PHY3221: Mechanics I

This course is the first semester of the two semester undergraduate course on intermediate classical mechanics. The goal of the first semester is to develop a bridge from the elementary course (PHY2048) to the Lagrange and Hamilton formulation of mechanics to be studied in depth in the second semester (PHY4222) of the course. We will study applications of Newton's laws to more complex situations than encountered in the elementary course, employing the mathematical methods of matrices and vector calculus. Topics to be covered include Newtonian mechanics, frames of reference, conservation laws and harmonic oscillations.

Below are links to course information, a syllabus, a convention and formula sheet. As the course develops, I will be writing lecture notes, which will eventually be posted here.

Required text:

Classical Mechanics , John R. Taylor, (University Science Books, 2005). [errata]
Scanned Problems: 1.1-1.13, 1.14-1.27, 1.28-1.40, 1.41-1.51

Course Information:

Class and contact Information

email: thorn@phys.ufl.edu

Lectures: MWF period 2 (8:30-9:20 am), NPB 1101

Office hours: MW period 3 (9:30a-10:30p), W period 7 (2:00-3:00) NPB 2069, and by appointment

Our grader: Haoru He

email: hehaoru@gmail.com

Office hours: MF period 7 (2:00-3:00) room NPB, B71

Announcements, Spring 2013

Problem set 1 posted 4 January 2013
Here is an example of the kind of solution presentation I am looking for .
Since there are several students awaiting their textbook orders, I have scanned the problems from chapter 1 of the textbook: see the links above.
Problem Set 2 posted 10 January 2013
Solution Set 1 posted 5:30 pm 14 January 2013.
Office hours for grader posted.
Problem Set 3 posted 21 January 2013
Typos in Solution set 1 corrected 22 January 2013.
Solution Set 2 posted 5:20 pm 23 January 2013.
Problem Set 4 posted 25 January 2013
Lecture notes updated 25 January 2013.
Solution Set 3 posted 5:00 pm 28 January 2013.
During class Wednesday 30 January, we will try to set the date of our first midterm. It will cover the first two chapters of the text which I expect to finish discussing by the end of this week. Candidate dates for the midterm will be Wednesday and Friday of next week or, at the latest the following Monday (11 February). If the date matters to you plese try to come to Wednesday's class or email me your preferences. I hope to post the date by 5pm on Wednesday.
In class today (30 January) we agreed to hold the first midterm exam on Monday, 11 February. The exam will be closed book, but I will include a useful formula sheet in each exam packet. Material covered will be the first two chapters of the text and class discussion through Monday, 4 February. Relevant homework will be the first 4 problem sets plus 2 questions on the magnetic force in Problem Set 5.
Problem Set 5 posted 1 February 2013. Note that the first two problems, 17 and 18, are on material from chapter 2, and are therefore relevant to the midterm exam on 11 February.
Solution Set 4 posted 9:00 pm 4 February 2013.
The formula sheet that will be included in all our exam packets can be perused here.
Problem Set 6 posted 8 February 2013
Statistics on first midterm: average=64/80 (80%); median scores 61,65; range of scores 45-80.
Solution Set 5 posted 13 February 2013.
Problem Set 7 posted 16 February 2013
Solution Set 6 posted 18 February 2013.
Lecture notes updated 19 February 2013.
Problem Set 8 posted 22 February 2013 (Due 11 March, 1st Monday after spring break).
Solution Set 7 posted 27 February 2013.
Problem Set 9 posted 1 March 2013.
Lecture notes updated 1 March 2013.
During class Wednesday 13 March, we will try to set the date of our second midterm. It will cover mainly the material since the first midterm, namely chapters 3 and 4, and problem sets 5 through 9. I expect to finish discussing this material by the end of this week. Candidate dates for the midterm will be Wednesday and Friday of next week or, at the latest the following Monday (25 March). Among class members present this morning (11 March) the preference was Friday 22 March. If the date matters to you please try to come to Wednesday's class or email me your preferences. I hope to post the date by 5pm on Wednesday 13 March.
In today's class (about 50% attendance) there were no strong objections to the choice of Friday 22 March for our second midterm. I will make this date official at 5pm today, in the absence of further email input.
Solution Set 8 posted 13 March 2013.
Problem Set 10 posted 15 March 2013. Please note that we have fixed the date of the second midterm to be Friday 22 March 2013.
Solution Set 9 posted 18 March 2013.
Lecture notes updated 19 March 2013.
The formula list that will appear in tomorrow's midterm has been updated. It can be perused here.
Problem Set 11 posted 24 March 2013.
Solution Set 10 posted 26 March 2013.
Statistics for midterm 2: Average=58.5/80=73%, Range: (35---74)/80 =44---92%, Median: 60/80=75%
Problem Set 12 posted 29 March 2013.
Solution Set 11 posted 3 April 2013.
Last two Problem Sets 13 and 14 posted 5 April 2013.
Lecture notes updated 5 April 2013.
Solution Set 12 posted 10 April 2013.
Course and teacher evaluations: UF Online Faculty Evaluations will be open from 13 April 2013 until Friday 26. These evaluations provide very important feedback, so it is essential that we all do our best to maximize the number of responses. Please make an effort to set aside 10 minutes or so to do this important task. You can access the evaluation form at your leisure from the web site: https://evaluations.ufl.edu/evals/ where you can find instructions and links to a gatorlink login page. It is probably a good idea to bookmark the page so you can easily find it in the future. URL for online evaluations: [evaluations.ufl.edu]
Solution Set 13 posted 16 April 2013. Please note that the final problem set 14 has been posted for some time. It is due Monday, 22 April 2013.
Lecture notes updated 19 April 2013.
Solution Set 14 posted 30 April 2013

Homework Assignments

In the homework assignments, I will refer to problems in Taylor's book by prefixing the problem number with T.

Problem Set 1, due 14 January 2013, Solution Set 1
Problem Set 2, due 23 January 2013, Solution Set 2
Problem Set 3, due 28 January 2013, Solution Set 3
Problem Set 4, due 4 February 2013, Solution Set 4
Problem Set 5, due 11 February 2013, Solution Set 5
Problem Set 6, due 18 February 2013, Solution Set 6
Problem Set 7, due 25 February 2013, Solution Set 7
Problem Set 8, due 11 March 2013, Solution Set 8
Problem Set 9, due 18 March 2013, Solution Set 9
Problem Set 10, due 25 March 2013, Solution Set 10
Problem Set 11, due 1 April 2013, Solution Set 11
Problem Set 12, due 8 April 2013, Solution Set 12
Problem Set 13, due 15 April 2013, Solution Set 13
Problem Set 14, due 22 April 2013, Solution Set 14

Information on Examinations

The final exam is scheduled for 1 May 2013, 5:30-7:30pm. Two in-class midterms will be given, on dates to be determined. In grading the midterm and final exams, points will be deducted for errors in calculation and logic. Both exams will be closed book.