Reading:
The text for this class is Principles of Physics (4th Edition), by Serway & Jewett. We will specifically be covering Chapters 12-14 and 25-27 on Waves and Sound and also Chapters 16-18 on Thermodynamics. Note that this means that you need both Volumes 1 and 2 (or the big book that contains everything). You will not need the clickers that come bundled with the text at the bookstore. Those looking for extra help (or a different perspective) might consider also reading the relevant chapters in Fundamentals of Physics (7th Edition), by Halliday, Resnick, & Walker (Chapters 15-17, 33-35, and 18-20).

Students are expected to at least skim through the readings for each lecture before class in addition to reading the material in detail after the lecture. We will typically cover one Chapter during each week and there will typically be ~2 hours of reading (~20 pages) per week.

Lectures:
We will meet for lecture twice a week for 1 hour. Lectures will be geared towards conceptual understanding of what students have already read in the text. In-class activities during the lecture will be part of your participation grade.

Recitation:
Traditionally, recitation is a much more informal part of the class. As the course lecture is only 2 hours a week, the bulk of the example problems (which are quite useful for doing your homework) will be given here. This is also the time to ask all those nagging questions about your homework that you may have.

Homework:
There will be 6-8 problem sets assigned for homework over the course of the quarter; roughly 1 per chapter of text that we cover. Problem sets will be assigned when we start a new topic and will be due in class the Wednesday after we finish covering that topic. (For example, if we cover Chapter 12 during the W and F lectures of Week 4, the Chapter 12 HW will be due in lecture on the W of Week 5.) No late homework will be accepted, but your lowest homework grade will be dropped. The problems will primarily be taken from your book. You are encouraged to discuss your homework with others, but the work you submit must be your own. Copied homeworks will earn a zero for all parties involved.

Exams:
There will be an in-class midterm either at the end of Week 5 (February 8) or the beginning of Week 6 (February 13), depending on how fast/slow we move. The content will be similar to that of the homeworks; however, you can expect some short-answer questions as well. A (comprehensive) final exam will be given during a time/date to be decided during the exam week.

Labs:

• Manual: The Physics II & III manual is available at the book store.
• Requirements: Students taking Phys 112 must take Phys 112 Laboratory concurrently. Students who have taken all PHYS 112 labs previously may petition me for transfer of lab grades into the current PHYS 112 course. No grades will be transferred if the student has not completed all labs in a previous term.
• Lab Schedule: Each student will participate in a series of two-hour laboratory experiments during the quarter. Within each section, students will work in groups consisting of 3-5 members. The labs will be
  • Specific Heat, Week 3
  • Simple Harmonic Motion, Week 5
  • Index of Refraction Prism Spectrometer, Week 8
  • Wavelength of Light - Diffraction Grating, Week 10
• Procedure: Each laboratory assignment consists of 3 distinct parts:
  • Prelab - The prelab must be completed individually by each student before the lab session begins, and handed to the lab instructor immediately upon arrival at the laboratory. No late prelabs will be accepted. (30 points)  
  • Experiment - Students in each small group will work together as a team to collect data.The students themselves decide upon the responsibilities of each group member, although all should make roughly equal contributions. Each group may submit a single copy of the data sheet with all members signing it. The data sheet is to be turned in to the lab instructor before the students leave the laboratory. (40 points)  
  • Report - The students in each small group discuss the results they have obtained, interpret the data, and draw conclusions. Collaboration and discussion of the experiment are encouraged. However, each student must complete an individual lab report and submit it to the lab instructor before leaving the laboratory. (30 points)

Grading: (10 point scale)

• 20% Labs (4 in all)
• 5% Class Participation (based on in-class activities)
• 25% Homework
• 20% Midterm
• 30% Final Exam (comprehensive)

Tentative Lecture Schedule

Midterm:
    February 13 (in lecture); covering Chapters 16, 17, 18, 12, and 13.1-4
Final Exam (cumulative):
    Tuesday, March 18, 3:30pm, Matheson 208

Last Modified: 14 March 2008