Aim: This is the first course in the Enriched Physics With Calculus (Honors Physics) sequence PHY 2060-2061 for students with strong prior preparation in physics who wish to acquire a deeper understanding of the subject. The enriched sequence covers similar material to the Physics With Calculus sequence PHY 2048-2049, but treats basic topics at a faster pace, incorporates more advanced material, and places greater emphasis on instilling conceptual understanding and on developing the ability to solve more challenging problems. PHY 2060 focuses on classical mechanics, covering topics related to kinematics, dynamics, conservation laws, oscillations, and special relativity. (For further details, see the schedule at the end of this syllabus.) Prerequisites: You should have studied physics for a year at high school; completion of an AP course is advantageous but not essential. You need to be able to perform algebra quickly and accurately. Right from the beginning the course will make extensive use of differentiation, and at several points during the semester you will be expected to complete problems involving integration. You should therefore have successfully completed MAC 2311 Calculus 1 or equivalent, and have taken or be currently be enrolled in MAC 2312 Calculus 2. If you are in doubt as to whether you should take PHY 2060 or one of the alternatives (such as PHY 2048), please consult the lead instructor as soon as possible. Text: You will need access to the course text to supplement the lectures, to complete reading assignments and as a source of practice problems. It is essential that you use the Fifth Edition of Physics, because earlier editions are substantially different. Class Meetings: Classes will normally begin at 8:45 a.m. with a lecture that runs until approximately 10:00 a.m. The lecture will be followed by a problem-solving session, designed to help you apply the lecture material, which will finish by 10:25 a.m. Homework: Most weeks you will have a homework assignment, distributed, submitted, and graded online via the CAPA Web system. Assignments will normally become available by noon on Tuesday and be due by 7:00 p.m. the following Monday. Although the homework is graded, it is intended more as a learning tool than a means of assessment. CAPA tells you whether your answers are correct and allows up to 10 attempts at each problem. You are also permitted to collaborate with others students on the homework. Information about the procedures for logging on to the CAPA system and completing assignments can be found by following the Homework link from the course Web page. Exams: There will be four exams (see schedule below): three mid-terms (held from 8:30 to 10:25 a.m. during regularly scheduled classes) and a comprehensive final. The exams will emphasize physical reasoning rather than memorization of facts. This reasoning will be developed by steady work over the entire semester, not by last-minute cramming. You will be allowed to use a formula sheet, but no other aids. Exam solutions and scores will be made available through the WebCT Vista course management system, which can be reached via the Exams & Scores link from the course Web page. Grades: The maximum possible total score on the homework assignments will be scaled to 100. Each of the four exams will also carry a maximum possible score of 100. However, your lowest exam score will be dropped. If you are satisfied with your overall course score after three mid-terms, you need not sit the final. Letter grades will be assigned on the basis of the overall course score out of 400. It is likely that a score above 320 will earn an A, 300 a B+, 280 a B, 260 a C+ and 240 a C. These numbers are offered only as guides; more detailed information will be provided after each mid-term, and a firm grade scale will be announced before the final exam. Attendance Policy: Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended but not required. Even if you miss a lecture, you are responsible for staying informed of any announcements made in class. (Important announcements will be posted on the Web, and may be accessed by following the Announcements link from the course Web page.) Any unexcused absence from an exam will result in a score of zero for that exam. An absence will be excused only if it meets the criteria laid out in the University's attendance policies and if the student provides written documentation from an appropriate professional. Whenever possible, the lead instructor should be informed of any absence before the day of the exam. Your first absence, whether excused or unexcused, will be counted as your dropped exam. It is still important to inform the lead instructor as soon as possible of any circumstances that may excuse the absence, so as to to preserve the possibility of your taking a make-up should you end up missing a second exam. If you have two excused absences from mid-terms, a make-up may be arranged; at the lead instructor's discretion, this make-up may cover material tested on either one or both of the exams that were missed. Students with excused absences from (a) the final as well as one mid-term, or (b) all three mid-terms, will likely receive an incomplete in the course. How to Succeed in PHY 2060: You should attend class to learn about the basic concepts and how to apply them in solving problems. The material presented may seem familiar at the start of the semester, but the pace is quite fast and very few students will have a thorough understanding of all the topics covered. Arrive on time for class, since announcements will generally be made at the start of each lecture. It will likely benefit you to read the textbook in advance to acquaint yourself with the material to be covered in class. This is particularly true if your prior preparation is a little weak, because the lectures will cover the introductory material (e.g., motion in one dimension) quite quickly. You should work all the homework assignments, which form an essential part of the course. Although it can sometimes seem tedious, problem-solving provides a good measure of your understanding of basic principles by testing your ability to combine different physical concepts as they apply to unfamiliar situations. Problem-solving is a skill that has to be be developed, and everyone benefits from practice. Your grade in this course will be based solely on your success at solving problems during homework assignments and exams, so there will be a direct payoff for your effort. Try each problem on your own first. If you get stuck, talk the problem over with a friend, consult one of the instructors, or check the solution (if one is available). Whenever you need help to complete a problem it is essential, though, that you consolidate your new understanding by successfully doing another problem of the same type by yourself. Don't despair if you seem to make a lot of mistakes at the start. A successful physicist is basically somebody who has made all possible mistakes in the past and has learned how to avoid repeating most of them! If you are encountering difficulties with PHY 2060, don't wait to seek help. The course content is largely cumulative, so if you fall behind it will be hard to catch up. You are encouraged to consult with the instructors in person or via e-mail. When using e-mail, please make any physics questions as specific as possible, and recognize that it may be some time before you get a reply (especially outside normal business hours). Discussion of complex matters is usually best conducted face to face, either immediately after class or during office hours. If your schedule prevents you from attending office hours, feel free to contact one of the instructors to set up an appointment at a more convenient time. Outside Help Services: The Teaching Center in Broward Hall (tel. 392-2010) offers a range of free services, including individual tutoring in physics. The Physics Department (tel. 392-0521) maintains a list of for-fee tutors. Accommodations: Students requesting classroom accommodations must first register with the Office for Students with Disabilities, located in the Dean of Students Office, P205 Peabody Hall. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student, who must then deliver this documentation to the instructor when requesting accommodations. Academic Honesty: All University of Florida students are required to abide by the University's Academic Honesty Guidelines and by the Honor Code, which reads as follows:
Cheating, plagiarism, or other violations of the Academic Honesty Guidelines will not be tolerated and will be pursued through the University's adjudication procedures.
Schedule:
The schedule below lists the topics planned for each lecture,
cross-referenced to the text, and the date of each exam.
This schedule is likely to evolve.
It is your responsibility to be aware of any changes announced in class.
(Important announcements will also be posted on the Web.)
Kevin Ingersent / ingersent@phys.ufl.edu / Last modified: Aug 24, 2005. |