Spring Semester 2000
Course Information
General Information:
Instructor: Dr. Gregory W. Clark Office: S202B, Holl-Kintner Hall of Science
Phones: 982-5071 (office), 982-7588 (home)
Office Hours: M & W, 11:00 - 11:50 AM;
E-mail: GWC on the MC network (GWC@manchester.edu) or by appointment.
The Course:
General Physics III is a calculus-based physics course designed to meet the needs of majors in the Natural Science Division. We will study selected topics from classical mechanics, thermal physics, electricity and magnetism, and modern physics. The course requirements include regular attendance, class participation, timely completion of reading assignments and homework, laboratory participation, three examinations, and two Physics Diagnostic Tests (not graded - taken outside of regular class times).
Text and Other Resources:
The textbook for this course is Fundamentals of Physics, by Halliday, Resnick and Walker (Fifth edition, Wiley, 1997). We will be covering much material that you were introduced to in General Physics II, but in greater depth and using more sophisticated mathematics. You will receive a detailed reading schedule that we will strive to follow. You are expected to read the appropriate material before class; we will have brief reading quizzes at the beginning of class. Bring questions about the material you have read to class!
Several texts have been placed on reserve in the library to provide more than one perspective on some topics. There is also an excellent collection of resources in the Physics Study Room (S201). There is a class Web page accessible through the Manchester College Home Page [via the Department of Physics Home Page].
Class Meetings:
The class meeting time is 9:00 - 9:50 AM, MWF in room S215. Class participation is essential and expected - it is a course requirement. As mentioned above, I will assume that you have read the assignments for each day. In class meetings, I will NOT simply regurgitate the reading material. Come prepared with questions about the material and be sure to ask when anything is unclear. Questions are indispensable for learning physics! We will spend some of our class time working in groups; please arrive at class prepared to work with others and to contribute to discussions.
Please report any anticipated absences to me in a timely fashion; it is your responsibility to see that missed work is properly made up for excused absences. Absences from exams will be excused only under extreme circumstances.
Homework:
Homework will be assigned daily - usually three or four questions and problems. Homework will be due at the beginning of the each class; please place it on the bench at the front of the room when you arrive. Late homework (work handed in after the first ten minutes of class) will receive half-credit, if turned in before the next class period. Otherwise, no credit will be given. Working together is encouraged in order to discuss, dissect, and develop the physics; but writeups should be done individually and explicitly in order to insure that you understand the physics. You will get the most out of problems if you work on them individually a bit before grouping up.
I expect all homework to conform to the following:
1. Homework sets should be on 8.5" × 11" loose-leaf paper stapled together in the upper left-hand corner; pages torn from spiral notebooks will NOT be accepted. Please use only one side of the page.
2. Name, date, course number, and problem set number should appear at the top right of each page.
3. The chapter and problem/question number should be to the left of the margin, beside each problem (e.g., Q1-5, P3-7). Leave at least one blank line between questions/problems.
4. Work should be in numerical order, neat, and orderly; diagrams should be reasonably large with clear labels.
5. Only complete mathematical statements should be used.
6. All graphing for homework should be done using with Quattro Pro, Excel, or your favorite spreadsheet and include an appropriate title and labeled axes.
7. Working in groups is encouraged, but solutions should be original and individual. Write them up on your own. Do not turn in a solution that is a copy of someone else's work. Before you work in groups on homework, first make a genuine effort on each problem alone. Problem solving is an important skill for all scientists to develop and begins with reflective consideration of the problem!
Solutions to problems will be kept in a folder on the bookshelf in the Physics Study Room, S201. The solutions folder is to remain in room S201. Use these solutions to review your homework after it has been returned. I will often spot check homework and may not go through each problem with a fine-toothed comb. Problems and questions will be graded on a basis that mirrors the review practice of professional scientific journals:
| Review Rating | Points | Rating of Answer |
| publish as is | 3 | perfect or nearly perfect |
| publish after minor revision | 2 | minor errors that require revision |
| needs major revision | 1 | major conceptual errors, little significant progress |
| reject | 0 | problem solution not received on time or handed in with essentially no progress or relevance to the question |
Laboratory:
We will schedule one or two laboratory times, based on your schedules. You will need a bound lab notebook (e.g., National 53-110) for recording your raw lab data. You can continue to use the one you used in General Physics II, if it still has a significant number of pages left. There is also a laboratory text that is recommended: Experimentation: An Introduction to Measurement Theory and Experiment Design by D.C. Baird (third edition, Prentice Hall, 1995). All graphing should be done with Quattro Pro or Excel (or other spreadsheet); spreadsheets will also enhance data analysis and may comprise a significant portion of the analysis section of your reports. All graphs and appropriate spreadsheet work must be appropriately mounted in the lab notebooks (e.g., using gluestick). Two laboratory reports during the term will be written up in scientific paper format; one will be due at midterm (17 Mar 00) and the other on the final day of classes (12 May 00) [due at class time]. More details on lab will be discussed at the first lab meeting; there will be no lab the first week of classes.
Exams & Grading:
The breakdown for grading will be as follows:
| Homework, Class Participation, Quizzes [Daily!] | 34% |
| Laboratory [Weekly!] | 18% |
| Exams [3 Mar 00 (14%), 14 Apr 00 (14%)] | 28% |
| Final Exam [17 May 00] | 20% |
We will have two exams during the term (on Friday, 3 Mar 00 and Friday, 14 Apr 00) and a cumulative final (8:00 AM, Wednesday 17 May 00). For each you will be provided with an equation sheet with relevant equations that are not on the Know Sheet (in-class handout; available on Web page). No calculators will be allowed for exams.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in the forfeiture of the work involved with no opportunity to make up that work. Work (labs, homework, etc.) from previous offerings of this course are not allowed for reference in class or in lab. Although you are expected to work together on homework and to discuss the material from this class, any work you hand in should be an expression of your own understanding of the material, unless an assignment is specifically given to a group.
GROUP WORK
Base Groups
Each day, we will begin class in Base Groups that I will assign on 7 February. You will keep the same Base Group for the semester. Ideally, your Base Group that will provide you with additional support, encouragement, and assistance needed to make academic progress. Base groups personalize the work required and the course learning experience. You should be sure to exchange phone numbers and schedules with your base group members as you may wish to meet or chat outside of class. All members are expected to participate actively in class discussions, work to maintain effective working relationships with other participants, complete all assignments, assist classmates in completing their assignments and express their ideas. I will monitor and grade you on Base Group participation. Think critically; interact cordially! In your base group meetings, you should:
* Congratulate each other on survival since the last meeting and check if anyone is under any undue stress.
* Check to see if members have completed their homework (if not, inquire as to why and brainstorm how the group might help avoid future occurrences). Insure that all group members understand the homework.
* Review what members have read since the last meeting. Members should give a brief, terse, succinct summary of what they have read, thought about, and done. They may have resources or copies of completed work that they wish to share. Each day, you will be assigned specific tasks to be accomplished in your Base Group (e.g., compile a list of the top three topics from the current reading assignment).
Remaining on task will be important; I hope to restrict Base Group meetings to five minutes. We may occasionally work in Base Groups on in-class exercises for longer periods of time. As incentive to develop strong group relationships, if all members of your Base Group achieve a scores of 70% or above on an exam, bonus points will be added to the exam score of each member. Additional incentives may develop as we move through the semester.
Base Group meetings are NOT intended to be times for beginning or copying homework. You must show up with your homework completed, except, perhaps, for a few questions/problems with which you are having difficulty. Do not show up to your Base Group meeting without a significant amount of your work done. If you are completely lost on an assignment, you should seek me out before the work is due. Those who do not abide by Base Group expectations will not receive Base Group participation credit. If you are having problems with one of your Base Group members (not contributing, no homework, etc.) please let that person know that their behavior is not acceptable. If problems persist, please inform me.
Informal Group Work
Often, we will work on questions and problems during class in pairs; please utilize the following procedure:
1. Formulate your own answer to the question/problem.
2. Share your answer with your partner.
3. Listen carefully to partner's answer. Change your mind only if persuaded by logic or information to do so.
4. Create a new answer, as a pair, that is superior to or incorporates each member's initial answer by synthesis, critical analysis, and cooperation.
Formal Group Work
We will occasionally work in the context of Formal Groups formed for specific tasks (e.g., lab groups). All members are expected to participate actively, work to maintain effective working relationships with other participants, assist classmates, express their ideas, not change their minds unless persuaded by logic or information to do so, and indicate agreement with the group's work, in writing. You will get more information on these groups as they form!
One lesson, Nature, let me learn of thee. Matthew Arnold
General Physics III - PHYS 202 - Topic Schedule - Spring 2000
(TENTATIVE!)
Reading assignments are from Halliday, Resnick, and Walker, Fundamentals of Physics, Fifth Edition.
Nature is very consonant and comformable with herself. Isaac Newton
Every now and then things become clear. Jane Siberry