PHY 2053
Summer 2008
Syllabus last updated 4/17/08

Instructor Information:
Benjamin Hall - bthall@phys.ufl.edu
Office Hours: NPB 2228 (directions below). R 4th (12:30-1:45) and Fri 5th (1:45-3:00)

Introduction:
Welcome to PHY 2053. We will be covering chapters 1 through 9, 13, and 14 of College Physics by Serway, Faughn and Vuille (8th edition), the topics of which include linear and rotational kinematics, forces and torques, gravity, collisions, sound, and rocket science (yes, rocket science).  This course will be taught without the use of calculus, and is intended for students who wish to pursue a field of study outside of physics, engineering, chemistry, or mathematics.

Class meeting time:
T R 3rd Period (11:00am-12:15pm) in NPB 1001 (large lecture hall), beginning Tuesday, May 12th.  The final class will be on Thursday, August 6, when we will have the final exam.

What you will need for this class:
A copy of College Physics, by Serway and Vuille (8th edition, volume 1).  Please note that some editions of this book are missing appendices at the back; it is recommended that you check for these appendices before purchasing the book.  Note: you will need an access code for WebAssign. If you purchase the text at any of the local bookstores new, you will receive a card with the code on it. If you purchase a used copy (online for example), you will need to purchase a code from WebAssign separately. It is actually cheaper to purchase a new book with the code here at UF than to purchase a used copy and get a book separately. If you already have a copy of the 7th edition, the problems have been renumbered, but most of the text is the same. Use it at your own risk, but you must buy a new access code. Selected readings from College Physics will be listed on the course schedule; whether you read the material before or after the concurrent lecture is up to you, although reading ahead of time is suggested.  There is also a Student's Solutions Manual and Study Guide available to complement the textbook; this book is optional, though you may find it helpful. I have one (1) copy of the student solution manual available for short (1 day) checkout on a first-come, first-served basis.

A calculator (preferably graphing, though scientific is fine) and writing utensils on the exam days.

 A HITT clicker (do not buy this till after the first day of lecture--only specific types work and if you get the wrong type it will cost you extra money).

A working knowledge of algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.  Almost all of the homework and exam problems involve using the formulas of physics to set up an algebra problems: in other words, you already know how to do half of the work.  We will be reviewing trigonometry at the beginning of the course.

Additional resources may be found at the bottom of this document.

Office Hours:

I will hold office hours on Thursdays from 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM (immediately following Thursday lecture) and Monday from 12:15-3:00 PM.  These will be held in room 2228 (note: my office is rm 2220, but it is much too small for office hours).  To get there, take the stairs in the lobby of the physics building and go straight down the hall towards the back of the building.  NPB 2228 is on the left about half way down and has a sign which reads "Seminar Room".

Your discussion section instructor will also be available during his/her scheduled office hours; consult your discussion section's syllabus for details.  There are also help sessions available in NPB 1215.  Please check the schedule (http://www.phys.ufl.edu/labs/help.html) for when help for PHY 2053 is available.

Grade:
Your grade will be based as follows:
Exams (3): 20% each, for a total of 60%
Discussion Section Quiz Grade: 15%
Homework: 20%

HITT (clicker): 5%

10% of all homework and quiz grades will be dropped: i.e. if there are 120 possible HW points, the homework grade will be calculated as either (your score)/(108) or 100% (20% of the total grade), whichever is lower (so that extra homework grades won't roll over into other grades, by department policy).  An excel spreadsheet containing all the appropriate formulas will be made available from the course web page after the first exam.

The final letter grades will be assigned by the following approximate ranges.  Please note these are subject to change.
A = 85% and above
A- = 80-84.9%
B+ = 75-79.9%
B = 70-74.9%
B- = 65-69.9%
C+ = 60-64.9%
C = 55-59.9%
C- = 50-44.9%
D+ = 47-49.9%
D = 43-46.9%
D- = 40-42.9%
E = below 40%

Exams:
There will be three in-class exams during the course of the semester.  The second exam will test material we cover between the first exam and the second exam ONLY (i.e., it is not cumulative).  However, because each chapter builds on the previous, you should maintain a working knowledge of first-exam material in order to succeed.  The third (i.e., final) exam, however, will be cumulative, held during class hours on Thursday August 6th, 2008.

To each exam, you are required to bring your own calculator and writing utensils.  You are also permitted to bring a single 8-1/2''x11'' sheet of paper with formulae (front and back).  It is up to you to decide what to put on your formula sheet; use your homework problems and my periodic in-class suggestions as guidelines.

Each exam will count for 20% of your final grade.

Make-up exams will be provided ONLY for documented illnesses or emergencies. The exams are held in class to avoid scheduling conflicts. If you know of a conflict ahead of time, PLEASE notify the instructor as soon as possible.

Discussion Section:

Your discussion section will be held in a different class session, with twenty to thirty other students, where your progress in the course will be gauged on a series of short quizzes (which amount to 15% of your total grade). You will be given ten quizzes over the course of the semester (approximately 1 per week).  Make-up quizzes are for university-excused absences or medical/family absences only and are completely at the discussion instructor's discretion. Please consult your course registration for time and location.  The discussion section is your opportunity for personalized feedback on your progress in the course.  Please make the most of it by attending and dialoguing with the discussion section instructor.

Homework:
Homework assignments will typically be due at 11:59 pm on Sundays (note that some weeks, especially following holidays, the homework may be due on the following Monday.  Each assignment will become available at least one week prior to its due date.

The assignments will be conducted through Webassign (www.webassign.net).  You will have to register for WebAssign by creating a username and password--the class key for this course is "ufl 3393 5087". If you purchased your textbook through the University of Florida Bookstore, you should have received an access code for Webassign with your textbook; if your textbook did not come with an access code, you will have to sign up and pay for an access code at the Webassign Web site or the UF Bookstore.  Detailed instructions can be found at http://www.webassign.net/guide/index.html (see section 2: "Access Codes," in particular).

Labs:
The laboratory section associated with this class (PHY 2053L) is set up as an entirely separate course from this one.  For assistance with the labs, please see your lab instructor or the lab supervisors.  I will try to cover course material in sync with the laboratory topics but this cannot be guaranteed.

Tutoring:
If you feel that you need additional assistance with the course material, you may wish to consider hiring a private tutor.  Tutor information is available in the Student Affairs Office (NPB 1210).

Course Changes and Announcements:
Announcements pertaining to exams, homework assignments, etc. will be made in class, but reminders will also be sent out over e-mail and posted on the course web page (www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/PHY2053/summer09/index.html).  Be sure to check your UFL e-mail account and the web page weekly if not more often.

Disclaimers and Policies:
This syllabus and the course thereunto pertaining is subject to change at any time without notice.

Students with disabilities requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.

Please be aware of the University's honesty policy regarding cheating and the use of copyrighted materials.

For counseling and mental health services, please consult the University of Florida Website.

Final Word and Resources:
Welcome to physics; I hope you enjoy your time here!

http://www.sosmath.com/trig/Trig5/trig5/trig5.html http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/physics/index.html
http://www.oberlin.edu/physics/dstyer/StudyTips.html
http://www.oberlin.edu/physics/dstyer/SolvingProblems.html
http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/

Recommended Reading:
The Cartoon Guide to Physics, Larry Gonick & Art Huffman, Harper Perennial 1991
The Character of Physical Law, Richard Feynman, Modern Library 1994