This course together with PHY 114 represents a comprehensive survey of basic physics. A small amount of calculus is used. Students in the allied health fields generally find that PHY 113 and 114 give excellent preparation for the MCAT exams.

Raymond A Serway and Robert J. Beichner, Physics For Scientist and Engineers with Modern Physics, 5^th edition, Saunders College Publishing (2000). In PHY 113, we will cover approximately half of the text -- Chapters 1-22. The second term course, PHY 114 will use the same text, starting in Chapter 23. While the title suggests otherwise, this text is appropriate for a large variety of student interests.

It is likely that your grade for the course will be determined by the following factors:

^*Students who satisfactorily^† complete all homework sets^†† will be permitted to drop the lowest hour exam grade. Discussion of homework problems among classmates is allowed and encouraged, but all work submitted for grading should represent the student's own best efforts. Problem set solutions will be posted on the web after the due date. There may be some "extra credit" opportunities available from time to time.
^† That is, to maintain at least a 70% average on the homework sets for all assignments covered by the exam.
^†† All students should keep a notebook or section of a notebook for the algebraic and graphical work associated with each assignment. This notebook will be especially helpful during tutorial sessions, consultations with your instructor, and preparing for exams. The notebook will be checked from time to time by your instructor. The numerical work for your homework must be submitted through WebAssign. You may wish to print your completed assignments from the WebAssign sessions to keep for your records.

^** Reading assignments for each lecture should be completed before the class meeting. Each student should formulate at least three questions about the material and email these questions to the instructor at least one hour before class time. Some of these questions will form the basis of the class discussion. To encourage the practice of posing good questions, the emailed questions will be included as part of your "class participation" grade.

^***Satisfactory completion of laboratory work is necessary for earning credit for the course. Laboratories begin meeting the week of September 4. Laboratory manuals will be available at your first laboratory meeting for $10.00.