Physics 110, Fall 2004, G. E. Matthews

Welcome to Physics 110, Introductory Physics.

Description

Physics 110, Introductory Physics is a survey of the principal topics of physics, including

The course is tailored for students who do not plan advanced study in any of the sciences. Physics, chemistry, and biology majors should take Physics 113 and 114 instead.

An understanding of algebra and elementary trigonometry is assumed.

Goals:

My goals for the course are to have you: Toward that end, physics concepts will presented in the context of real-world examples, applications, and demonstrations. You will learn to explain many things around you using only a few fundamental concepts. You will discover that science is a process, rather than a set of results. The class will be highly interactive, as we seek to do science. We will develop models and theories, based on observation of classroom demonstrations.

Text:

Inquiry into Physics, 5th edition, by Ostdiek and Bord, West Publishing Company, plus other readings as assigned.

Homework:

Homework is due the class period after it is assigned, unless otherwise specified. I want to get solutions posted promptly, so homework will not be accepted late. Homework should be turned in at the beginning of class

Homework will be collected every class period. Not every problem will be graded. Solutions to all problems will be posted on the World Wide Web, so be sure to check your work each time.

I permit and encourage forming study groups for working homework. Copying another student's homework is wrong, but collaboration is not.

Laboratory:

A weekly laboratory is an important part of this course.

You must pass the lab to pass the course. Your lowest lab grade is dropped. This means a single absence from lab would not significantly affect your grade. There are no make-up labs, so save this for an emergency.   Please see the accompanying document on laboratory grading. Be sure to bring your lab manual to every lab.

University-excused absences from lab If you have two university-excused absences from lab, you may drop an additional grade for the second of these missed labs.  If you must miss more than two labs under a university excuse, you must make arrangements to make up these labs at least one week prior to the absence.  Note that if you drop any lab grade for an excused absence, you cannot drop an additional grade.

Attendance:

Classroom participation is expected. Excessive absences may adversely affect your final grade. If you do not plan on coming to class, do not take this course.

Excused absences:

Please send me e-mail notifying me of any class you will miss with a University-approved excuse. If there is quiz or test that day, you must also give me a copy of the excuse. Your homework should be sent to me by class time. If you are out of town, you may send your homework to me by e-mail (matthews@wfu.edu) or FAX ( 336-758-6142).

If a short quiz is given on the day you have a University-excused absence, the quiz is omitted from your quiz average. You do not need to make up the quiz. Hour tests, however, must always be made up. Be sure to arrange for this before your absence.

Hour Tests:

Three tests are given during the course of the session. Alternate test times are normally given only in the event of infirmary confinement. Please notify me of such a problem prior to the test.

Test dates:

Final examination:

The final examination will be given only at the regularly scheduled time as specified in the class schedule published by the Registrar's Office. There will be no alternate exam times.   Please notify your siblings not to have wedding rehearsals on this date.  Please notify your grandmother that you cannot attend her retirement dinner at this time. (For Fall 2004, this is Dec. 10 at 2:00 p.m.)

Grading:

Your final grade will be composed of the following contributions: *The lowest test grade will count only one-third as much as the other two test grades. However, if your final exam grade is lower than any test grade, all test grades will be kept and the final will count the same as each of your tests, with all the test and exam scores accounting for 78% of your final grade.

**Your lowest homework grade is dropped.

***Your lowest lab grade is dropped.

Office hours:

8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Tuesday

8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Thursday

These are just the times you can generally expect to find me in my office without a conflict, but I am on campus nearly every day all semester from about 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. If the posted office hours do not fit your schedule, give me a call and I can usually see you immediately or quickly at another time.

The Net:

Class information will be available through the Physics 110 Web page,
http://www.wfu.edu/~matthews/courses/phy110.

In addition, there is a class "listserv." This will allow you to exchange e-mail with everyone in the class. This is a good place to get help with those late-night questions.

The listserv will use your ordinary electronic mail. Anything you mail to "phy110" will go to the entire class and to me. This offers an easy way to ask questions, discuss problems, etc. More information is available in the accompanying Physics 110 listserv document.

You may also mail me directly at matthews@wfu.edu. Unless the question is confidential, you may prefer to send to "phy110@wfu.edu," since a class member may be able to answer the question before I can.

Physics 110 home page