Syllabus: PHYS 60203-045 - Classical Mechanics
Course &
Instructor Information
Course
Course Title, Prefix, Number, Section: PHYS 60203-045 - Classical Mechanics
Number of Credits: 3
Course Component Type: LEC
This is a one-semester graduate-level
physics course covering such aspects of classical mechanics as Lagrangian and Hamiltonian
formalisms, central force problem, rigid body motion, small oscillations,
deterministic chaos, special theory of relativity, etc. We will cover most of the textbook chapters
plus some extra material that will be distributed in class.
Class Location: SWR 358
Class Meeting Day(s) & Time(s): TR 12:30-13:50
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 3:30-4:30 PM and by appointment
Preferred Method of Contact: Email
Email: Y.Strzhemechny@tcu.edu
Final Evaluative Exercise & Important Dates
|
FINAL: Thursday,05/07, 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM |
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: PHYS 30553 or equivalent.
Course Materials
Required Materials
Recommended textbook: “Classical Mechanics”, 3rd Edition, by Herbert Goldstein, Charles P. Poole, Jr., and John L. Safko (ISBN: 0201657023), Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Lecture notes and assignments will be distributed via the Internet (including TCU Online).
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.
One-problem quizzes (very similar to the homework problems) will be given during the semester and will include homework material from previous weeks. Final exam will be cumulative, but the emphasis will be given to the chapters not covered by the three tests. The tests and the final will contain conceptual questions and problems.
Homework: It is crucial for you to learn how to apply conceptual knowledge for problem solving. The textbook provides solid guidelines for you to acquire this skill. You are strongly encouraged to go through the solutions of all the relevant sample problems. In addition, for each chapter, I will supply a number of 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 (sometimes identical) to those given in the quizzes. Third, homework problems will be related to those offered in the tests and in the final. If you are having difficulty solving the homework problems you may want to contact me during my office hours. It is in your best interest not to copy the homework from your peers, although a certain degree of creative cooperation is OK.
Active participation in all elements of the course is essential to your success. The following polices are intended to help you manage the impacts of rare but significant life disruptions. In the event of extenuating circumstances (e.g., personal emergency/extended or chronic illness) that are not manageable through the policies below, the student should work with the Dean of Students and the professor to find reasonable solutions on a case-by-case basis. Please do NOT submit medical documentation to the professor. It is an infringement on student privacy for me to have access to student medical records, and I cannot accept medical documentation to justify absences. For any course at TCU, if you have a legitimate reason for your absence and would like to provide verification, please use the Absence Documentation Form.
You will have an option of getting up to 10% of additional 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 |
Homework-based
quizzes |
4 in total |
|
2 |
Tests (including final) |
4 in total |
Course Requirements
Grading
|
Assignments |
Percentage or Points |
|
Homework-based quizzes |
20% |
|
Test 1 |
20% |
|
Test 2 |
20% |
|
Test 3 |
20% |
|
Final Exam |
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 |