DEPARTMENT
OF PHYSICS
PHYX
1200
PHYSICS
by EXPLORATION
FALL
2008
Course
Information
Textbook: Class Notes available
in bookstore - Required
Instructor Tonya
Triplett, SER 234, 797-8308, tonya.triplett@usu.edu
Classroom WIDT 007
Time
10:30-11:45 Tuesday and Thursday
Lab as registered
Office hours by appointment – T/H 1:30-3:00
Website Use
USUÕs Blackboard Vista program
Course
Goal
The goal of this
course is to acquaint you with some of the "big ideas" in physics, to
let you see those ideas in action in your own experimentation, and to convince
you that physics can (at least some of the time) be fun. The course will
also attempt to acquaint you with some of the major players in science, the
people who came up with the big ideas, how they did it, and how and on what
scientists are working today.
Tests
This course will have four exams over four general areas. These tests
will be given in class as listed on the calendar. Each one will be worth
150 points such that tests will comprise 60% of the total points in the course.
Tests will be in written format, will cover concepts, labs, and problem
solving. The last test will be given as the scheduled final and will NOT
be comprehensive.
Homework
Homework will be assigned approximately weekly. Each homework assignment
will be worth 20 points. Homework will be worth 200 points of the total
score or 20%. More than 10 assignments will be given so you may drop your
two lowest scores. Assignments will be are listed on the calendar.
The answers to homework will be posted on Blackboard, so late homework will not
be accepted.
Labs
Labs are your chance to Òtry it outÓ. They will be held in SER 110 during
your scheduled lab time. A total of 8 labs will be held during the
semester and you will need to attend them all. You will receive credit
for attendance and for an exit quiz. A total of 25 points per lab is
available. If you miss your lab section, you may be able to attend
another section during that week. Lab points will comprise 200 points of
the total score or 20%.
Lab Fee
A lab fee has been assessed for this course
to pay for lab materials. It should have been paid at registration.
Next-Time Question
At the beginning of each class there will be a thought question about the
previous dayÕs material. Students will answer these questions in a
journal format. This completed journal may be turned in at the end of the
course as extra credit.
Composition of Final Grade
Chapter
Tests
60%
600 points
Homework
20%
200 points
Labs
20%
200 points
Question
Journal
0%
up to 25 points
The assignment of letter grades will be as
shown in the table below:
Letter grade
A
A-
B+
B B-
C+
C
C-
D+ D
%
Score
94.0 90.0
87.0 84.0
80.0 77.0
74.0 70.0
67.0 60.0
The scores represent the lower bound for
the adjacent letter grades. Marks of 59% and below will be graded F.
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
This class is scheduled to have a Supplemental
Instructor (SI) to assist individuals or groups. At the time of printing,
one had not been assigned. More information may be given in the future.
Materials for Persons with Disabilities
In cooperation with the Disability Resource
Center, reasonable accommodation will be provided for students with
disabilities. Please meet with the instructor during the first week of
class to make arrangements. Alternative format print materials, large
print, audio, diskette or Braille will be available through the Disability
Resource Center.
Course
Calendars
Course Schedule
|
Date |
Material Covered |
|
|
|
Aug 26 |
Chapter 1, course
information |
|||
|
28 |
2-1 through 2-9 |
|||
|
Sept 2 |
2-10 through 2-16 |
|||
|
4**1 |
3-1 through 3-5 |
|||
|
09 |
3-6 through 3-9 |
|||
|
11**2 |
4-1 through 4-6 |
|||
|
16 |
4-6 through 4-11 |
|||
|
18**3 |
Exam
1 |
|||
|
23 |
5-1 through
5-5 Gravity |
|||
|
25**4 |
5-5 through 6-2
Energy |
|||
|
30 |
6-3 through
6-7 Energy Conservation |
|||
|
Oct 2**5 |
6-8 though 6-9
Machines, Power |
|||
|
7**6 |
6-9 through
6-11 Heat |
|||
|
9 |
6-12 through
6-14 Momentum, Entropy |
|||
|
14**7 |
Exam
2 |
|||
|
16 |
Fall Break Attend Friday classes this day |
|||
|
21 |
7-1 through
7-4 Charge |
|||
|
23 |
7-5 through
7-9 Voltage |
|||
|
28 |
7-10 through
7-14 OhmÕs Law |
|||
|
30**8 |
7-15 through
7-18 Series/Parallel Circuits |
|||
|
Nov 4 |
7-18 through
7-25 Power and Magnetism |
|||
|
6**9 |
Exam
3 |
|||
|
11 |
8-1 through 8-7
Waves |
|||
|
13 |
8-8 through 8-11
Light |
|||
|
18 |
8-12 through 8-14
Optics |
|||
|
20 |
Thanksgiving
Holiday |
|||
|
25**10 |
8-14 through 8-16
Optics |
|||
|
27 |
9-1 through 9-5
Radiation |
|||
|
Dec 2**11 |
Health Effects of
Radiation (hand-out) |
|||
|
4 |
9-6 through 9-7
Fission and Fusion |
|||
|
Dec 11 |
Final
Exam 9:30 |
|||
**Homework is due this
day
Homework
Assignments
|
Number |
Page in notes |
Problem Numbers |
Due Date |
|
1 |
2-11 2-15 |
2,3,4 1,3 |
Sept 4 |
|
2 |
3-9 |
2,4,5,6,7 |
Sept 11 |
|
3 |
4-10 |
2,5,7,10 |
Sept 18 |
|
4 |
Handout |
Given in class(WEB) |
Sept 25 |
|
5 |
6-14 |
1,3,10,13 |
Oct 2 |
|
6 |
6-14 |
14,15,16 |
Oct 4 |
|
7 |
6-14 |
5,8,9,11 |
Oct 14 |
|
8 |
7-16 |
1-5 (Both parts of
5) |
Oct 30 |
|
9 |
7-18 7-25 |
1,2,3 1,2 |
Nov 7 |
|
10 |
8-16 |
1,2,3 |
Nov 25 |
|
11 |
8-16 |
4,5,6,7 |
Dec 2 |
|
12 |
9-5 |
1,2,3 and handout |
Dec 9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAB SCHEDULE
|
Date |
Lab |
|
Aug 25-29 |
No Lab |
|
Sept 1-5 |
No Lab |
|
Sept 8-12 |
1. Race
Tracks* 2. Force Carts |
|
Sept 15-19 |
No Lab |
|
Sept 22-26 |
No Lab |
|
Sept 29-Oct 3 |
3. Roller Coasters |
|
Oct 6-10 |
4. Heat and Machines |
|
Oct 13-17 |
No Lab |
|
Oct 20-24 |
No Lab |
|
Oct 27-31 |
5. Electricity |
|
Nov 3-7 |
No Lab |
|
Nov 10-14 |
6. Waves and Music |
|
Nov 17-21 |
7. Light |
|
Nov 24-28 |
Thanksgiving
Holiday—No Labs |
|
Dec 2 |
8. Radioactivity* |
|
|
|
*This lab will be
completed DURING CLASS on December 2. No makeup will be available.
All calendar dates are tentative and may be
changed to meet course objectives.