Physics 2010 Spring 2006

Intro Physics 1 for Life-Science Majors

This and all other information about this course are on the Web:
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2010

Lecture: Noon-12:50pm, MWF, Room G1B30, Duane Physics Building. This room is on the ground floor, at the east end of the 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. More information on the recitations and labs may be found at this link.

Primary Lecturer: Prof. Eric D. Zimmerman, phone: (303) 735-5338, e-mail: edz@colorado.edu, office: Duane F435 (Gamow Tower). Regular office hours are Tuesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 AM, plus 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM in the Help Room. Other office hours by appointment.

Lab/recitation Coordinator: Prof. Oliver DeWolfe, (303) 492-3272, oliver.dewolfe@colorado.edu, F327 Gamow Tower. Regular office hours Monday 10:00 to 11:00. Other office hours by appointment.

Texts: "Introductory Physics" by Touger. There are no other required or recommended texts for this course.

Required Equipment: One “clicker”, an electronic transmitter used for audience feedback during lecture.   Purchase your clicker at the CU bookstore register your clicker at http://capa.colorado.edu/cgi-bin/RegisterAFS.   Save your clicker receipt: some textbooks come with clicker rebate coupons but you will need your clicker receipt.

Reading :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 throw anything at the instructor unless you are requested to for a projectile motion demonstration.  It is perfectly OK to interrupt the lecture by yelling “Question!”.  Questions in lecture are encouraged.

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 exams, 13.3% each: 40%
Final exam: 25%
homeworks: CAPA 15%; written HW 5%

recitation activities 3%
6 labs: 12%
In-class “clicker” participation will count as bonus points only, and will replace up to 5% of your total exam grade.


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 C+/B- 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 TAs, may be normalized if needed to correct for differences among TAs.

Exams: Exams will be given on the following dates in Duane Physics, rooms G1B20 and G1B30.

Exam I: Tues., Feb. 7, 7:30pm - 9:00pm
Exam II: Tues, Mar. 7, 7:30pm - 9:00pm.
Exam III: Tues, Apr. 11, 7:30pm - 9:00pm.
Final Exam: Tues., May 9, 7:30am-10:00am, location TBA

Exam details:

  • Exams will be closed book.
  • You must bring a #2 pencil.
  • You are allowed to bring a standard scientific calculator. You may not use a PDA or a calculator that performs graphing or algebra. You should bring a calculator to every exam. There will be no sharing of calculators during exams.
  • You may bring a single 8.5" x 11" formula sheet to each exam. You can write anything you want on your formula sheet (both sides!) but you must write it by hand: no Xeroxing or typing allowed. (For the final exam only, a second sheet will be allowed.)
  • There will be no late exams given and no make-up exams or quizzes. 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. Students who must miss an exam due to a scheduled, CU-sanctioned activity must contact Prof. Zimmerman at least ten days in advance.

    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 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. There will be one new CAPA homework each week and it will always be due Friday night at 10pm. If you miss the Fri deadline, there is an automatic extension until 6am the next morning on Sat. More details will be given in class and on the Web page: http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2010

    Laboratories: 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. A missed lab must be made up during make-up periods. See the Lab/Recitation Info on the website. See the lab coordinator, Jerry Leigh, to schedule make-up labs. To pass this course, you MUST perform at least 5 labs.

    Lecture Notes, solutions. Lecture notes and all other course information will be on the Physics 2010 Web site. The URL is http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys2010

    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 Weds, ????, 5pm. After ????, a course drop requires Prof. Zimmerman's or Prof. DeWolfe's signature. After ????, 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." Incompletes can never be awarded simply to protect a student's GPA.

    Students with Disabilities or other special needs: If you have specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require accommodations, please let both professors know early in the semester, preferably before February 1, so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. I will need a letter from the Office of Disability Services and you will need to provide 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 me early in the semester so that accommodations can be made.