Physics 114, Summer 2010, Syllabus

INSTRUCTOR:  Dr. Matthew R. DePies

• Office: Room PA B257
• Email: depies@phys.washington.edu
• WWW: http://faculty.washington.edu/mrdepies

CLASS TIMES: Monday-Thursday 8:30-9:30am PAA A102. . .EARLY!

OFFICE HOURS: See class website

GENERAL COMMENTS: I hope that by taking this course you will learn to enjoy and appreciate physics as I do. I will do everything possible to make the subject clear and understandable while trying to maintain your interest. Please feel free to ask for further clarification during class or later during office hours: often a different explanation will make things a bit clearer. It is very important to keep up with reading and homework, as it is very difficult to grasp the subject without working through the problems.

*Please note that memorization of material is not particularly helpful in this class. One’s goal should be to try to understand how the concepts, rules, and formulae can be used to solve problems from the world around you.*

CLASS: Lectures will be given during class hours. Often demonstrations will be used to make points clearer. We will be using an electronic system that records answers you give to questions asked during class. Also, we may do group work during some more difficult topics to facilitate learning.

COURSE CONTENT: During this course we will learn the basics of mechanics. This includes Newton’s Laws of Motion and Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation. The culmination is the analysis of the three great conservations laws: the conservation of energy, momentum, and angular momentum.

TEXTBOOKS: Physics: Volume I, Walker, Pearson Custom Publishing

ASSIGNMENTS:

• Homework: Physics is learned mostly through personal application of time and effort to problems. This being the case, homework is very important in learning and is important in class grading. Problems assigned on webassign.com will be due on a given date. They will be graded and be a part of your final grade.

• Midterms: Two midterms will be given throughout the quarter. No makeups are given for midterms.  If you miss one that will be your lowest score that is dropped. (Regrades: If you believe there was an error in the tabulation of your grade or a gross error in the grading, you may return the exam no later than the class day following the return of the exam. Do not make ANY changes or marks on the exam. You should be aware that portions of the exam are often photocopied for research and reference. If a regrade occurs the entire exam may be regraded resulting in a lower or higher score.)
• Final Exam: The final is on the last day of class and will be one hour. It is weighted the same as the midterms, and can be dropped as your lowest grade.  Note:  if you are going on to the next class and/or medical school, it is advisable to take this exam seriously.

GRADING: The course will be graded on a curve. The class average is set at 2.8 but can be increased or lowered depending on the performance of the class overall. The following weights are given to the assignments above:

· Midterms: 55%

· Final Exam 27.5%

· Homework 17.5%

WEBASSIGN.COM: webassign.com is the computer driven homework for the class. You are given an large number of chances for each problem, and often adjusting the number of significant figures will get you the answer the computer “likes.” One can also keep track of scores on tests through webassign.com and it can be accessed through the instructor’s website.

*Although it is not required by webassign, using the systematic format discussed by the instructor to solve problems is highly recommended and will pay off greatly during tests.*

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students with documented disabilities who need accommodations should contact the instructor the first two weeks of class.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Instances of academic dishonesty will result in a zero for that assignment and a referral to the Dean. Outcomes include possible academic probation and expulsion.

CLASS BEHAVIOR: Show courtesy and respect for your fellow students and the instructor. Participation during lectures is strongly encouraged. Don’t let something go if you don’t understand it: ask. If it is inappropriate to interrupt, make a note of it and ask later. At times I will ask you to talk to me later, so the flow of the class isn’t interrupted. If I do, please come see me!