PHY 211):

Students will be assessed on their ability to complete the outcomes below through the use of written exams, homework assignments, in-class activities/discussions, team experiments, lab reports and a standardized test.

PHY 211 students will:

 

 

The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus during the semester but will notify students during class of any changes.

If you have a question, do not hesitate to ask. I don't bite. My biggest advice would be to practice, practice, practice, i.e. do lots of problems.

 

Created 19 August, 2009 SLN 

Last Update 21 October 2009 SLN