Welcome to Physics 1010: The
Physics of Everyday Life
Instructor: Isidoros Doxas doxas@colorado.edu
Graders:
Mark Yeo (Exams and cummulative): Eng-hiang.Yeo@colorado.edu
Office Hours: TBA
Yu Ye (Clickers): Yu.Ye@colorado.edu
Office Hours: Friday 3:00pm-5:00pm in the Physics Help Room
Jing Yin (Homework): Jing.Yin@colorado.edu
Office Hours:TBA.
LAs: TBA.
Instructor:
Isidoros Doxas
doxas@colorado.edu
What you will need:
Text – How things work; the physics of everyday life, L.
Bloomfield
Clicker – bring to class everyday. Available in the
bookstore
Calculator – bring to class everyday (simpler is better!).
Prerequisites: High school algebra. The class will not use trigonometry,
but will use algebra frequently as well as working with
graphs and scientific notation.
Measure lots of stuff to match class better to you
CLIKCERS
online registration - see webpage; saves your clicker data even before registration
Return immediate feedback, both to you and to me
Work out problems in class; address questions immediately
Surveys
Both attitude and content surveys
Extra credit; completing all surveys => 10pts
Guiding principles: (basis for how course is run)
Understanding physics (& solving problems that develop understanding)
is a learned skill, like a foreigh language, playing the piano, or playing
basketball.
Like learning a foreighn language, there is a lot of vocabulary (eg. vector,
acceleration, charge…), but even more grammar and syntax (putting
things together to solve problems).
Learning the “vocabulary” and learning to solve problems require different
teaching and learning approaches
We cannot teach you physics!
Physics is not collection of facts.
Is way of thinking. Only you can teach yourself to think!
Analyzing, applying concepts, solving problems.
• Learning facts (vocabulary):
Physical constants (eg. Charge of electron, radius of the Earth)
Units (pounds, meters, amperes, and the like)
New “concepts” (acceleration, vector, voltage, etc)
~20% of the course
“Repetition is the mother of knowledge”
• Problem Solving:
Is second nature, like speaking (and thinking) in a foreign language
Research over the past 15 years has shown that it is best learned by working
with others to solve problems (learning gains >> than lectures)
Most of the effort in the course
Will work in groups
Some grades will be group grades; most will be individual
Physics 1010 website, source of all knowledge!
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/phys1010/phys1010_fa06
Home Page
Weekly Assignments
Extra Credit assignments
Lecture Notes (posted after class)
Homework Solutions
Exam Reviews and Answers
Department of Physics Home Page
Physics links/downloads
Classwork & Grading: Grade based on total number of points earned.
In-class participations (Clickers)
Homework
Hour Exams
Final Exam
Extra credit opportunities
8 pts
15 pts
40 pts
80 pts
30 pts
x~20
x~8
x 2
x 1
You can drop
4 (of ~24)
2 (of ~10)
1 (of 3)
0
Total in-class and weekly homework count the most!
Grade depends most on showing up for class, doing reading, and
turning in homework every week.
You can drop your lowest-scoring classes, homeworks, and hour exam
THEREFORE:
No makeups, no excuses
DON’T WASTE YOUR DROP QUOTA; YOU MAY NEED IT LATER!
To learn physics and do well in this
class, I expect to spend ?…… working
on physics outside of class.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Less than 2 hours per week
2-4 hours per week
4-6 hours per week
6-8 hours per week
8+ hours per week
right answer- c. On average 4-6 hours.
Means more some weeks. Students who think this too
much hate class, ones who think it ok, love the class.
How hard was the survey?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Easy as Pi
Medium (HS)
Hard (end of Freshman year)
Very hard (end of college)
Are you kidding me? (grad school!)
Homework and Office Hours
• Homework normally due Mondays at midnight.
• Available through course website. Online
submission.
• Office Hours
• Instructor (in Physics Tutorial Rooms) :
• Thursday 12:30-2:30
• Graders, LAs: Check Course Website.