Syllabus: PHYS 20474-065: Physics I with Lab:
Mechanics
Course &
Instructor Information
Course
Course Title, Prefix, Number, Section: PHYS 20474-065 - Physics I with Lab: Mechanics
Number of Credits: 3
Course Component Type: LCL
This is part one of a two-semester
calculus-based physics course. We will cover material dealing with classical
mechanics and thermodynamics.
Class Location: SWR 357
Class Meeting Day(s) & Time(s): TR 15:30-16:50
Zoom Access Information: Only in-class meetings
Instructor
Instructor Name: Dr. Yuri M. Strzhemechny
Office Location: SWR 373
Office Hours: SWR
373/https://tcu.zoom.us/j/368852310; TR 1:00-2:00 PM and by appointment
Preferred Method of Contact: Email
Email: Y.Strzhemechny@tcu.edu
Final Evaluative Exercise & Important Dates
|
FINAL: TBA |
Note for students: The syllabus is your first course reading. It provides an orientation to, overview of the flow, and expectations of the course. You should turn to the syllabus for details on course policies.
Student Resources & Policy Information
Click or scan QR code for resources to support you as a TCU student. Please note section on Student Access and Accommodation and Academic Conduct & Course Materials Policies.
Table of Contents
Course & Instructor Information
Final
Evaluative Exercise & Important Dates
Student
Resources & Policy Information
Prerequisites
& Concurrent Enrollment
Teaching
Philosophy & Methodology
Course Description
Catalog Description
Prerequisites & Concurrent Enrollment
Prerequisite: MATH 10524, which may be taken concurrently, or permission of instructor.
Course Materials
Required Materials
Required textbook: “Essential University Physics”, Vol. 1, 4th Edition, by Richard Wolfson, Pearson, ISBN-13: 978-0134988559, ISBN-10: 0134988558
Lab instructions: Will be distributed via the Internet. Further information will be provided in your Laboratory Syllabi.
Teaching Philosophy & Methodology
There are several key principles I find necessary to follow in teaching.
Practical learning. The most effective way to make a person learn is to provide a connection between the theoretical concepts and the hands-on experience. Learning by doing – solving class problems, performing course laboratories, and carrying out extra-curriculum research – by far outweighs learning by listening. Just attending the lectures is never enough. Ideally, all aspects of practical learning have to be integrated into each class.
Individual approach. It is necessary to have an honest interest in your students. I try to get to know the students on a first-name basis. I treat and respect every student as a unique individual. I remember that different students have different goals to pursue. I accept that different students learn differently. I care about developing a positive relationship with my students and about them developing a positive view of the subject.
Engaging the classroom. This is where teacher’s enthusiasm is crucial. I feel like an emissary for the discipline I teach. I try to make the students discover what motivates the subject and why it is important. At the same time, their own interests have to be activated in the learning process. Furthermore, the students have to be not just taught the courses but be prepared for the future work place – by learning the constructive way of thinking, the communication skills, and other information that will be necessary for them throughout their lives.
Effectiveness in delivering information. In the short run, my goal is to convey a clear message of the course to an ordinary student. To achieve this objective, I engage my teaching techniques to ensure intellectual and emotional interaction with the classroom.
Developing research skills. I think that all students, regardless of their level, should be exposed to research. This should include a range of endeavors outside a fixed curriculum.
Weekly quizzes consisting of a few problems (very similar to the homework problems) will be given every Thursday from 3:30 to 3:40 pm and will include material covered during the previous week(s). The quizzes grade will be determined as the average of all the quiz grades but one, with the lowest grade dropped. Three midterm tests will be administered. Final exam will be cumulative. The tests will contain multiple choices, conceptual questions and problems. No electronic devices, graphing calculators, or cell phones on the tests, please. Make-up tests will be provided to students having an Official University Absence. Students with valid reasons for missed tests (e.g., doctor's note) will have to contact me regarding make-up tests as early as possible. 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 described in the Lab Syllabus. 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 very similar to those given in the weekly quizzes. Third, 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 quizzes and 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 tutors available within the department, check our web page at http://www.phys.tcu.edu).
You will have an option of getting up to 5% of extra credit for an extracurricular research. Such assignments will be given on request from a pool of topics on a lottery basis.
Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
|
Course Activities: |
Number of Instances |
|
|
1 |
Quizzes |
Weekly |
|
2 |
Tests (including final) |
4 in total |
|
3 |
Labs |
Weekly |
Course Requirements
Grading
|
Assignments |
Percentage or Points |
|
Weekly quizzes |
20% |
|
Test 1 |
15% |
|
Test 2 |
15% |
|
Test 3 |
15% |
|
Final Exam |
15% |
|
Labs |
20% |
|
Total |
100% |
Grading Scale
|
Points |
|
|
A |
90–100 |
|
B |
80–89.9 |
|
C |
70–79.9 |
|
D |
55–69.9 |
|
F |
54.9 and below |