DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY -- (202) 806-6245 (main office), -5830 (fax)

Physics for Scientists & Engineers (PHYS 013) MWF, 11-12 noon, in TKH 300;
Office hrs.: MW 3³⁰ - 5 pm, and by appointment (at least one day ahead, confirmed)
[Topics][Daily Schedule][Minimal Requirements][Assignments][e-Gear][Welcome]

Instructor: Tristan Hubsch

TKH#213, 806-6267 thubsch@mac.com

Recitations (attendance is mandatory!):

Thu. 1-3 PM session	Tue. 1-3 PM session	Tue. 3-5 PM session
Dr. Raja Almukahhal, TKH#213	Prof. Anand Batra, TKH#115	Dr. Lawrence Major, TKH#202
almukahhal@mail.earthlink.net	abatra@howard.edu	lmajor@physics1.howard.edu
M: 1-2 PM, Tu: 4-5:30 PM Th: 12-1 PM, F: 9:30-11:30	MW: 1-2 PM	M: 12-1 & 3-4 PM, Th: 3-4 PM

Mr. Tehani Finch (TKH#G8, tfinch@howard.edu) is grading the homework

 

Textbook (required): D.C.Giancoli, Physics for Scientists & Engineers (3rd ed.)
--- and several other sources, as given in class and available on-line.

Component	Time	Remark	% of Grade
Homework	See in daily schedule	Late HW = 0 credit !!!	20%
Class work/Quizzes	in recitation sessions	current material	20%
Exams (two midterms)	See in daily schedule	not comprehensive	(each) 20%
Now drop the one worst component of the above (for each student individually).
Final exam	Last week of semester	comprehensive	40%

The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the scientific description of Nature, including mechanics of particles, simple bodies and fluids, waves, heat and thermodynamics. Conceptual understanding rather than technical mastery is emphasized, although problem-solving skills will also developed.

A successful student is expected to demonstrate a conceptual understanding of the fundamental principles of physics, but also to demonstrate-and maintain-the ability to solve practical problems involving physics phenomena. For minimal requirements, see below!

Topical schedule:

1. Measurement and Modeling, §1
2. Kinematics in 1, 2 and 3 Dimensions, §2-3
3. Dynamics of Particles and Simple Bodies: Newton's Laws, §4-5
4. Newtonian Gravity, §6
5. Work, Energy and Its Conservation, §7-8
6. Collisions, Linear Momentum and Its Conservation, §9
7. Rotation, Angular Momentum and Its Conservation, §10-11
8. Equilibrium, Elasticity and Fracture, §12
9. Fluid Mechanics, §13
10. Oscillation, Waves and Sound, §14-16
11. Temperature and Ideal Gas, §17
12. Kinetic Theory of Gases, §18
13. Heat and The Laws of Thermodynamics, §19-20

Day-to-day schedule: Students are required to read ahead

08/27: Introductory Matters
08/29: Measurements and Estimating, §1
08/31: Kinematics in 1 dimension: velocity, §2.1-3
09/03: Observed Holiday: Labor Day
09/05: Kinematics in 1 dimension: acceleration, §2.4-7
09/07: Kinematics in more dimensions: vectors, §3.1-5 [HW#1 due]
09/10: Vector kinematics in more dimensions, §3.6-10
09/12: Dynamics: Newton's first two laws, §4.1-4 [HW#2 due]
09/14: Newton's 3rd law, weight, normal force, §4.5-8
09/17: Application of Newton's laws: friction, §5.1 [HW#3 due]
09/19: Application of Newton's laws: circular motion, §5.2-3
09/21: Newton's law of gravitation, §6.1-6
09/24: 1st Midterm Exam: §1-§6; 1-hour in-class
09/26: Work, §7.1-3
09/28: Opening Convocation
10/01: Energy, §7.4-5
10/03: Conservation of mechanical energy, §8.1-4 [HW#4 due]
10/05: Conservation of energy, power, §8.5-8
10/08: Observed Holiday: Columbus Day
10/10: Collisions, conservation of linear momentum, §9.1-5
10/12: Inelastic and higher dimensional collision, §9.6-9 [HW#5 due]
10/15: Rotation and torque, §10.1-6
10/17: Moment of inertia, conservation of angular momentum, §10.8-11
10/19: Rotation of a system of particles, §11.1-4 [HW#6 due]
10/22: Rotation of a rigid body, §11.5-10
10/24: Static equilibrium, §12.1-4
10/26: Elasticity and fracture, §12.5-8 [HW#7 due]
10/29: Static fluids, §13.1-6
10/31: Fluids in motion, §13.7-13
11/02: 2nd Midterm Exam: §7-§13; 1-hour in-class
11/05: Simple harmonic motion, §14.1-4
11/07: Oscillations: pendula, damping and resonance, §14.5-8
11/09: The wave equation, §15.1-5 [HW#8 due]
11/12: Observed Holiday: Veterans' Day
11/14: Wave properties, §15.6-11
11/16: Simple sound, §16.1-4 [HW#9 due]
11/19: Complex sound, §16.5-9
11/21: Atomic theory of matter and the Zeroth law of Thermodynamics, §17.1-4
11/23: Observed Holiday: Thanksgiving Recess
11/26: Gas laws and the ideal gas, §17.5-10 [HW#10 due]
11/28: Kinetic theory of gases, §18
11/30: Heat, §19.1-5 [HW#11 due]
12/03: The first law of Thermodynamics, §19.6-10
12/05: The second law of Thermodynamics, §20.1-4
12/07: Entropy and (dis)order, §20.5-10 [HW#12 due]

Minimum requirements:

To pass the course with a grade B or better, a Student must at the time of the final exam be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. state and apply Newton’s laws;
2. identify and apply the apropriate conservation laws;
3. determine the conditions for stability and balance (static equilibrium);
4. determine the wave characteristics of simple pendula, oscillations in media and sound;
5. state and apply the ideal gas law
6. state and apply the Zeroth, first and second law of Thermodynamics.

A student who cannot demonstrate the above listed skills at the time of the final exam automatically forfeits a grade of B or better -- regardless of the total number of points acquired in homework, quizzes and exams, and regardless of the success in completing any other course requirement.

All assignments refer to end-of-chapter problems (not "questions", not "general problems"!) as given in the text. See also homework solution suggestions. In each set, the problems in first group are recommended for practice. The alternate odd problems (3, 7, 11… i.e., 4n-1 where n=1,2,3…) are solved in detail in the Study Guide and are an excellent collection of worked examples. Finally, he problems in the second group (after the specified due date) are assigned and will be graded.

All homework assignments are in class, on the day indicated. Late homework will not be accepted, except in cases of proven (medical) emergency.

Collaboration policy
Collaboration -- but not blind copying -- on the homework assignments is strongly encouraged; students should use this to learn from each other. All exams and quizzes are open text and open class-notes (including notebooks and class handouts), but no collaboration is allowed; by signing the exams and quizzes, the student implicitly agrees to abide by this policy. Violation of this policy is covered under the University regulations on academic dishonesty and cheating.

Coursework presentation and organization
While a neat presentation of home,- quiz- and exam-work is not required for full credit, it certainly makes it easier to assess the quality of the work and give the proper credit due. In all cases, include a simple sketch if it might help conveying the approach or the calculations. Where necessary, include all units and symbols such as the measure of an integral, arrow on a vector, vertical bars for the absolute value of a quantity, for the magnitude of a vector or for the determinant of a matrix, etc.

• Homework: Submitted answer sheets should be stapled (preferably in the top-left corner). The Student's full name (and ID number) should be indicated on the first (cover) page. Solutions should be labeled and ordered consecutively by the problem numbers. Include all calculation/work and give full reference to any result quoted from any source other than the text, and page/equation number for results quoted from the text. All homework assignments will be graded and returned to the individual students.
• Quizzes: The Student's full name (and ID number) should be indicated on the first (cover) page, unless otherwise requested at the time of the quiz. Include all calculation/work and give the page/equation number for results quoted from the text. Speed and efficiency is important, but the presentation must be legible. All quizzes will be graded and returned to the individual students.
• Mid-term exams: All exam questions are given on a question sheet and include the detailed point distribution and the place to write in the Student's full name and ID number. This question sheet is to be stapled, in the top-left corner, on the top of the answer sheets. It will be used to indicate the acquired points, part by part and in total, the average score and the standard deviation. All mid-term exams will be graded and returned to the individual students, but no detailed solutions will be provided.
• Final exam: All exam questions are given on a question sheet and include the detailed point distribution and the place to write in the Student's full name and ID number. This question sheet is to be stapled, in the top-left corner, on the top of the answer sheets. It will be used to indicate the acquired points, part by part and in total, the average score and the standard deviation. The final exams are stored by the instructor, but are available to the individual student for review and photocopy after the exam;, no detailed solutions will be provided.

© Tristan Hubsch, 2001