PHYS 20474 - Physics I with Lab: Mechanics - Honors,
Section 615
Semester/Year:
Fall 2020
Number of Credits: 4
Class Location: SWR 357
and via Zoom:
https://tcu.zoom.us/j/92891189628
(password provided separately)
Class Meeting Day(s) & Time(s): TR 9:30-10:50 AM CT
Instructor Name: Dr. Yuri M. Strzhemechny
Office: SWR 373
Phone: 817-257-5793
Email: Y.Strzhemechny@tcu.edu
Web (with biographical information):
http://personal.tcu.edu/ystrzhemechn/
Office Hours: W 8:30-9:20
AM CT, F 4:00-6:00 CT PM & by appointment: https://tcu.zoom.us/j/368852310
This is part one of a
two-semester calculus-based physics course. We will cover material dealing with
classical mechanics and thermodynamics.
· Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of some of the methods of investigation in the natural sciences, physics in particular.
· Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of some of the great ideas in the natural sciences, physics in particular.
· Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of some of the relationships among the natural sciences, technology, and society.
· Students will use the laws of Newtonian Mechanics and Classical Thermodynamics to solve basic problems in classical mechanics and thermal physics, using mathematics at both the algebra and calculus levels. They will use mathematic techniques to obtain solutions to example problems describing the fundamental classical behavior of matter.
· Students will through a number of experiments explore basic conservation laws resulting from Newtonian mechanics, e.g. conservation of momentum and conservation of mechanical energy.
· Students will explore some of the historical development of mechanics through the study of ballistic motion first successfully described as parabolic motion by Galileo. Through the introduction of Newton’s laws of motion and gravity students will gain an insight into the refinement and evolution of physical theory through discovery. In related laboratory experiments students will gather data related to ballistic motion, tabulate, graph, and interpret their findings.
·
Students will learn how the concepts of force
and torque can be used to analyze the stability of a mechanical system. They will
apply this knowledge to models of more or less complex structure found in their
daily environment.
Required textbook: “Essential University Physics”, Vol. 1, 3rd Edition, by Richard Wolfson, Pearson, ISBN-13: 978-0321993724, ISBN-10: 0321993721
Lab instructions: Will be distributed via the Internet. Further
information will be provided in your Laboratory Syllabi.
Grading: The course grades
will be determined as follows:
A: 100 – 90 pts., B: 89.9 – 80 pts., C: 79.9 – 70 pts., D: 69.9 – 55 pts., F: 54.9 and below.
Test 1: 18 %
Test 2: 18 %
Test 3: 18 %
Final Exam: 20 %
Labs: 20 %
Extracurricular research project: 6 %
Three midterm tests and final exam will be administered online. Final exam will be cumulative. The tests will contain conceptual questions and problems. Good and reliable internet connection and working video cameras during the exams is an essential requirement for this class. Make-up test opportunities will be provided. Students with valid reasons for missed tests (e.g., Official University Absence, doctor's note, etc.) will have to contact me regarding make-up tests as early as possible. Poor internet connection during the test must be necessarily reported before the cut-off time of the test, no exception will be provided to students whose reporting of the poor internet connection is received by me after the cut-off time of the test, or its component. Lab is an integral part of the course and the lab grade counts for 20% of the final grade. This grade will be determined as an average of all the lab grades but one (11 out of 12), with the lowest grade dropped. The students must attend and complete at least 11 (out of 12) online experiments, with lab report submissions every week. If a student completes less than 11 experiments, the lab points will still count toward the average course grade, but the letter grade will be reduced by one letter for each missing lab (more details – in your Laboratory Syllabi.). Homework: It is crucial for you to learn how to apply conceptual knowledge for problem solving. The textbook provides excellent guidelines for you to acquire this skill. You are strongly encouraged to go through the solutions of the sample problems. In addition, for each chapter, I will supply a number of recommended problems for your homework. It is in your best interest to solve those problems in a timely manner for several reasons. First, it will provide additional training in self-education. Second, homework problems will be related to those offered in the tests and the final. I will not be grading your homework assignments but I will sure grade the tests. If you are having difficulty solving the homework problems you may want to contact me during my office hours, or perhaps get a tutor.
For Honors students only: You will also have to complete an extracurricular research project. Assignments will be given from a pool of topics on a lottery basis. At the end of the semester you will have to submit a research paper and deliver a PowerPoint presentation.
Class Attendance: Because of the class size, following TCU policies, half of the students registered for in-person instruction will be assigned to attend classroom lectures on Tuesdays and the other half – on Thursdays. I would not require a mandatory attendance of the lectures (in person or online) however I would highly recommend for you to attend the class (in person or online), since you will be able to ask questions during the lectures. All the lectures will be recorded in Zoom and the recordings will be available shortly after the class is over.
Class calendar: We will follow the schedule given below
· The last day to drop a class is October 22.
· The last day to elect the P/NC grading option is October 23.
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·
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Towards the end of the term you will receive an email asking to complete your SPOT for this course. I appreciate your thoughtful and reflective feedback to help make this course successful for future students. You can fill out the SPOT by clicking on the link in the email or in TCU Online when SPOTs open.
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