CSUSB                     PHYSICS 221, SECTION 01            Winter 2012
Timothy D. Usher, Ph.D.

http://physics.csusb.edu/~tusher/

Office: PS-113
Telephone: 537-5410
e-mail: tusher@csusb.edu
Physics Office: PS-119, Telephone: 537-5397, www page "http://physics.csusb.edu"
Office Hours: To be announced. I will try to arrange some office hours for homework problem solving sessions.
Required Textbook: Physics for Scientists & Engineers with Modern Physics  4th edition by Douglas C. Giancoli. The same book will be used for physics 222 and 223.
Other materials: Mastering Physics will be used for the homework. See attachment at the end of this syllabus. I suggest that you test your access for bugs well in advance. Also available is the Active on-line Physics simulations. eBook available through the CSUSB Library on line: Schaum's Easy Outlines. College Physics; eBook ISBN: 0071.
Other good books: The Feynman Lectures on Physics.
Videos: Mechanical Universe (available on line at http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html )
Computer software: PS 103; I will announce the user id and password in class. (please remind me). Also access to the www is available there. Computer accounts for all students are available in the "wedge" of the library.
Laboratory manuals, in electronic format, will be supplied at your first lab session. The cost of the manual is covered by your lab fee.
Library Reserved Reading: Some materials will be made available at the reserved reading desk and via electronic reserves in the library and at the library web site. http://libcat.lib.csusb.edu/search~S19?/pUsher/pusher/1%2C2%2C3%2CE/frameset&FF=pusher+t&1%2C%2C2 You will need the course passcode: utw12221 (all lower case)
Prerequisites: Mathematics 211 THIS IS A SERIOUS PREREQUISITE. STUDENTS WITHOUT THIS PREREQUISITE MAY BE ADMINISTRATIVELY DROPPED.
Prerequisite/Corequisite: Mathematics 212 (You need this course before taking Physics 222)
Corequisite: Physics 221 Laboratory
Note: An F in laboratory results in an automatic F in class!!!!

General course goals: My goals as your professor are as follows:
1. Help you improve your ability to think.
2. Help you develop your analytical skills such as problem solving abilities.

Physics is a challenging field of study but that is part of the fun. If you are prepared to meet the challenge it can be a very rewarding experience. Make sure you have allowed adequate quality time to spend on the subject. It is recommended that you allow at least two hours of study for every hour you are in class or laboratory.

COURSE TOPICS

        Newton's laws of Motion
               Energy Conservation
               Momentum Conservation
               Gravitation

TESTS (opportunities to demonstrate what you have learned)

The best way to prepare for the tests is to keep up with the reading assignments and the homework assignments. Cramming the night before a test does not make-up for neglecting your studies throughout the quarter.

You are allowed to have one 3" x 5" note card for the midterm the final. You may 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 tests will be "show your work" type tests. You must show all of your work clearly! Partial credit will be assigned depending on the correctness of the work presented.

The tests may be different from any tests you may have experienced before. The tests do not only test how well you remember the material; they are primarily intended to test how well you can use the material to solve new problems or answer new questions. Part of the final will concentrate on the material from the second half of the course. The other part will be comprehensive, covering all of the material from the quarter.

The final exam is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20 at 4:00 pm.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS

It is extremely important that you keep up with the homework. Working problems is central to learning physics. The online system called Mastering Physics will be used. See the end of this syllabus.

 

You should read the chapters before coming to class. If you do not understand something, in the text, you should ask about it in 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.

Physics requires certain skills as well as knowledge. Solving problems will help you develop those skills just as playing scales helps a pianist or tackling practice helps a football player.

The different components of the course will carry the following weights:

Midterm                                        22.5%
Final Exam                                   40.0%
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

I do not grade on a "curve". You do not want me to grade on a curve. That would mean that a certain percentage of the class MUST fail. I would be delighted if everyone earned a good grade in the course. Physics is challenging enough without artificial competition, so let’s all work together. I am an experimental physicist, so I treat grading as a measurement with an associated uncertainty. I will add the uncertainty to the final grades. However it is almost always less than 5 points.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- 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 assigned problems/questions
        - do well on your laboratory work
        - demonstrate a deep understanding on the tests and final
- I strongly urge you to form study groups. A sign-up sheet will be circulated to facilitate this.
- I also strongly urge you to make frequent use of my office hours. I have noticed that "regulars" at office hours typically do better in the course.
- You should strive for the big picture first before focusing on the details.
- Keep this syllabus and look at it! It is also available at my web site.
- Honesty is expected. Dishonesty will be dealt with harshly. Anyone caught cheating may receive a failing grade for the course!
- Be sure to ask questions. The only dumb question is the one left unasked.
- 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.
- Audio/Visual aids (films, videos, computer programs, etc.) are available. The series "The Mechanical Universe" is particularly recommended.
- Many services are available at the University. See Bulletin for details.
Learning Center: UH353 537-5038 (free tutoring!)
Career Development Center
And many more; see the Bulletin http://catalog.csusb.edu/ (the pdf file is a huge file) or purchase a hard copy from the bookstore.

 

Directions for OnLine Matering Physics

Dear Student:

In this course you will be using MasteringPhysics®, an online tutorial and homework program that accompanies your textbook. If you have joined a MasteringPhysics course before and can still log in:
Save time by following the guide for joining another course by following the guide for joining another course (available from www.masteringphysics.com > Tours & Training > Getting Started) instead of this page.

 

What You Need:

P  A valid email address

P  A student access code
(Comes in the Student Access Code Card/Kit that may have been packaged with your new textbook or that may be available separately in your school’s bookstore. Otherwise, you can purchase access online at www.masteringphysics.com.)  

P  The ZIP or other postal code for your school: ___92407___

P  A Course ID:   _USHER221______________________

 

 

1. Register

·         To register using the student access code inside the MasteringPhysics Student Access Code Card/Kit, select Yes, I have an access code. Click Continue.

 

–OR– Purchase access online: Select No, I need to purchase access online now. Select your textbook, whether you want access to the eText, and click Continue. Follow the on-screen instructions to purchase access using a credit card. The purchase path includes registration, but the process is a bit different from the steps printed here.

·         License Agreement and Privacy Policy: Click I Accept to indicate that you have read and agree to the license agreement and privacy policy.

·         Select the appropriate option under “Do you have a Pearson Education account?” Continue to give the requested information until you complete the process. The Confirmation & Summary page confirms your registration. This information will also be emailed to you for your records. You can either click Log In Now or return to www.masteringphysics.com later.

 

2. Log In

 

3. Join Your Instructor’s Online Course and/or Open Self-Study Resources

Upon first login, you’ll be asked to do one or more of the following:

 

To Access MasteringPhysics Again Later

Simply go to www.masteringphysics.com, enter your Login Name and Password, and click Log In.

After you have joined a course: You can open any assignments from the Assignments Due Soon area or from the Assignments page. For self-study, click eText or Study Area, if these options are available. 

 

Support

Access Customer Support at www.masteringphysics.com/support, where you will find: