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Introduction to Physics 250

Dr. Phil Womblewomble@wku.eduApplied Physics Institute 270 781 3859Office Hours: MWF 8:00-9:00 TCCW 232

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Are you in the right place?

This is University Physics I9:10-10:05 am MWF Co-requisites: Physics 251 and Math 126

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What is different than High School Physics or College Physics?

More Mathematically basedBy that, I mean calculus

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Syllabus

Contact Info: Dr. Phil Womble womble@wku.edu On MWF afternoons and TR, I am at Applied Physics

Institute, 270 781 3859 I travel A LOT! Email is the best way to find me. I usually don’t read my email at home so usually email after 5

pm is not answered until the following morning. Particularly on Homework Night!

I usually leave all my material at my TCCW office so it is best to contact/meet me there.

You are always welcome to come out to the API and ask questions.

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Overall Goals

University Physics I is an introduction to Kinematics, Mechanics, and the Principle of Least Action for students in the physical sciences (including chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics, physics, and engineering related degree programs. The emphasis will be on developing problem solving skills and understanding the basic concepts and definitions used in the study and application of these areas.

Also an understanding that these concepts are not independent of other fields of physics but part of the larger picture of physics will be emphasized.

Finally, we wish to give the student confidence to tackle simple problems in their home and their work environments. Of course, we will not be held liable for any fires, deaths, and general mayhem which may result

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Grade Weighting Factors

3 In-class exams are worth 60% (20% each)

Final Exam is worth 25%Homework is worth 15%

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3 In-class Exams

Each worth 20% of your final grade Usually, 5 problems long. I supply all the formulae that you need (and

some that you don’t need) 30 minutes of the class period before an exam

is dedicated to test review I hand out old exams for you to review

These “practice” exams are examples of problems and problem-types that I have previously given.

Do not expect a problem to be repeated in its entirety from a practice exam.

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Exams Cont’d

Exams consist of 80% of homework/class examplesAgain, these are not exact copies but very

close20% of the material is based on

classwork/homework but will be an entirely new situation I call it “the joker problem”

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Exam Schedule (tentative)

Wednesday, October 5th

Friday, October 21stWednesday, November 16th

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“The More Work Shown, The More Credit Given”

This phrase is repeated at the beginning of EVERY test

It means that I grade on your problem-solving capabilities not an answer.

I could care less if you ever got a correct answer in this class.

BUT YOUR PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE GOOD!

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Final Exam

Essentially a two-hour in-class examWe will review during the final class

periodConsists of 10 questions

Comprehensive!

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Final Exam Schedule

MWF 9:10-10:05 Friday, December 16th , 8:00 am – 10:00 am

YUCK!

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Textbook

University Physics 11th Ed Young and Freedman

Available thru University Bookstore, Amazon, etc.

Expensive Text for ALL University Physics courses

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Homework

Submitted through the Mastering Physics ServerNew Texts have codes associated with

themYou can purchase access from the

Mastering Physics website.9:10 MWF class is MPWOMBLE0005

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HW Due Dates

HW Due Dates have a tendency to “slide back” but never “forward”.

While I (usually remember to) announce the change in dates in class, I sometimes forget

The due dates on the server are the correct dates and you are responsible for them

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Homework cont’d

Each student is required to keep a hard-copy of the problem and its solution These will be taken up randomly and graded.

Failure to submit a written version of the problems will zero your homework grade to that point.

Your points will be returned to you when you submit a written record of ALL the homework problems to-date.

I don’t just want a print-out of the MasteringPhysics, I would like you to show me how you worked through the problem and gave the answers that you submitted to the server.

I refuse to help any student on a homework solution unless he/she has a write-up of the physics problem.

VERYIMPORTANT!

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Collaboration is more than Copying

As adults, you are on your honor to ensure that you do not copy your homework

There will be no one to copy from on a test. Therefore it is in your best interest to understand the homework.

It is in your best interest to be selfish. It is in your best interest to help your

classmates No one really knows a subject until they explain it to

someone else.

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Attendance

I don’t have an attendance policyYOU are responsible for everything that I

say in class I have a tendency to ad-lib from these notes

and these “ad-libs” may also on the exams.These notes will be placed on the

Physics 250 server (under “Course Info” on the Physics website)