Physics 10293 satisfies the Natural Science (NSC) requirement and the Cultural Awareness (CA) requirement in the TCU core. There is no non-lab version of the course. In order to pass the course, you must complete 10 labs outside of class during your scheduled lab section. Your final grade is a combination of 20% of the lab grade and 80% of the lecture grade.

Class Resources

• Spring 2020

  Lecture Syllabus (MW 1100-1150)

  Lab Announcement

  Lab Syllabus

  Information about Optional Supplemental Labs

  Online Lecture Notes for Study Guide 3, Part 1

  Online Lecture Notes for Study Guide 3, Part 2

  • Labs

  Online Lab #1 (Constellations) (due Thu Apr 2)

  Online Lab #2 (Motions of the Planets) (due Thu Apr 9)

  Online Lab #3 (Parallax) (due Thu Apr 16)

• Readings
  • Reading: Cargo Cult Science by Richard Feynman

    Why is scientific integrity so important? How do you know if you've really learned something or just went through the motions? What is a scientist's obligation to himself, his peers and the public?

  • Reading: Philosophy and the Scientific Method by Ronald C. Pine

    What is science? Is science worthwhile? How do we know what we claim to know? Can we ever find "the truth" with science? Is science really an unbiased process?

    Helpful definition: Epistemology - The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.

• Study Guides

  These questions are derived from my own lecture notes and the readings for each part of the course. I will only place questions here after I have covered the appropriate material in class, so a great way to study for the upcoming exam is to keep up with this web site as I update it.

  • Current Study Guide

    Questions covering the most recent lecture notes, released on Wedneday, April 15.

  • Study Guide #1

    Study questions for the first part of the course from Mon Jan 13 through Wed Feb 5.

  • Study Guide #2

    Study questions for the second part of the course from Mon Feb 17 through Mon Mar 23.

  • Study Guide #3

    Study questions for the third part of the course from the online lecture notes linked above.