CSUSB PHYSICS 150
Introductory Electronics (Lecture) Spring 2015
Timothy D. Usher, Ph.D.
Office: Physical Sciences Building, Room 113
Telephone: (909) 537-5410
E-mail: tusher@csusb.edu
Physics Office: PS-119, Telephone: (909) 537-5397
Web site http://physics.csusb.edu/~tusher
Office Hours: MWF 10:30 – 11:30 (after class)
Required Textbooks: Lessons in Electric Circuits, by Tony R. Kuphaldt. This is an open source book available on the web http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/ or http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/electricCircuits/ and the homework assignments will be taken from; Socratic Electronics, also from Kuphaldt, http://www.ibiblio.org/kuphaldt/socratic/index.html. The lab manual can be found at CSUSB e-reserves http://libcat.lib.csusb.edu/search/p Course password = uts15150
Recommended books: "The Art
of Electronics (second edition)" by Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill.
This is considered by many experimental physicists to the bible of practical
electronics. "Analog Electronics for Scientific Application" by Dennis
Barnaal also see http://physics.csusb.edu/~tusher/150_rec_res.html
Prerequisites: essentially none. Knowledge of trigonometry and
exponential functions should help
Classroom participation is extremely important in this class. In order to properly participate you must come to class prepared, by reading the book and working on the homework assignments before class. This course is truly introductory. Students from all majors are welcome to take the course and have done well in the past. However, this course fulfills specific requirements in the Computer Science major (Item 12 in the requirements for the B.S. in Computer Science "One additional science course with lab component, not previously taken from the following areas:” It also fulfills specific requirements in the Applied Physics Option and the Computer Engineering major. The course is also designed to complement the Computer Science 310 Digital Logic course. It is also a prerequisite for the Physics 350 Data Acquisition and Control course which teaches the symbolic programming language LabVIEW which is widely used in industry and research labs.
General course goals: My goals as your professor are as
follows:
1. Make this an enjoyable course for you.
2. Help you develop a practical understanding of analog electronics.
3. Help you develop practical electronics skills such as trouble shooting,
soldering and circuit analysis.
Physics has a reputation of being difficult but this course is designed so that a freshman will be able to succeed in the course. It should also be of interest to upperclassmen.
You are strongly encouraged to talk with me about careers in science, academic advising, or other matters which may not be directly related to electronics.
The original funding for this course came from the National Science Foundation (NSF). We believe that not only the technology used in teaching this course is novel, but the position in the curriculum is novel. The feedback from the first students was used extensively in revising the course. Your feedback will be greatly appreciated.
COURSE OUTLINE
Topics
Ohm’s Law
Kirchhoff’s Laws
Resistors
Capacitors
DC Circuits
AC Circuits
Resonant Circuits
AM Radio
Power Supplies
Transistors
Operational Amplifiers
Signals and Noise in the Frequency Domain
Transducers
Modulation and Demodulation
Soldering.
Using test and measurement equipment
- Oscilloscope
- Digital millimeter (DMM)
- Arbitrary function generator
- Curve tracer
TESTS (I like to call them opportunities to demonstrate your understanding)
There will be two one hour opportunities and a comprehensive final. It is often easy to run through the steps of a lab without really thinking about them. DO NOT DO THIS! You should thoroughly understand each lab as you do them. This will have a huge impact on how well you do on the tests. Keeping up with the reading assignments and the homework assignments should also improve your performance on the tests. Cramming the night before a test does not make-up for neglecting your studies throughout the quarter.
You will be allowed one 3"x5" note card for each test and the final. You will be allowed to write any information on this card you wish. No micro-writing is allowed. The writing must be of reasonable size (larger than 1/8 inch). This will be checked and illegal cards will be confiscated during the test leaving you without a card! Calculators are allowed but palm or lap computers are not allowed. Calculators which can communicate with other calculators via wireless communication are not allowed.
The opportunities will be "show your work" type. You must show all of your work clearly! Partial credit will be assigned depending on the correctness of the work presented.
The opportunities may be different from any you may have experienced before. The tests do not only test how well you remember the material; they are also meant to test how well you can use the material to solve new problems or answer new questions. The final will be comprehensive, covering all of the material from the quarter.
Final: Wednesday, June 17 at 8:00 am – 9:50.
ASSIGNMENTS
Assignments will be in three parts: reading, questions, and problems. The assignments will be written on the blackboard at the beginning of each class. Pop quizzes may be given at the beginning of some classes as encouragement to keep up with the reading. Each question on the quiz will carry the same weight as a homework problem.
Assignments will be made each day. All of the questions and problems from the previous week are due on Monday, regardless of the day they were assigned. There will be a folder marked "Homework to be graded (first attempt)". Place your homework in there before class, not during class! The homework will be graded and returned to you Wednesday. You will receive one of the following marks on each problem with the indicated meanings.
check = satisfactory (1 credit)
"OK" = barely adequate, strongly recommend reviewing (1 credit)
"X" = not clear or unsatisfactory ( half credit)
"XX" = no clear attempt was made (0 credit)
If you receive an X you should try again with whatever aid (short of copying) you wish, including: seeing me, posted solutions, solution manuals, fellow students, etc. I will try to have solutions available Wednesday after class outside my office. If I feel that you have simply copied your assignments, points will be deducted from you. For example, the solutions in the library may have slight errors. If there are obvious mistakes in the solutions, and I see them again on your solutions, it could be bad news for you. After you have reworked the assignment you may resubmit it Monday in the folder marked "Homework to be graded (Second attempt)."
If the second attempt is satisfactory, you will receive the other half credit.
NOTE: Doing the assignment on your own the first time can't hurt you but it can help you on test day!
If you receive XX you may do the assignment and turn it in to the (Second attempt) folder. If the assignment is satisfactory you will receive half credit. If the assignment is not satisfactory you receive no credit and you have run out of chances to turn in the homework!
NOTE: This system makes dealing with late homework extremely difficult. Turning in late homework once or twice should not hurt your grade much, but habitually late or no homework could hurt a lot!
The homework solutions must be:
1) Neat
a) Staple pages
b) Work on one side only
c) No pages torn out of notebooks
d) Problems and questions in order
e) Your name and chapter number and first or second attempt
2) Concise--The problem must be solved clearly in an easy to read form. Show all key steps, basic relations used and explanations where needed. Clearly indicate your final answer by underlining it or boxing it in. In short I should be able to look at your solution and be able to tell what you did within a few seconds. Questions should be clear, concise, and direct. For example if the question can be answered with a yes or a no, do so and then give a brief reasoning if you like. Do not just give your reasoning without the yes or no!
If these criterion are not met, the problem may be marked X or even XX.
This homework schedule may seem complicated but it is not.
Monday: Turn in all first attempt homework from the previous week. Turn
in second attempt homework and late homework.
Wednesday: Pick-up graded first attempt homework. Pick-up graded second
attempt homework.
Your laboratory instructor will provide you with a syllabus for the lab.
The different components of the course will carry the following weights:
Tests
37.5%
(18.75% each)
Final Exam
25.0%
Laboratory
25.0%
Homework and Pop quizzes 12.5%
Grading scale:
100 - 95 A
94 - 90 -A
89 - 85 +B
84 - 80 B
79 - 75 -B
74 - 70 +C
69 - 65 C
64 - 60 -C
59 - 55 +D
54 - 50 D
49 - 45 -D
45 or less F
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Keep this handout!
- Honesty is expected. Dishonesty will be dealt with harshly. Anyone caught
cheating will receive a failing grade for the course!
- Be sure to ask questions. The only dumb question is the one left unasked.
- Easy to use software is available.
- A study room is available (PS-104). You may even, on occasion, find a strange
beast in there: a physics professor.
- Be sure to see me if you have any problems. We are all human and deserve to
be treated as such.
- If you have a concern about your grades, be sure to speak with me before
taking any drastic measures.
- Many services are available at the University. See Bulletin for details.
- You should strive for the big picture first before focusing on the details.
- YOU are ultimately the one who decides what this course will be
to you.
- Enjoyable; if you let yourself enjoy; removing all mental
blocks and negative attitudes.
- VALUABLE for a professional career
- Good Grade if you do the following:
- put in quality time.
- do the assigned reading before coming to class
- ask questions
- work/answer and understand all of the problems/questions
- do well on your laboratory work
- demonstrate a deep understanding on the test and final
Department of Physics Mission Statement: Our mission is to teach students how to
measure, describe, and explain natural phenomena through scientific
investigation and critical thinking. Students learn the concepts of physics,
quantitative methods for analysis, experimental techniques for testing
theoretical predictions, and the skills necessary to discovering new phenomena.
The study of a range of fundamental topics and the underlying theory reveals
physics to be a stimulating and rewarding discipline that has important
connections to other sciences, modern technology, and society as a whole.
Physics 150 Catalog
Description: Introduces electronics
for the sciences and engineering. Assumes no experience in electronics and can
be taken prior to introductory physics. Focus is on analog electronics:
practical circuits, passive and active circuit elements, signal conditioning,
test and measurement skills, and a brief introduction to digital electronics.
Four hours lecture and three hours laboratory.
Math Preparation:
To succeed in this class, you will need a working knowledge of algebra, trigonometry and exponential functions.
Relevant Program-level Student Learning
Goals and Outcomes:
Goal 3: Students should have knowledge of analog electronics, computer interfacing, data acquisition, and control. They should be able to apply that knowledge to the analysis and design of experimental systems.
Outcome 3.1: Students will demonstrate an introductory-level understanding of analog electronics at the undergraduate level, and be able to apply that knowledge to both theoretical and practical (hands-on) problem solving. This will be exhibited in the following ways.
3.1a: By performing a series of breadboard-based analog electronics experiments.
3.1b: By learning to understand and use standard bench-top electronics instrumentation.
3.1c: By performing a series of software-based tutorials exploring analog electronics concepts.
3.1d: Homework solutions of problems covering the range of analog electronics topics.
3.1e: Problem-solving on the exams, covering the range of analog electronics topics, and the integration of various topics.
Outcome 3.2: Students will demonstrate an introductory-level understanding of computer interfacing, data acquisition, and control at the undergraduate level and be able to apply that knowledge to practical experimental systems. This will be exhibited in the following ways.
3.2a: By learning to understand and use modern computer-based virtual instrumentation that integrates electronics interfacing hardware with control and analysis software.
3.2b: By acquiring data from their circuits, graphing it, analyzing it, and understanding it.
The Policy and Procedures Concerning
Academic Dishonesty states: Plagiarism
and cheating are violations of the Student Discipline Code (see Appendix of the
CSUSB Catalogue of Programs) and may be dealt with by both the instructor and
the Judicial Affairs Officer. Plagiarism is the act of presenting the ideas and
writings of another as one’s own. Cheating is the act of obtaining or
attempting to obtain credit for academic work through the use of any dishonest,
deceptive or fraudulent means. Plagiarism is academically dishonest and makes
the offending student liable to penalties up to and including expulsion.
Students
must make appropriate acknowledgments of the original source where material
written or complies by another is used.
Questions
about academic dishonesty and the policy should be addressed to the Office of
the Vice President, Student Affairs.
In keeping with the university’s Commitment to Diversity, the faculty of the College of Natural Sciences fully support the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Faculty will provide reasonable accommodation to any student with a disability who is registered with the Office of Services to Students with Disabilities and who needs and requests accommodation. If you are in need of an accommodation for a disability in order to participate in this class, please let me know ASAP and also contact Services to Students with Disabilities at UH-183, (909) 537-5238. It is the student’s responsibility to seek academic accommodations for a verified disability in a timely manner.