PHY3513 (Thermal Physics), spring term 2013

 

 

Instructor:  Arthur Hebard

Office: 2257 NPB	Phone:  392-8442
Lab: B38/39 NPB	Phone:  392-9228
Email: afh@phys.ufl.edu	Fax: 392-3591

Meeting time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, period 5, 11:45 -12:35 pm in NPB 1101.

 

Office hours: Monday and Tuesday, 2:15 pm-3:15 pm. At other times, please email and confirm.

Textbook: The required text is Concepts in Thermal Physics by S. Blundell and K. Blundell

Corequisites: PHY 2049 or the equivalent. A course in differential equations is highly recommended.Calculus III will be used extensively throughout the course.

Synopsis: First part of sequence PHY 3513-4523. Treatment of classical thermodynamics including fundamental postulates, entropy, equations of states, thermodynamic equilibrium and potentials, Maxwell relations and phase transitions. Physics 3513 will cover selected chapters of the textbook. See outline for details. Lecture slides will be posted.

Grading policy:

Homework: There will be seven GRADED homework assignments during the semester, due on the dates indicated on the schedule. Each homework will be distributed as a PDF file through e-mail, usually on Friday and only the current homework will be posted on-line. Make your solutions neat, concise, and intelligible. Points may be deducted if it is difficult to find and/or understand the solutions. Overdue homework will not be graded. The graded homeworks will be worth 15% of the total grade.

In-class exams : In addition to the homework assignments, there will be FOUR IN-CLASS Exams of 50 minutes duration, tentatively scheduled for January 28, February 15, March 18, and April 12. Each of these exams will be worth 17% of the total grade. The lowest score of the four in-class exams will be dropped. Hence the in-class exams will constitute 51% of the total grade.

In-class quizzes: 10-minute in-class quizzes will occur approximately once a week and will cover topics included within the previous two weeks. These quizzes will be mostly based on conceptual questions (with true/false or multiple choice responses) and occasionally on simple calculations. At the discretion of the instructor, discussion among students will be allowed during some of the in-class quizzes. One quiz near the end of the semester will be used the fulfil the academic learning compact (ALC) requirement. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. However, the ALC quiz is compulsory and will not be dropped. The in-class quizzes will constitute 10% of your total grade.

Final exam: There will be a two hour, cumulative final exam. Details about the exam format will be posted here. Formula sheets for the final exam will be allowed. The final exam will be worth 24% of the total grade. The final is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1, 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM in NPB 1101.

Grade calculation:

Homework	15%
Best 3 out of 4 in-class tests	17% each for a total of 51%
In-class quizzes	10%
Final exam	24%

Here is a guideline for your final letter grade: 85%-100%, some type of A; 65%-84%, some type of B; 50%-64%, some type of C; below 50, will be decided by the instructor. These thresholds may be lowered, depending upon numerous factors, but will not be raised. The course grades are not curved.

C is the lowest passing grade for physics majors!

Holidays (no classes): Martin Luther King day: Monday, Jan 21; Spring break: March 2-9, 2013.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Students who require accommodation for disabilities must first contact the Dean of Students Office. That office will provide documentation, which the student must bring to his/her instructors during the first week of the semester.

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Each student is expected to hold himself/herself to a high standard of academic honesty. Under the UF academic honesty policy, unauthorized assistance or the use of unauthorized resources is strictly forbidden on work-for-credit. Although discussions among the students are highly encouraged, you are to work alone on all homework assignments unless specified differently. Fabrication or falsification of excuses or related documentation is also a violation of the UF academic honesty policy. Violations of this policy will be dealt with severely. There will be no warnings or exceptions.