Boston College
Department of Physics
Summer 2016
PHYS2100 Introduction to Physics I (Calculus)
June 6 – June 30
Instructor:
Professor J. Engelbrecht
Higgins 330C
Text:
Principles of Physics (5th Edition) including access code to WebAssign
Raymond A. Serway and John W. Jewett, Jr. (Cengage: Brooks/Cole)
Classes meet in Higgins 310 on Mo, Tu, Th 6:00 - 7:30 pm
7:50 - 9:50 pm
There are also 35 min recitation sections each Tu, Th at 2:00 pm in Higgins 310.
There is a separate, 1-credit laboratory (PHYS2050) associated with the course. It meets Mo, We,
Th 4:00 - 5:50 p.m. The two courses PHYS2100 and PHYS2050 need not be taken together.
This is the equivalent of the first semester of a calculus-based course in first year physics, covering
principally mechanics: Newton's laws of motion, energy, rotational motion, gravitation, oscillations,
and wave motion. There is also some treatment of heat, temperature, and the kinetic theory of gases.
This is a course equivalent to the same course offered during the regular school year, except for one
essential difference. The pace of the course is highly accelerated, and a student must plan their
participation in the course accordingly. In broad terms, we cover in one class day what is covered
during the school year in one week. It is strongly suggested that students not take any other courses
concurrently and also not commit to other obligations that would limit the daytime hours they have
to devote to this course.
The syllabus is structured to follow the chapters in the textbook. After each chapter below are listed
homework problems; additional problems may be assigned as necessary. In order to help students
keep up with the pace, each class will end with a subset of homework problems that needs to be
completed online before the next class. In addition, there will be a short quiz each day during the
6:00 pm session on the previous day's material. There is no make-up of online homework, quizzes
or the final exam, but the lowest homework and the lowest quiz grades will be omitted.
Basis for course grade:
Daily quizzes
Online homework
Final examination
≈ 25%
≈ 10%
≈ 65%
If you are a student with a documented learning disability seeking reasonable accommodations in
this course, please contact the Connors Family Learning Center (617-552-8093); regarding all other
types of disabilities, please contact the Disability Services Office (617-552- 3470).
Course Schedule
Date
Chapter # and Topic
Tentative Homework Problems
Week 1
June 6
1. Units and Vectors
10,32,34,44,45,51,59,66,67
June 7
2. Kinematics
11,17,33,34,35,51,53 no WebAssign grade: 29
June 9
3. Motion in Two Dimensions
4,5,11,12,16,23,29,47,50,56
Week 2
June 13
June 14
June 16
4. Newton's Laws
23,24,33,34,40,45,49,43
5. Application of Newton's Laws
10,21,25,31,56,60,57
6. Work, Kinetic, Potential Energy 6,9,14,18,41,43,53,60,61
7. Energy Conservation
7,8,21,22,68,73
8. Momentum and Collisions
10,19,20,29,34,52,60,62
Week 3
June 20
10. Rotational Motion
June 21
11. Orbital Motion and Gravitation 17,21,24,54,62
June 23
8,11,18,21,27,33,36,43,71,72,82
12. Oscillatory Motion
3,13,21,31,32,48,55,62,65
13. Waves
8,14,15,16,26,41,42,57,58,60
Week 4
June 27
June 28
June 30
14. Superposition of Waves
8,13,15,23,31,34,41,53
15. Fluids
15,23,25,27,51
16. Temperature, Kinetic Theory
13,17,21,31,39,47
17. Heat
2,14,15,19,28,62
FINAL EXAMINATION
6 - 9 p.m.