Physics 122-02 Syllabus
Instructor: Michelle Creech-Eakman, PhD
Office: Workman 357
Office Hours: 2-4 Mon, or by appt.
Phone: 835-5809
Class Hours: T & R 11-12:15, Wkmn 101
Web: physics.nmt.edu/Department/homedirlinks/mce/phys122.html
Email: mce@kestrel.nmt.edu
Text: Essential University Physics, Wolfson, vol. 2, 2nd Ed, with Mastering Physics supplement
Pre-requisites: Physics 121 + Lab, Math 131 (Calc I)
Co-requisites: Recitation: 122-01 T 6:30-8:30 or 122-02 W 2:00-4:00; Physics 122 Lab; Math
132 (Calc II); Phys 122L is required for anyone who has not already passed it
Online homework (Mastering Physics): www.masteringphysics.com you will need
your NMT Student ID number available to login – register the first week of classes
MP Course ID: MPCREECHEAKMAN201201
MP Course title: Physics 122, Section 1, Creech-Eakman, Fall 2012
Homepage for iClickers: www.iclicker.com you will need to register and include your
NMT student ID here as well – register by week 2 of classes
Purpose: This class is designed to teach you two things. First, it will teach you the
fundamentals of electricity and magnetism, including Maxwell’s equations, optics and
radiation, and some modern physics, in particular quantum mechanics. Second, it will
teach you how to critically examine a problem and analytically arrive at a solution, all
done in the context of these fundamental physical laws which we will study. We will
cover approximately 14 chapters during the semester. Your grade will be comprised of
the points you earn on quizzes, homework, class participation, three tests during the
semester and a cumulative final (date still TBD). Class time will be used mainly for
lecture, questions and test taking; recitation will be used mainly for working homework
problems at the board and quizzes. You are responsible for all the material listed in the
reading and homework assignments, whether or not they are covered explicitly in class.
You are expected to be concurrently taking or have already taken the second semester of
calculus for this course. Online homework will be posted at the class’ Mastering Physics
pages (see above). Written homework assignments and class announcements will be
posted to the class website:
http://physics.nmt.edu/Department/homedirlinks/mce/phys122.html
Points: You will earn points in the class, upon which your grade will be based, from the
following three areas: 1) your performance on quizzes and homework, 2) your
performance on tests (and a TBD final), and 3) your participation in class and through
possible extra credit opportunities. The grading components will break down as follows:
•
•
•
•
About fifteen homework sets of 6-10 problems each that will be handed in, and an
additional set of online HW via the Mastering Physics website 20%
Quizzes in recitations on reading and HW problems 15%
Three semester exams 60% (40% if final is also given/needed)
One comprehensive final TBD (20%)
•
•
A class participation component based on Clickers and class/recitation
participation 5%
Several extra credit opportunities of varying point values including, but not
limited to: extra credit problems on HW and tests, Clicker bonus questions,
attendance of special announced lectures accompanied by a written report, taking
a standardized physics evaluation test at the end of the term, other opportunities as
they arise (to total not more than 5% of accumulated grade points)
General Class Scheduling during Week:
Two types of homework will be due each week: 1) online homework through Mastering
Physics which is mainly conceptual or short calculations. Due dates will generally be on
the weekend (Sunday); and 2) handed in homework, which you will have an opportunity
to work on during recitations and thus will be due generally on Thursdays. See the class
and homework websites for specific deadlines. Additionally, Clicker questions (with
possible extra credit) will be held in class and brief quizzes will be given in recitation.
These will be used to help record your attendance and cannot be made up (though for an
adequate excuse given in advance, they can be waived). Tests will be given in lecture
sessions and will last 1.25 hours and announced at least 1 week in advance. Tests will
NOT be re-offered for make-up without a physician’s note or similar level excuse.
If you must be gone for a test day for some unavoidable and pre-arranged reason,
endeavor to speak to me well in advance.
Background for each of the above:
Homework: This will consist of a series of problems assigned and posted on the websites
above. Approximately 6-10 problems will be assigned from the text to work through and
hand in each week along with additional 10-12 conceptual and short-answer questions
online (Mastering Physics) of about 1.5-2 hours in duration. Homework will receive a
deduction if late, and if too late, no more than 50% credit. You are allowed and even
encouraged to work together to solve homework problems and to seek advice from the
professor, recitation instructors, and tutors, however each person must turn in his/her own
homework set. You must show ALL your work, use physical units and present labeled
graphs/diagrams to get full credit on these problems.
Quizzes: This will consist of few multiple choice questions on the reading concepts or a
short calculation to be done during recitation, generally at the beginning of class, but set
at the discretion of the TA. These questions are not meant to be tricky, and in general
will not require any overly detailed calculations. A person who has kept up on the
chapter reading before class and stayed up-to-date with the homework should be able to
do well on these quizzes.
Clickers: These questions will be used in class lecture to keep you engaged and thinking
about the material. There will be a nominal 1 point for each answer, and an additional
0.5 extra credit point if the answer is correct. To check out an iClicker for the semester,
you must go to the library and pay some nominal fee. If you already have an iClicker
(personal property, or checked out for another class), you do not need to check out
another one for this class (the same one will work). A note about iClickers, bringing
someone else’s iClicker as a “favor” to them to allow them to be counted as “present” for
a class will result in a 10% reduction (first offense) in TOTAL grade for all parties
involved, and expulsion from the class and referral to the Dean of Students for any
subsequent offense. Please familiarize yourself with the NMT Student Handbook and
Code of Conduct, as using another person’s iClicker is considered cheating in this class.
Tests: These exams will generally consist of four sections: 1) Conceptual questions
which don’t require calculations, but do require a short essay and diagrams to answer
completely; 2) Multiple Choice Questions – generally related to readings or short
calculations based on the material covered in classes and often derived from Clicker
questions; 3) Problems – generally very straightforward problems requiring a few steps
and a calculator to complete. These will be very similar to your homework. All your
work MUST be shown for these problems to get full credit; 4) A few extra credit
questions which often will only have been discussed in class or via supplemental material
– hint: class attendance will help you here. You will be allowed to bring in an equation
sheet, a pencil and a non-programmable calculator for the test. NO INTERNET
ACCESSING or SMART devices are allowed during tests. Scratch paper will be
provided and details of a test (content, format, etc) discussed before each test. The Final
is TBD and depends on overall class performance and mastery of the material.
Labs: The labs are a separate course for separate credit, however it is useful to take both
the class and lab simultaneously as they are designed to have a linked schedule that
reinforces what you are learning in both.
Grades:
Letter grades will be assigned approximately as follows: 92.5% and up A, 89.5-92.4%
A-, 87.5-89.4% B+, 82.5-87.4% B, 79.5-82.4% B-, etc.
Tips for Success in this Class:
1) Attendance: At NMT attendance is mandatory in freshman classes for freshman
students. In this class this is established via the iClicker questions and recitation quizzes.
It is also highly recommended that you attend all lectures and recitations as you will learn
and reinforce what you have read and studied by being present for these discussions and
activities. Endeavour to be on-time to class, and come prepared to pay attention – i.e.
silence cell phones, shut off iPods and other internet smart devices, refrain from text
messaging, skip surfing the web, and attend the class – after all, you are paying for it.
2) Homework and Reading Assignments: You learn physics by doing physics – hence
the need for homework. The reading, especially if done in advance of class, and more
than once, will help cement the ideas into your head, which should make the homework
easier to complete and the quizzes and tests less stressful. I’m serious here: read the
book.
3) Responsibility: Ultimately it is you who are responsible for learning the material
presented in this course. If you are having trouble with the material, or falling behind in
the homework, please make use of my office hours or contact me to make an appointment
as soon as possible so that we may determine the best course of action to keep you (or get
you back) on track and keep you successful within the course. You will earn your grade
in this class based on the work you ultimately put into it. Almost no one who puts in
his/her time on the coursework for this class fails it; however many do not get the grade
s/he would like, mainly through lack of consistent effort. Finally, there is a Student
Handbook at NMT and a Code for Student Conduct therein which I expect all students to
abide by. If there is ever a question in this regard for my class, please make an
appointment to see me as soon as possible.
4) General Success Tips: I expect the typical NMT student will spend on average 10-15
hours per week on reading and homework assignments for this class. If you are not doing
well with the material, and are spending substantially less time than this on your
coursework, then you should first find a way to spend more time on the assignments. If
you are spending this amount of time on the assignments and still having trouble, please
come see me to discuss it as soon as possible
5) Getting help: I will publish office hours on my website/office door, which may have to
change some weeks due to my travel schedule. Also the Physics department provides
free tutoring in Workman 110 and you will see posted schedules appear around the
second week of classes as to when that will have tutors available. The Advising
Resource Center can provide additional tutoring if the department’s schedule does not
mesh with your own. Finally, the class webpage will have some links to online resources
as well.
Planned reading assignments/tests/labs for the semester:
Week
Starting date
Chapter
1
Aug 21
Intro/Ch 20
2
Aug 28
Ch 20-21
3
Sept 4
Ch 22
4
Sept 11
Ch 23
5
Sept 18
Ch 24; Test #1 Ch 20-23
6
Sept 25
Ch 24-25
7
Oct 2
Ch 25
8
Oct 9
Ch 26
9
Oct 16
Ch 26-27
10
Oct 23
Ch 27
11
Oct 30
Ch 29; Test #2 Ch 24-27
12
Nov 6
Ch 30 & 32
13
Nov 13
Ch 34
14
Nov 20
Ch 34
15
Nov 27
Ch 35/36 mixed
16
Dec 4
Ch 35/36; Test #3 Ch 29, 32, 34-6
17
Dec 11
FINALS WEEK – TBD
Lab
No lab
O-scopes
No lab
E field mapping
Cap’s & Dielec’s
Vel. of light
Optics
Circuits
Mag. forces
Faraday’s law
Refr. & Disp.
Reflec, Interf. & Diff.
Spectral Lines
No lab
Hubble Redshift
No lab
No lab