Basic Physics II

Fall 2009

 

Instructor

Marvin Johnson

Office

N169

Phone

667-3552

Email

marvin@physics.csustan.edu

Office Hours (tentative)

Mon., Wed. & Fri.  9:20-10:40 and Tues. 11:15-12:15

Text

Physics by Giancoli, 6th ed.  (Any recent edition will be ok.)

Description

        This course is the second part of an introduction to Physics using algebra and trigonometry, but NOT calculus.  Since it is a survey course we will be moving fairly rapidly, so you need to keep up.  I plan to give two or three midterm exams (100 points each), a final exam (150 points) and grade homework.  (Because of furlough days, we will miss a couple of discussions.  As a result I will not be able to go over every homework assignment in the discussions.)  At times I may give short quizzes (10 points each).  Exams, including the final and any quizzes, will count for about 75% of your grade, homework for about 10% and labs for about 15%.  However, missing a laboratory and not making it up will count for negative 10 points.  I will use +/- grading.  If you miss an exam or a laboratory, see me immediately.  If you do not make up a laboratory before the lab report is due, you will only get partial credit for the lab.  It is your responsibility to make sure you complete any make-up work.  (You will be allowed to make up one lab at the end of the semester.)  Your final grade will be computed by adding all your points together and computing the percentage you have out of the total possible score.  The approximate percentage required for each grade is shown below. 

Grade

%

A

88-100

B

76-87

C

65-75

D

53-64

However, to get a C- or better in the course, you must also average at least 62% on the combination of quizzes and exams AND must also get at least 50% on the final.  You must also average 7 out of 10 on your labs to get a C- or better.

        I do not allow programmable calculators or electronic communication devices in exams!

        I will return all exams except the final.  I keep the final exams until two weeks into the next “regular” term, i.e. the final from the spring term is available two weeks into the fall term and the fall finals are available two weeks into the spring term.  I usually keep them on hand until the end of the next regular term.  If you don’t pick them up by then, I’ll throw them in the trash.  If you do not want them put into the trash, you must pick them up.

        The prerequisite for the course is a C- or better in Basic Physics I. 

        Course materials and announcements will be posted on the course’s web page at

http://physics.csustan.edu/Marvin/BasicPhys_II/Index.htm

You are responsible for notices placed there and you should check it daily.

Goals

        There are several things we want you to learn in this course. 

  1. The first goal is that we want you to learn about the basic principles that govern the workings of the physical world around us and gain an appreciation of why things work this way. 
  2. We also want you to be able to apply these rules to simple situations. 
  3. Another important goal is to develop your analytical and problem solving skills.  The ability to think logically and analytically is a very important skill.  We want you to do more than just memorize material; we want you to be able to understand it well enough to be able to apply it to different circumstances.

Study habits

        I would encourage you to work together when you study and even when working on homework problems.  However, you should do your own work on the homework.  You may get and give help and hints but do not copy homework.  You need to learn how to do the problems so you can do them on the exams, and you won't learn very well by copying.  Also, you need to understand how the material is applied to the problems so that you will be able to apply it to slightly different questions on the exams.

        A good practice is to read the homework questions and then read the chapter before I lecture on it.  Then come to the lecture and make sure the questions you have from your reading are answered in the lecture.  Since we will miss at least two lecture days, you will probably need to do this to keep up.

Tentative Course outline

        The outline below is tentative, but you can see that I hope to cover almost one chapter per week.  One problem is that I am supposed to take 8 furlough days this fall.  I will take furlough days on Sept. 22, Oct. 12 and 27, Nov. 12 and 25, Dec. 7(?) and 23.  Because of the furlough days, we will probably only have two midterms.  Also, the furlough days mean that I’ll have to move a little faster in the lectures.  Be sure to do the reading and keep up!

Dates

Lectures

Laboratories

Sept. 9-16

Chapter 16 Electric Charges & Fields

First week – no labs

Sept. 18-23 (22)

Chapter 17 Electric Potential

Lab 1:  Simple Pendulum (9/16)

Sept. 25-30

Chapter 18 Electric Currents

Lab 2:  Springs (9/23)

Oct. 2-Oct 7. 

Chapter 19 DC Circuits

Lab 3:  Waves (9/30)

Oct. 9-14  (Exam I) (12)

Chapter 20 Magnetism

Lab 4:  Electric Circuits (10/7)

Oct. 16-21

Chapter 21 Electromagnetic Induction

Lab 5:  e/m (10/14)

Oct. 23-28  (27)

Chapter 22 EM Waves

Lab 6:  Oscilloscopes (10/21)

Oct. 30-Nov. 4 

Chapter 23 Geometrical Optics

Lab 7:  Refraction (11/4)

Nov. 6-13  (Exam II) (12)

Chapter 25 Optical Instruments

Nov. 11 - Holiday

Nov. 23-30  (25)

Chapter 24 Wave Nature of Light

Lab 8:  Thin Lenses (11/18)

Dec. 2-9  (7?)

Chapter 30 Radioactivity (?)

Lab 9:  Interference (12/2)

Dec. 16

FINAL Wed., Dec. 16 from 11:15-1:15

 

 

Assignment for Chapter 16:  Electric Charges and Fields

·   Read Chapter 16 by Friday, September 11.