Lecture: 10:00-10:50 and Noon-12:50pm, MWF, Room G1B30, Duane Physics Building.

Recitation: There is a 2-hour recitation/lab meeting once a week in Room G2B83, Duane Physics Bldg. Please note: You must attend the recitation to which you are assigned! See the University Registration Handbook for your recitation time.

Primary Lecturer: Prof. Eric Zimmerman, phone: (303) 735-5538, e-mail: edz@colorado.edu, office: Duane F435 (Gamow Tower).  Office hours are by appointment.

Lab/recitation Coordinator: Prof. James Smith,  (303) 492-6902, jgsmith@pizero.colorado.edu.  Regular HelpRoom office hours are listed on the HelpRoom page . Other office hours by appointment.

Texts: "Physics" by D.C.Giancoli., 5th or 6th edition (Chapters 1-14). There are no other required or recommended texts for this course. The latest edition is the 6th edition. You can also use the 5th edition.

Required Equipment: One iClicker “clicker”, an electronic transmitter used for audience feedback during lecture.   Purchase your iClicker at the CU bookstore and register your clicker at cuconnect.  

Reading: is an essential part of this course.  Students are expected to have completed the reading assignments prior to lecture. The material in this course is too difficult to learn just by listening to lecture. 

Etiquette: Please turn off all cell phones when entering any classroom. Please do not surf the web on your laptop or text message during lecture. It distracts you and the other students. It is perfectly OK to interrupt the lecture by yelling "Question!" We welcome questions in lecture.

Prerequisite: Knowledge of basic algebra and trigonometry. No previous knowledge of physics is assumed, but any previous exposure to science at the high-school level or above will be useful.

Material Covered: This is the first semester of a two-semester survey of introductory physics, PHYS 2010/2020. This is an algebra-based course intended for pre-meds, life-science majors, and other non-engineering students. (Engineering majors, physics majors, and others desiring a calculus-based survey of physics should take the PHYS 1110/1120/1140 sequence.) PHYS 2010 covers classical mechanics, fluids, waves, and heat. PHYS 2020 covers electricity and magnetism, optics, and topics in modern physics including special relativity, quantum mechanics and nuclear physics.

Grading:
3 midterm exams, 14% each: 42%
Final exam: 26%
homeworks(CAPA + Written HW): 20%
lab and recitation activities: 10%

clickers: 2%

Final grades will be assigned on an absolute scale according to your final point total:
A/A-     = 100 - 88
B+/B/B- =  88 - 77
C+/C/C- = 77 - 65
D+/D/D- = 65 - 55
F  < 55

These grade cuts may be lowered (made easier) but they will not be raised (made harder). In the past, the average grade for this course has been the C+/B- cut-off and it will likely be the same this semester, unless there is evidence that this year's students are unusual.

Scores from homework problems and labs which are hand-graded by TA's will be adjusted to account for any significant variation in TA grading standards.

Exam dates: Exams will be given on the following dates. Locations will be anounced.

• Exam I: Tues., Sept. 15, 7:30pm - 9:00pm.
• Exam II: Tues, Oct. 13, 7:30pm - 9:00pm.
• Exam III: Tues, Nov. 10, 7:30pm - 9:00pm.
• Final Exam: Wednesday, December 16, 7:30am - 10:00 am.

Exam policies:

• Exams will be closed book.
• You should bring a scientific calculator and at least two number 2 pencils to every exam.
• Only true calculators will be allowed; sophisticated multifunction devices (especially those with wireless features) are not allowed. See this link for a list of inexpensive suggested models.
• There will be no sharing of calculators during exams.
• Students requiring extra time for the exam should contact Prof. Smith for scheduling and to provide documentation of the need.
• You are allowed to bring a single 8.5" x 11" formula sheet to each mid-term exam and two such sheets to the final exam. You can write anything you want on your formula sheet (both sides!) but you must write it by hand - no photocopying and no typing allowed.
• An absence on one exam may be excused for reasons of health or personal tragedy, but this will require written documentation from a physician, family member, etc. within one week of the exam. In this case the other exams will count more toward your grade.

CAPA: an internet homework system: This course uses an Internet-based homework system called CAPA (Computer Assisted Physics Assignments). In the CAPA system, students receive a personalized homework assignment (every student's assignment is slightly different) with a CAPA ID number. Students log on to a CAPA server via an Internet connection (e.g., your PC or a campus computer) and "hand in" their homework solutions online. The student is told immediately whether the answers are right or wrong and, if wrong, the student can try again, with no penalty, up to a maximum number of tries set by the instructor. Six tries are set in this course. There will be one new CAPA homework each week and it will always be due Friday night at 6PM. If you miss the Fri deadline, there is an automatic extension until 8AM Saturday. More details will be given in class and on the Web page: http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2010/phys2010_fa09

Laboratories and Recitations:

There are 6 labs, one every two or three weeks, each lasting two hours. You must attend the lab to which you are assigned. You are to complete the lab write-up during the two-hour lab section and hand in your completed lab at the end of the session. You should carefully read and study the lab instructions before coming to the lab. There are some pre-lab questions for each lab, the answers to which you must hand in, on a separate sheet, at the beginning of the lab period. If you know you will miss a lab, you can hand these in earlier, but never later. See your TA for making up missed labs during the two weeks designed for this purpose (the last week of October and the last week of classes). To pass this course, it is necessary (but not sufficient) to perform at least 5 labs.

In addition, there are six recitations in which you will complete written work during the recitation period.

Finally, two recitation periods are set aside to review material (the last week of October and the final week of classes) and also to serve as the periods in which make-up labs must be completed. To make up a lab during these periods, you must see your TA at least a week in advance.

Lecture Notes, solutions. Auxiliary Lecture notes (written by Dr. Michael Dubson) and all other course information will be on the Physics 2010 Web site. The URL is http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2010/phys2010_fa09

Other information:

Change of registration: To drop the course or change recitation section, go to the Physics Office, room E1B32, Duane Physics. The deadline for dropping without a signature is September 9, 5pm. After September 9, a course drop requires Prof. Zimmerman's signature. After October 7, course drop requires a petition to the Dean. Get the necessary forms from the Physics Office, Room E1B32.

Incompletes: According to the rules of the University, an incomplete (IF or IW) can only be awarded if ".. for reasons beyond the student's control, the student is unable to complete the course requirements".

Students with Disabilities or other special needs: If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations during lectures, please let Prof. Zimmerman know early in the semester, preferably in the first week, so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. For disabilities that affect labs or exams, please contact Prof. Smith instead. In all cases, you must provide a letter from the Office of Disability Services, which you can get by giving documentation of your disability to Disability Services in Willard 322 (phone 303-492-8671).

Students with religious obligations that conflict with the exam dates should contact Prof. Smith early in the semester so that accommodations can be made.