General Physics I
PHY 161.001/002 --- Spring 2016 Syllabus
Physics Department --- Mercer University
Text (eBook): Fundamentals of Physics, 9th edition, by Halliday, Resnick and Walker
Class Lecture Meetings: MWF 12-12:50am in SEB 110
Lab Meetings in SEB 219: 161.001/T 9:25am-12:05, 161.002/R 12:15pm-2:55
Instructor (including labs): Dr. Jose L. Balduz Jr.
email: balduz_jl@mercer.edu, office: SEB 205, phone: 478-301-2229
office hours: MW 4:30-5:30pm, T 2-3pm, R 3-4pm, or by appointment (try email)...
Course web page: http://physics.mercer.edu/Balduz/GenPhys/phy161home.htm
Please also see Physics Department home page at http://physics.mercer.edu.
Students must already have a working knowledge of geometry, algebra and trigonometry.
Co-requisite or pre-requisite: MAT 191 Calculus I.
WebAssign and the eBook: This will cost $45.95 + optional $44.75 (total $90.70) for the HRW9 eBook.
Reading assignments / Reading quizzes (8% of total grade): (closed-book) Conceptual questions.
Classwork (15% of total grade): (open-book) Groupwork.
Homework (one or more per chapter, for 12% of total grade): WebAssign.
Lab work (15% of total grade):
Lab reports: Groupwork.
Pre-exam practice problem sessions: (closed-book) During the lab session before each exam (A, B, C
and D), students will do classwork in groups, instead of a lab exercise.
Exams (four, for 30% of the total grade): (closed-book)
The four exams (A, B, C and D) will consist entirely of numerical problems.
 Exam A (TBA): 1-D Kinematics and Vectors [Ch. 1-3],
 Exam B (TBA): 2-D Kinematics and Newton's Laws [Ch. 4-5],
 Exam C (TBA): Newton’s Laws and Energy [Ch. 6-7],
 Exam D (TBA): Conservation of Energy and Momentum [Ch. 8-9].
Note: Only the best three scores from the four exams (A, B, C and D) will be counted.
Final exam (20% of the total grade): Monday, May 2, 2-5pm (closed-book)
The final exam will be comprehensive. The first part will contain numerical problems. The second part will
contain both qualitative and quantitative multiple choice questions.
Dropped grades: There will be no dropped grades, but see exams (A, B, C and D).
Extra credit: There will be no extra-credit work, except what is associated with the assessment posttest.