HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
NORTHWEST COLLEGE
College Physics I –PHYS 1401
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall, 2013
Instructor:
Telephone:
Email:
Dr. Cyril Anoka
832-660-8142
canoka1@yahoo.com;
cyril.anoka@hccs.edu
Spring Branch Campus Room 610
6 PM– 9PM TTh
Location:
Time:
Class Number:
62497
Website: http://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/cyril.anoka
Course Description: . Non-calculus Based Course. Introduction to Mechanics:
Motion and Laws of Motion, Work and Energy, Momentum, Fluids and Thermal
Properties of Matter and Laws of Thermodynamics.
Course Pre-requisites: MATH 1314 (College algebra) and MATH 1316
(Plane Trigonometry). Must also be placed into GUST 0341 (or higher in
reading.)
Course Intent: This course is intended for those student who are pursuing a
pre-professional program in medical related fields, (Medicine, Dentistry,
Pharmacy, Optometry, Ophthalmology, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic,
Veterinary Medicine, etc.), and other science majors, Architecture and
technology. It can also be taken to satisfy a lab-based science corecurriculum course.
Course Prerequisites
College Algebra and Plane Trigonometry. Any students without the required
prerequisite should consider withdrawing from the course, otherwise such student will
have serious problems in the course all semester and may not pass the course.
HCCS – NW
College Physics I
COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Text:
Physics; James S. Walker; 4th Ed.
With MasteringPhysics and ActivPhysics Online.
Laboratory Text: None – Students will print lab exercise from Northwest college
website or exercises will be distributed before each lab.
Scientific calculator, slide rule or abacus – highly recommended
Optional items - 3.5” floppy disk or 100 meg zip disk (used to store graphs &
data). Not necessarily needed. Data can be sent by “email” to a home printer if
desired.
Exams
All exams will be closed book and closed notes. Exams will include problems
similar to both homework, and examples/concepts as discussed in class. A
formula sheet will be issued for each exam. Make-up exams are not
administered. If you do not appear for an exam, for any reason, it will be
graded as a zero. The final exam is mandatory. No exams are “dropped”.
Academic Responsibility
Please refer to the Student Handbook concerning grievances, complaints,
discipline (including student conduct) ,scholastic dishonesty and student rights.
Please contact me if you require any reasonable accommodation to achieve your
academic responsibilities.
The textbook contains MasteringPhysics - an online homework program
developed through the National Science Foundation. All problems at the end
of the chapter are included. Additionally many problems have a “tutoring” feature
that assists students in finding solutions. Initially, the use of MasterPhysics will
be a learning experience for both instructor and student. Each chapter will have
a deadline for completion of problems. In addition, at least initially, it is will be
necessary for students to submit a handwritten copy of problem solutions.
Handwritten homework assignments are due at the start of the exam covering
the corresponding chapters. Homework and other problems will be addressed
during lecture as time permits. Problems should be clearly numbered and
answers should be “boxed” or circled to receive credit. All answers must be
written in a student’s own handwriting. Photocopies of answers will not be
credited.
Lab Reports are due at the start of class, 1 class days following completion of
the lab. Make-up labs are not administered. Laboratory concepts will be
discussed prior to the beginning of the lab. Handouts will be provided prior to the
lab exercise or students will be asked to print lab procedures from “The Learning
Web” in advance of class.
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Do not submit either Homework problems or Lab reports in a binder.
Submit as loose, stapled or paper-clipped sheets. You may wish to purchase a
3-ring binder for your own records.
Course Content
dropped.
Chapters 1 thru 18.
Some sections of chapters may be
Examinations, Final course grade, grading scale and Make-up Policy:
Three regular exams and a compulsory comprehensive final will be administered
during the semester. Make-up exams will not normally be given, so make every effort to
take the exams on their scheduled dates.
Note: The final examination is
compulsory
(no student is
Exam I
20 %
exempted) and once a student
takes the final examination, that
Exam II
20%
student cannot receive a grade of
“W” in the course.
Exam III
20%
The final grade is based on the
score out of 100% that the student
Home Work
5%
accumulated from the three exams,
the final exam, homework and the
Final Exam
20%
lab reports. Here is the weighting
of the categories:
Lab & Lab Report
15%
Total
100 %
Final Grade = (Exam I + Exam II + Exam III + (Lab +HW Average) + Final Exam )
Grading Scale
A = 90-100 %
B = 80-89 %
C = 70- 79 %
D = 60-69 %
F = < 60 %
Attendance Policy :
HCCS Attendance Policy is stated in the Fall 2013 Schedule of class on page 12 as
follows: “ Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students are responsible for
materials covered during their absences, and its is the student’s responsibility to consult
with instructors for make-up assignments. Class attendance is checked daily by
instructors. Although it is the responsibility of the student to drop a course for nonattendance, the instructor has a full authority to drop a student for excessive absences. A
student may be dropped from a course for excessive absences after the student has
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College Physics I
COURSE SYLLABUS
accumulated in excess of 12.5 % of the hours of instruction (including lecture and
laboratory time).” Note that 12.5% is approximately 3 classes or labs for a 4
semester hour course, such as this one, which meets for 3 hours 2 times a week. If
circumstances significantly prevent you from attending classes, please inform the
instructor.
Last Day For Administrative & Student Withdrawal
November 1, 2013 (@ 4:30pm) is the last day for student to withdraw from the
course and receive a grade of “W” in the course. It is the responsibility of any
student contemplating on dropping the course to do so by or before that day. I
recommend that any student planning to drop the course should discuss his/her
performance in the course with me first before dropping. Sometimes it may not be
as bad as it looks. "NOTICE: Students who repeat a course three or more times may
soon face significant tuition/fee increases at HCC and other Texas public colleges and
universities. If you are considering course withdrawal because you are not earning
passing grades, confer with your instructor/counselor as early as possible about your
study habits, reading and writing homework, test-taking skills, attendance, course
participation, and opportunities for tutoring or other assistance that might be
available."
A STUDENT CAN NO LONGER ASK THE INSTRUCTOR TO WITHDRAW
HIM/HER FROM A CLASS AFTER THE LAST DAY FOR ADMINISITRATIVE &
STUDENT WITHDRWAL. ANY STUDENT WISHING TO WITHDRAW FROM A
CLASS MUST DO SO BEFORE OR BY THE LAST DAY FOR WITHDRWAL. THIS
IS A NEW RULE FROM THE COLLEGE AND THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS
TO THIS RULE. A student who fails to withdraw by due date will automatically receive
the grade of F since the instructor cannot with him/her after that date. Please take note of
this new requirement.
Besides, there is a new law in Texas which stipulates that beginning fall 2007, an
undergraduate student attending any Public College/universities in Texas is allowed to
have a maximum of six (6) withdrawals in his/her records prior to getting his/her first
degree.
Important Dates
November 1
December 8
December 12
day)
Last Day to Drop with a grade of W
Instructions Ends
Final Examinations(check school website for specifics exam
Disability Support Services (DSS):
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision,
hearing, etc.), Who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the
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College Physics I
COURSE SYLLABUS
Disability Services Office at the respective college at the beginning of each semester.
Faculties are authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the
Disability Support Services Office. If you have any questions, please contact the
Disability counselor at your college or Donna Price at 713-718-5165
At the discretion of the instructor, either the grading scale may be adjusted or the
exam scores may be “curved” to reflect the degree of difficulty.
Syllabus is subject to change.
Note: The state of Texas has begun to limit the money it will contribute to a
student’s education. The state contributes only to the first 2 times a student
registers for a course. Students are charged additional fees for subsequent
registrations.
Schedule of Chapters – Subject to change.
Guide to Features of the Text
1. Introduction to Physics
I. MECHANICS
2. One-Dimensional Kinematics
3. Vectors in Physics
4. Two-Dimensional Kinematics
Exam 1
5. Newton’s Laws of Motion
6. Applications of Newton’s Laws
7. Work and Kinetic Energy
8. Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy
9. Linear Momentum and Collisions
Exam 2
10. Rotational Kinematics and Energy
11. Rotational Dynamics and Static Equilibrium
12. Gravity
13. Oscillations About Equilibrium
14. Waves and Sound
Exam 3
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College Physics I
COURSE SYLLABUS
15. Fluids
II. THERMAL PHYSICS
16. Temperature and Heat
17. Phases and Phase Changes
18. The Laws of Thermodynamics
Final Exam (December 12)
Lab Schedule: There will be 3 to 5 labs during each “week” of the semester
(total 8 to 12) depending on the progress of the class. Lab investigations or class
demonstrations will be selected by the instructor from the following list :
Measurement lab
Vectors
Position, Velocity, Acceleration
Newton’s Laws of Motion
Projectile Motion
Atwoods Machine
Friction
Free-Fall
Work – Kinetic Energy
Momentum Conservation
Energy Conservation
Rotational Motion
Angular Velocity, Acceleration
Angular Momentum Conservation
Simple Harmonic Motion
Hooke’s Law
Wave Motion
Speed of Sound
Buoyant Force
Calorimetry
Specific Heat
Boyle’s Law
Thermodynamics
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PROBLEM SOLVING IN PHYSICS
Physics is a lot like driving or swimming - you have to learn by doing it. You could read
a book on driving and memorize every word in it, but when you are behind the wheel the
first time you are going to have hard time to coordinate what you memorize in practice.
After some training you will find that driving is the easiest thing to do. Similarly, you can
read your text book and/or your note book carefully, memorize every equation and
formula in it but when you finish you still has not learnt physics.
To learn physics you have to go beyond passive reading; you have to interact with
physics and experience it by doing (solving) problems.
Below we present a brief summary of problem solving in physics. The suggestions should
help to develop a systematic approach in problem solving.
It should be underlined that at the outset that there is no recipe for solving problems in
physics --- it is a creative activity. In fact the opportunity to be creative is one of the
attractions in physics. The following suggestions then are not intended as a rigid set of
steps that must be followed like steps in computer programming. Rather, they provide a
general guideline that experienced problem solvers find to be effective.
Read the problem carefully Before you can solve a problem you need to know
exactly what information it gives and what it asks you to determine. This is essential first
step in problem solving.
Sketch the system You may say that this is not that important. It is important and
worth doing it. A sketch helps you to acquire a physical feeling for the system. It also
provides an opportunity to label those quantities that are known and those that are not
determined.
Visualize the physical process.
Plan This may be the most difficult, but at the same time the most creative, part of the
problem -solving process. From your sketch and visualization, try to identify the physical
process at work in the system. Then develop a strategy -a game plan - for solving the
problem.
Identify appropriate equations Once a plan/strategy has been developed, find the
appropriate equations to carry it out.
Solve the equations Use basic algebra to solve the equations identified in the
previous step. Work with symbols like x and y for the most part, substituting numerical
values near the end of the calculations.
Check your answers Once you have an answer, check to see if it make sense: (i)
Does it have the right dimension? If you determine force the dimension should not be in
seconds! (ii) Is the numerical value reasonable? 10/100 should not give a 1000!!!
Explore limits/special cases
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College Physics I
COURSE SYLLABUS
Finally, it is tempting to look for shortcuts when doing a problem -- to look for a formula
that seems to fit and some numbers to plug into it. It may seem harder to think ahead, to
be systematic as you solve the problem, and then to think back over what you have done
at the end of the problem. The extra effort is worth it, however, because by doing these
things you will develop powerful problem - solving skills that can be applied to
unexpected problems you may encounter on exams --- in life in general!!
Assignments:
Practice problems are assigned from the text after every chapter is covered. Students are
strongly advised to attempt all these selected problems and other problems from the text.
In general, student who fail to do these assigned problems do not do well in the course.
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