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Physics 101, Physics for Scientists and Engineers
Fall 2012
- Course Description Instructor: Dr. Derrick Kiley
Office: SCI-222H; Office Phone (323) 953-4000 EXT 1922
E-mail Address: kileydt@lacitycollege.edu.
Course Webpage: http://faculty.ucmerced.edu/dkiley/physics101.html This will
change, soon.
Class meets: 12:10 – 4:45 (with a break from 2:10 - 2:45), Mondays and Wednesdays in SCI-208.
Office hours: 9:00 – 10:30 a.m., Mondays and Wednesdays in SCI-222H.
Prerequisites: Physics 11 or successful completion of High School Physics, Math 261 or an
appropriate score on a math placement test.
Textbook: All texts are available in the college bookstore.
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Eighth Edition, by Serway and Jewett (earlier editions
are acceptable).
There is also a required lab manual, Physics 101 Lab Manual.
Finally, there is an optional study guide for the course, Student Solution Manual and Study
Guide for Serway and Jewett’s Physics for Scientists and Engineers.
Topics and Outlook:
This course will introduce the basic ideas of Newtonian Mechanics. This is a very large
and interesting area of physics, and after the completion of this course you will understand
the application of many areas of physics. We will begin with a thorough discussion of
motion, including motion under the influence of gravity. We will extend our analysis from
simple motion in a straight line to motion along more directions, for example by considering
the trajectory of a projectile like a cannonball. After this, we will ask, “where does this
motion come from?” “What makes things move?” The answer to these questions is found
in Newton’s laws of motion. These three laws really encompass all the main ideas of motion
- everything else is application, and can be obtained from these laws, as we’ll see. Following
our discussion of Newton, we will then discuss one of the most important concepts in all of
physics - the conservations laws. We will see that there are some quantities that, no matter
how we twist and turn our system, these quantities always stay the same. Examples of
these quantities include energy, momentum, and angular momentum. Using these quantities
makes solving problems considerably easier. Next, we will consider fluids such as liquids
flowing through pipes and the air pressure at various heights, ending with a basic discussion
of elasticity. Next, we will discuss gravity in much more detail, discussing how planets
orbit the Sun as well as some very interesting applications of gravity, including black holes.
We follow gravity by a discussion of systems which are vibrating, which turns out to be
an extremely important area of physics because, as we’ll discuss, many systems (such as a
pendulum, electrical circuits, and even electrons in an atom) can be described as a vibrating
system. Depending on the timing of the topics, an occasional special lecture on an interesting
topic will be presented.
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- Tentative Syllabus All Dates Approximate!
Topic
Date
Introductions and Overview
Monday August 27
Motion in One Dimension
Wednesday August 29
Labor Day - NO SCHOOL!
Monday September 3
Motion in One Dimension
Wednesday September 5
Vectors
Monday September 10
Vectors
Wednesday September 12
Motion in Two Dimensions
Monday September 17
Motion in Two Dimensions
Wednesday September 19
Laws of Motion
Monday September 24
Laws of Motion
Wednesday September 26
Circular Motion and Other Applications
Monday October 1
Circular Motion and Other Applications
Wednesday October 3
Energy of a System
Monday October 8
Energy of a System
Wednesday October 10
Conservation of Energy
Monday October 15
Conservation of Energy
Wednesday October 17
Linear Momentum and Collisions
Monday October 22
Linear Momentum and Collisions
Wednesday October 24
Rotation of a Rigid Object
Monday October 29
Rotation of a Rigid Object
Wednesday October 31
Angular Momentum
Monday November 5
Angular Momentum
Wednesday November 7
Veteran’s Day - NO SCHOOL!
Monday November 12
Static Equilibrium and Elasticity
Wednesday November 14
Fluid Mechanics
Monday November 19
Fluid Mechanics
Wednesday November 21
Universal Gravitation
Monday November 26
Universal Gravitation
Wednesday November 28
Oscillatory Motion
Monday December 3
Oscillatory Motion
Wednesday December 5
FINAL EXAM!!!
Wednesday December 12
Chapter in Text
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12:00 – 2:00
Attendance: Attendance is essential to your success in physics! Because physics builds
upon itself, missing one lecture can affect your understanding of all that follow. If you
are absent for more than 9 consecutive hours during the first two weeks, then you may be
dropped from the course.
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Grading:
The grading will be based on the final (25%), 12 quizzes (50% total), and the
discussion/lab sessions (25% total).
- Tentative Grading Scale A
85% – 100%
B
75% – 84%
C
65% – 74%
D
55% – 64%
F
Below 54%
Quizzes
There will be 12 quizzes, each held during the lab/discussion sessions on Mondays
(except for Wednesday, September 5th and November 14, since those Mondays are holidays).
We will do our best to give plenty of partial credit, so always attempt the problems, even if
you don’t finish them!
Final: The final exam is scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, from 12:00 – 2:00,
and will be comprehensive.
The quizzes and final exam are closed book. If some complicated formulas are needed
(such as a nasty integral) they will be provided, as will any required numerical values, etc.
You may use calculators. You should bring your student ID along so that your identity may
be verified, if necessary.
Discussion/Lab Sessions
Part of the course includes a discussion/laboratory (DL) session. These sessions meet
twice a week and will contribute a large amount to the course, so it is important that you
attend these. During certain sessions you will perform experiments, while during others you
will work problems. These DL meetings contribute 25% to your grade, and are manditory!
- Tentative Lab Schedule Topic
Date
There will be five labs each
Lab 1
Wednesday, August 29
meeting during your reguLab 2 Wednesday, September 12
larly scheduled DL time.
Lab 3 Wednesday, September 26
Lab 4
Wednesday, October 31
Lab 5
Monday, November 19
Important! Drop Date Information
The deadline to drop without a W is the last day of Week 2 (of the semester), which
is Sunday, September 9th for Fall 2012. If you must drop a course, drop before the
specified deadline for dropping a class without a grade of ”W.” Dropping after Week 2 will
result in a W on your transcript. Effective July 1, 2012 students will only have 3 attempts
to pass a class. If a student gets a ”W” or grade of ”D”, ”F”, I, or ”NP” in a class, that
will count as an attempt. A students past record of course attempts district wide will also
be considered. Therefore, before the end of Week 2 you should carefully consider if you can
reasonably manage this course with the other factors in your life (e.g. work, family, course
load). If you think you will not be able to complete this course with a C or better, drop by
Sunday, September 9th. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to talk to me. You
may also see a counselor in the Counseling Center in AD 108.
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Learning Objectives for Physics 101
Upon completion of Physics 101, you should understand :
• Simple motion through space.
• The concept of vectors.
• Newton’s three laws of motion.
• That the net force acting on an object is the sum of the individual forces.
• That energy can change forms between kinetic and potential.
• That several quantities do not change in time, including energy, as well as linear and
angular momentum.
• That the gravitational force on an object is given by Newton’s law of gravity.
• That any system slightly displaced from stable equilibrium will undergo simple harmonic motion.
Learning Outcomes for Physics 101
Upon completion of Physics 101, you should be able to:
• Analyze and solve problems related to a variety of physical systems and situations.
• Calculate the motion of a particle in one, two, or three dimensions, subject to forces.
• Determine the net force acting on an object and the acceleration it produces.
• Calculate the motion of particles using the conservation of energy.
• Analyze the collision of two particles using the conservation of momentum.
• Determine the pressure in a fluid.
• Calculate the gravitational field due to a massive object.
• Analyze an oscillating system, determining its period and amplitude.
Student Conduct
Students are expected to adhere to LACC regulations and policies as stated in:
http://www.lacitycollege.edu/schedule/Spring/Spring11/SPR11_policies.pdf
Special Services
Students with a verified disability who may need a reasonable accommodation(s) for this
class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact the Office for Special Services (CH
109, 323.953.4000 x 2270) as soon as possible. All information will remain confidential.
Textbooks are available in read-aloud format from : http://www.learningally.org/
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