Physics 213H – Syllabus
Fall 2009
General Information |
Professor: Dr. Josh Gladden email: jgladden@olemiss.edu; Phone: 915-7428 Office: NCPA 1062 & Observatory 1 Office Hours: T Th (12:30 – 2:00) & Fri. (9:00 – 10:00) in the Observatory, or by appointment at NCPA Website: www.phy.olemiss.edu/~jgladden/phys213/ (check regularly!) Lecture: MWF 8:00 – 8:50 in Lewis 109 Required Text: Giancoli, Physics, 6th Edition (electronic version is OK) Web Based HW (required): Mastering Physics (see instructions) |
Course Description |
This is the first course of a two-course sequence on general physics, mainly for pre-med majors in the Honors College. (The companion course is PHYS 214.) Students who enroll must also take, or have previously passed, the PHYS 223 lab course. We cover roughly the first half of the textbook. The main themes are: Motion, forces and energy for objects in one and two dimensions; analogous topics for larger objects that can rotate; material properties of solids and fluids; oscillatory motion; and heat. Significant goals of this course are for students to improve their analytical reasoning and problem solving skills. Part of this consists of “applying equations” and “getting the right result”, but students will be evaluated on a broader set of skills, including the way they analyze a problem and place it in context, as well as the way they write about it. Because this is an honors course, students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of physical concepts through clear and logical writing. |
Evaluation
Weights Homework ... 10% Test 1 ............ 20% Test 2 ............20% Test 3 ........... 20% Extra Credit.... 5% Final Exam .. 25%
Letter Grades Typical letter grade break points are as follows: A: 85% - 100% B: 75% - 84% C: 65% - 74% D: 55% - 64% F: < 55% (subject to change) |
Homework:
Homework will be assigned for each chapter we cover;
announcements will be made in class and posted on the course
website. Most homework will be done through the on-line companion
to the course known as “Mastering Physics” offered through the
publisher (www.masteringphysics.com). Details on how to access
the system will be posted on my website by the end of the first
week. The lowest homework grade will be dropped. Tests: There will be three midterm tests and a final exam, consisting of essay style questions, problems to be worked out, and multiple choice questions. Students will be allowed to use a calculator, but no books or notes during the tests.
Extra Credit (PhET): Students who complete a session with the on-line physics computer tutoring system, as explained in the class announcements page later in the semester, will get full credit (100%) for 5% of the total grade of the course. Final Exam: A cumulative final exam will be given on Monday Dec. 7 from 8 – 11 AM. Details on the topics stressed and exam policies will be given later in the semester. |
Course Policies |
Absences
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