| Section | Class | Instructor | Office | Final Exam |
| 001 | (33578) | Shivaram | 153 | 9:00-9:50 MWF Fri., Dec. 17, 2:00 pm |
| 0002 |
(31540) | Norum | 136 | 10:00-10:50 MWF Thurs., Dec 16, 9:00 am |
| 0003 |
(34083) | Jones | 169 | 11:00-11:50 MWF Tues., Dec. 14, 9:00 am |
TEXT: Physics, vol. 1&2, 2nd edition, Fishbane, Gasiorowicz, and Thornton
Grade weighting:
3 quizzes in lecture 10%
3 one-hour exams 30%
Problem session results 30%
Final Exam 30%
Lectures:
The aim of this course is to help you to understand the physical world and to solve problems about that world. Both elements matter. Your grade will depend on your ability to solve problems and, therefore, on your acquisition of a set of skills for problem solving is critical. However, an understanding of the concepts is crucial to your ability to solve problems. The lectures are oriented towards helping you understand physics, not simply towards helping you choose the correct formula required to solve a problem. Understanding the material is the best long-term way for you to be able to solve the problems that an engineer faces. To help you understand the underlying concepts, you should read the relevant sections in the text (see following page) before the lecture and again as soon as possible after the lecture. Attending the lectures and seeing demonstrations is an important way for you to understand the material. You are expected to attend regularly. Due to the large amount of material to be covered, it is crucial that you keep up. To encourage you to do so, we will give three, short, unannounced quizzes during the lecture periods at random times throughout the semester. These quizzes will be worth 10% of your final grade. Note: these quizzes must be taken in the lecture section in which you are registered. This means that once you have chosen a particular lecture section to attend, you will want to stick with it.
Problem sessions:
Doing the assigned problems and attending the problem sessions is an important way to acquire problem-solving skills. You must be enrolled in a problem session in addition to the lecture. Homework problems will be collected the week they are due. Each week in your problem session (PS), either of the following will occur with roughly equal probability: 1, a problem from the homework you have handed in will be graded or 2, a short, pledged quiz similar to one of that week's assigned problems will be given. THIS MEANS YOU MUST WORK OUT THE PROBLEM ASSIGNMENTS IN ADVANCE! WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK IN GROUPS. HOWEVER, TO COPY PROBLEM ASSIGNMENT SOLUTIONS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Your lowest weekly PS score will be dropped. The weekly grades within a given problem session will be normalized so that all the sessions have the same grade average and distribution.
NO MAKEUP EXAMS OR QUIZZES ARE GIVEN. IF A VALID EXCUSE FOR ABSENCE IS PROVIDED BEFORE THE EXAM OR QUIZ, THE REMAINING EXAMS OR QUIZZES WILL BE APPROPRIATELY AVERAGED. IF A VALID EXCUSE IS NOT PROVIDED PRIOR TO THE EXAM OR QUIZ, THE EXAM OR QUIZ GRADE WILL BE A ZERO.
Approximately 20% of the final exam problems will be on material covered in sessions 32-41. The mean final grade for this course will be between C+ and B-. The average student will require at least six hours of work per week outside of class and problem session to do well in this course.
Attendance policy: Attendance is not taken, but you are responsible for all the assigned material, whether it is presented in lecture or not. You are also responsible for knowing the problem assignments and for any changes in the schedule or other announcements that are made in lecture.