Physics 122: Principles of Physics
Spring 2009
Professor:
Offices:
Telephone:
Email:
Dr. Daniel K. Marble
Science Bldg 213E, Science Bldg 232 (RBS Lab), Hydrology 107
968-1910 (Main Office), 968-9880 (Science Office)
Marble@tarleton.edu
Office Hours: M,F 10:00-11:30
Others by appointment
(Hydrology 107)
Class Hours: M,W,F 9:00-10:00
M
2:00-5:00
T,R 1:00-2:15
Modern Lab TBA
Student Research in RBS Laboratory & Meetings:
I am usually either somewhere on the 2nd floor of the science building or in my office in
the Hydrology department. If you can’t find me in the introductory or advanced physics
lab rooms, you should check my accelerator lab.
Textbooks:
Fundamentals of Physics 7th Ed. By Halliday, Resnick, and Walker.
(Required)
Schaum’s Outline Series: Mathematics for Physics Students by Steiner, et.
al (Required)
Schaum's Outline Series: Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Michael
Brown (Optional)
Used Math – Clifford Swartz (Optional From AAPT Web Site – Math
Primer for Students Needing Additional Help)
Homework: WebAssign Password – (Required: Purchase from the bookstore or over
the Internet at www.webassign.com)
Program Outcome and Course Learning Goals Map:
The Program Outcomes for Engineering Physics are:
A. an ability to apply knowledge of math, engineering & science
B. an ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
C. an ability to design system, component or process to meet needs within realistic
constraints such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety,
manufacturability, and sustainability
D. an ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
E. an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
F. an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
G. an ability to communicate effectively
H. the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions in a
global, economic, environmental, and societal context
I. a recognition of need for, and ability to engage in life-long learning
J. a knowledge of contemporary issues
K. an ability to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for
engineering practice.
L. a depth and breadth of knowledge in engineering and physics necessary to work in a
multidisciplinary environment
Course Goals
Upon completion of this course with a C or better, students will
1. know the basic definitions of position, velocity, acceleration and be able
to use them to describe the motion of simple physical systems.
2. be able to apply the principle of conservation of linear momentum to
solve problems involving isolated systems and collisions.
3. be able to apply work and energy concepts to solve either problems
involving only conservative forces or systems with sliding friction.
4. be able to apply the kinematic equations to analyze systems with
constant acceleration.
5. use computer based data acquisition and video analysis systems to
design and conduct simple experiments.
6. be able to analyze experimental data and develop suitable mathematical
models.
7. be able to apply conservation of angular momentum to analyze systems
either involving collision or in which no net external torque is applied.
8. be able to analyze potential energy-position graphs to determine
equilibrium positions.
9. be able to analyze systems involving simple harmonic oscillation.
10. be able to draw free body diagrams and apply Newton’s Laws to analyze
simple mechanical systems.
11. be able to determine when a force is conservative and the potential
energy function that corresponds to a particular conservative force.
Program
Outcome(s):
A
A
A
A
A, B, D
A, B, D
A
A
A
A
A
Course: Physics 122 primarily covers mechanics, gravitation, and harmonic motion.
Depending on the available time, a brief introduction to material on waves, relativity, and
fluids necessary for later course work may also be presented. Physics 122 is a calculusbased course intended for Physical Science, Engineering, Mathematics and other
Technical majors. The course is intended to provide the student with a strong foundation
for future course work in these fields as well as improving the student’s general problem
solving skills.
Grading: The final grade for Physics 122 will be based upon written examinations,
quizzes, homework and lab work. At least two exams will be given during the semester
as well as a comprehensive final. These exams are comprehensive and will test both the
student’s conceptual and analytical abilities. Unannounced quizzes will be given during
labs and class in order to discourage test cramming and to ensure that students develop
the necessary study habits needed for success in PHYS122. Homework will be assigned
regularly and collected using the automated homework system WebAssign. Students are
required to keep a notebook with each homework problem workout on paper using the
method presented in the homework handout. The instructor will collect these solutions
randomly and grade them for clarity, logic, and correctness. The remaining portion of the
student’s grade will be determined by group activities including lab work and projects.
The student must successfully complete at least 80% of the lab assignments in order to
pass the course.
Time: Because Physics 122 requires students to use math and science skills learned in
other classes as well as learning and study skills beyond simple memory and recall, it
is a challenging course for most students. However, most students even those with poor
backgrounds can succeed in Physics 122 if they develop the necessary study skills and
consistently spend the required time. Students should consider their academic, work, and
outside activity schedule to see if they have sufficient time to dedicate to PHYS122. A
student should expect to spend between 3 and 5 hours outside of class for every 1 hour
of lecture depending on the student’s background and the material in order to pass
PHYS122. In order to be successful, it is important that the student develops a consistent
study schedule instead of cramming for quizzes and exams. The student should perform
the pre-class assignments of the web for each particular module. The student’s study
program should include working through each equation in the textbook, reviewing
previously covered material, working problems, and noting questions for the instructor.
The process of learning physics is similar to that of learning to play football or the flute
in that it is not a spectator activity. Each student is expected to come to class with
questions and prepared to engage in an interactive discussion with the class and instructor
on the assigned material. Students should make frequent use of the instructor’s office
hours whenever they are having difficulties. In addition to posted office hours, students
should feel free to come for assistance anytime the instructor is in his office. Students can
also contact their instructor for help using e-mail or the WebAssign help desk.
Pre/Post Class Work: In order to master the material in PHYS122, students may have
to work through the reading assignments multiple times using pen and paper. Prior to
class, the student should make a quick reading of the chapter and record any areas of
confusion. During class, students will be required to participate in an active learning
process including the answering of questions. To reduce time spent taking notes and to
allow students to concentrate on the material, a detailed outline of class notes is provided
on the web. Students are expected to visit the PHYS122 web site
(http://www.math.tarleton.edu/Physics/courses.html) and to perform the assigned preclass activities including reading assignment and the printing of class notes before every
class. Following class, students are required to complete the post-class assignment
including reviewing their notes and working assigned homework problems.
Homework: Homework will be assigned and collected using the automated homework
system, WebAssign. (http://www.webassign.com). Universities from all over the country
including the US Military Academy at West Point, US Naval Academy, Purdue,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, etc have found WebAssign to be a powerful
teaching tool. Each student is provided a set of problems with their own unique set of
numerical values. Upon completion of the assignment, the student will submit their
answers over the Internet and receive immediate feedback. In order to improve the
student’s ability and their grade, WebAssign will allow the student to rework the
problems as many times as they wish until the assignment’s due date. If a student finds
that they do not understand the solution to a particular problem or have spent more than
30 minutes on one problem, they are encouraged to seek help from the instructor.
Students should consider these assigned problem sets to be the minimum number of
problems that must be solved to successfully complete Physics 122. Additional problems
with solutions are also contained on the many physics links on the PHYS122 web site
and in their Schaum’s Outline Series. If a student is having difficulty is a particular area,
the instructor will be glad to suggest additional problems and to provide solutions.
Students are further encouraged to study together in groups and to use the chat rooms and
bulletin board on the PHYS122 web site to discuss physics and to work homework
problems with their class mates.
Attendance: Although there is no mandatory attendance policy for Physics 122, it is
highly recommended that students make every attempt to make all classes. If a student
must miss a quiz, exam, or lab due to an emergency or illness, they should contact the
instructor as soon as possible. If the instructor decides that the absence was excused, the
student may be given a make up quiz, exam or lab or the instructor may alter the
weighting of the student’s other grades. If the absence is unexcused then the student
will receive a zero for the missed graded event.
Lab: In order to receive credit for the course, a student must complete the lab portion of
the course by successfully finishing all lab assignments. If a student receives a zero for
missing a lab, they must still arrange a time with the instructor to complete the lab in
order to complete the course. During lab, computers are only allowed to be used for lab
work. They are not to be used while the instructor is presenting material or to complete
homework assignments without instructor approval. Students not working with their team
on their labs will be given a grade of zero and required to make up the lab. You are
expected to be in lab the full time unless you have obtained special permission from
the instructor. Do not schedule other activities including doctor appointments
during this time. Lab computers are for data collection and analysis only during the
Lab period. You may not use them for web surfing, doing homework, sending email,
or other non-lab uses during the lab period without instructor permission. Violating
this policy will lead to the student getting an “F” for the lab.
Honors Credit (Fall Only): Members of the Presidential Honors Program or strong
academic students who wish to be challenged and have an interest in physics or applied
physics areas like medicine, engineering, etc may take PHYS122 for Honors credit.
PHYS122 Honors students will have the opportunity to have a greater understanding of
physics through additional enrichment projects including more reading assignments. The
reading assignments will include advanced material from the Feynman Lecture Series
Volume I that was developed by Nobel Prize winner Richard Feynman for the
introductory physics course at the California Institute of Technology. Enrichment will
also include special advanced laboratory exercises that normally are reserved for more
advanced students or involve expensive instrumentation.
Other Opportunities: Physics 122 students have access to a wide range of professional
opportunities outside of class. These include
a) working with Tarleton’s particle accelerator on problems in material science
and physics or with Tarleton’s 32” Telescope.
b) joining the Society of Physics Students (SPS) at Tarleton,
c) attending the joint meeting of the Texas Section of the American Physics
Society (APS) and American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) in
April at Tarleton State University
d) joining the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE)
e) joining the Engineers Club
f) doing science demonstrations at area schools
Tarleton installed a new particle accelerator laboratory and a scanning electron
microscope in 2001-2002. The accelerator facility is worth more than $1 million dollars
and was donated by the California Institute of Technology. It will be used to analyze
electronic materials and to perform basic research in to ion atom collisions. A new x-ray
facility is also being installed. Tarleton has a state-of-the art astronomical observatory as
well as the finest scanning electron microscope of any undergraduate institution in the
country. Students interested in these projects should contact Dr. Marble and Dr. Goderya.
Disabilities: Students with disabilities may request appropriate accommodation by
contacting (Trina Geye,) the Director of Student Disability Services in the Mathematics
Building Room 201, at (254) 968-9400 (or email disability@tarleton.edu).